Growing up, every other Friday my mother would make butter beans curry and fresh hot roti straight out of the pan for us.

As time went on, new flavours of butter beans came out.

My mother’s all time favourite is the curried butter beans, my dad hates the new butter beans, he prefers the plain boring ones and then that made into a curry.

So when he is out of town on business, I make my mother’s butter beans version for her and when he is in town and it’s a Friday, I make his version of butter beans curry.

Everyone gets their butter beans way and everyone seems to enjoy it.

Trust me, I once tried to feed my dad the tined butter beans curry, he wouldn’t stop complaining that he could taste the difference, even the look was different, it was just too sweet and too orange for his taste… on and on he went.

You would think I was making him eat these butter beans 7 days a week for breakfast lunch and supper.

When I came across this recipe, my dad was game to try it out. The original recipe required kidney beans, but seeing as kidney beans is yet another bean that is both passionately hated by both parents, I substituted to perfect a very bad long weekend.

All in all, both parents and myself, considering that I am not a vegetable lover, loved this dish. Just the perfect hint of curry and with roti, what more could you ask for?

Ingredients:

• 2 x tbsp. olive oil.
• Salt to taste.
• 2 x tsp cumin seeds.
• 1 x onion, finely chopped.
• 1 x can chopped tomatoes.
• 2 x tsp coriander powder.
• 2 x tsp masala.
• 1 x tsp cumin powder.
• ¼ x tsp turmeric powder.
• 1 x tsp garam masala.
• A sprig of curry leaves.
• 2 x tins butter beans, drained and rinsed.
• 2 x cups water.

Method:

• Heat oil in a pot.
• Add the cumin seeds and fry for a few seconds.
• Add the chopped onions and salt and saute till the onions are transparent and soft.
• Add the curry leaves, becareful they might splatter.
• Mix in the tinned tomatoes, cover and cook till the tomatoes are mushy and have released their water.
• Mix in the spices and give it a good stir.
• Add a little water, stir to prevent burning and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add a little more water and allow the mixture to come to the boil.
• Continuing adding the water in stages and allow the mixture to come to the boil in between each pour.
• When all the water has been added, add the drained butter beans.
• Stir to mix everything.
• Cover and cook for 10 minutes on a medium heat.
• Stir every few minutes to prevent sticking.
• Allow the mixture to cook till the gravy has reduced and thickened.