Butter Beans Masala Curry – a lip-smacking butter beans masala curry with the fennel seeds flavor. This delicious curry is an excellent side for your rice or roti and also a perfect mid-morning or evening snack. Check out the detailed video recipe below.
Butter Beans Masala Curry
Yesterday, I posted simple white peas salad under the Elevenses theme that doesn’t require much effort. Today’s recipe is also simple, but you need a bit extra effort to make this delicious curry. The bit extra effort involves some grinding and stir-frying. When you taste this curry, you will be smiling and nodding that the extra effort is all worthy. Once you have the beans ready, you can make this curry in less than 15 minutes. Yes, that’s all it takes it to make this curry.
Recently I started to explore a lot of dried beans that are available in the states like northern beans, cannellini beans, fava beans, etc. (recipes coming soon) This large lima beans aka butter beans are one such variety. I have tried the fresh butter beans in India but not the dried ones. Initially, I made this masala with northern beans, and that’s what I posted on my Instagram too. Then I started to experiment the same masala curry with other beans, and we loved the combination of lima beans with the masala, so I decided to post the same for my blog.
Other Variations with Butter Beans Masala Curry
I made this as a dry curry so that I can have it with my tea or coffee. But you add more water and make this as semi-dry gravy and serve along with roti or add more tomatoes and make it like a mild kurma. The fennel seeds add a lot of flavor to this dish and make it versatile. Also, instead of beans, you can add veggies too.
Cooking Lima Beans in Instant Pot
As always, I prepared my Lima beans in the Instant Pot. I can’t even imagine my kitchen without this gadget now. I just soaked it for two hours and cooked in manual mode for two minutes and released the pressure quickly as well. You can go up to 5 minutes for these beans but not more than that.
Again, I wanted the beans to be soft, firm and crunchy so this timing worked for us. The cooking time might vary depending upon the quality of the beans as well. I know I am repeating this, but always start with the less cook time and do a quick pressure release and depending upon the preference you can adjust the timing and cook again.
Now without any further ado, here is the video and the detailed recipe.
Butter Beans Masala Curry Recipe
Ingredients:
- Butter Beans – 1 cup
- Water – 3 cups (to soak and cook the beans and also 4 tbsps for grinding the masala)
- Coconut – ⅓ cup
- Green Chilies – 2
- Fennel Seeds – 2 tsps
- Turmeric Powder – ⅛ tsp
- Salt – 1.25 tsp
- Oil – 1 tsp
- Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp
- Chopped Onion – ⅓ cup
- Curry Leaves – 5
Steps:
- Wash and soak the butter beans for 2 hours and pressure cook in your preferred way. I used my Instant Pot for pressure cooking the beans. I went with manual or the pressure cook mode and cooked it for two minutes (yes, you need two minutes) and released the pressure quickly. Drain the water and allow it cool for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, grind the coconut, green chilies and fennel seeds by adding 3 tbsps of water. Use one to two tbsps of water to rinse the mixer jar and set it aside.
- Now heat the pan and add the oil.
- When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and allow it to splutter.
- Then add the chopped onions and the curry leaves and cook until the onion turns translucent.
- Now add the ground fennel paste and the 1 tbsp of rinsed water and cook for two to three minutes or until the raw smell of the masala goes off.
- At this stage add the salt and turmeric powder and mix well.
- Now add the cooked beans and mix thoroughly. Make sure the masala is evenly spread. Cook it for a minute and turn off the heat.
That’s it. The masala pirattal is ready. You can serve this with rice or relish it as a mid-morning or evening snack.
Recipe Notes:
- You can replace butter beans with beans of your choice like garbanzo beans, northern beans, kidney beans.
- Adjust the salt and spices according to your preference.
- You can add more water and make it semi-gravy recipe and serve along with rotis or chapati too.
P.S. I am sending this recipe for the BM 96. Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing this BM#96.
📖 Recipe
Butter Beans Masala Curry | Butter Beans Pirattal
Ingredients
- 1 cup Butter Beans
- 3 cup Water to soak and cook the beans and also 4 tbsps for grinding the masala
- ⅓ cup Coconut grated
- 2 Green Chilies
- 2 tsps Fennel Seeds
- ⅛ tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1.25 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Oil
- ½ tsp Mustard Seeds
- ⅓ cup Chopped Onion
- 5 Curry Leaves
Instructions
- Wash and soak the butter beans for 2 hours and pressure cook in your preferred way. I used my Instant Pot for pressure cooking the beans. I went with manual or the pressure cook mode and cooked it for two minutes (yes, you need two minutes) and released the pressure quickly. Drain the water and allow it cool for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, grind the coconut, green chilies and fennel seeds by adding 3 tbsps of water. Use one to two tbsps of water to rinse the mixer jar and set it aside.
- Now heat the pan and add the oil.
- When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and allow it to splutter.
- Then add the chopped onions and the curry leaves and cook until the onion turns translucent.
- Now add the ground fennel paste and the 1 tbsp of rinsed water and cook for two to three minutes or until the raw smell of the masala goes off.
- At this stage add the salt and turmeric powder and mix well.
- Now add the cooked beans and mix thoroughly. Make sure the masala is evenly spread. Cook it for a minute and turn off the heat.
- That's it. The masala pirattal is ready. You can serve this with rice or relish it as a mid-morning or evening snack.
Video
Notes
- You can replace butter beans with beans of your choice like garbanzo beans, northern beans, kidney beans.
- Adjust the salt and spices according to your preference.
- You can add more water and make it semi-gravy recipe and serve along with rotis or chapati too.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.
Hi Srividhya,
I tried making this and having problem while boiling these in instant pot. They came out very mushy.
Can you please link the image of beans with their name and if there are any tips to boil them with a good consistency.
Thanks!
Hi Anshuman, sorry to hear that. In my blog post, you can find the amazon link. That’s where I got it. Here is the link again – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B0420T4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1. The picture of the image is also on the post. I soaked it for 2 hrs and pressured cooked only for 2 minutes and did a quick pressure release. If that’s becoming mushier, try soaking it for just 1 hour and do a low-pressure cook for 2 minutes and release the pressure quickly. See how that works. I think that should help. With the mushy ones you can make a quick dal or a soup. Let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks Vidhya
there are so many varieties of beans and these are one I have yet to eat – But the curry looks so good now I will have to try these soon
Thanks Mir.
The flavor base here for that butter beans masala is quite interesting one.
Thanks Suma.
I am yet to use this beans in a regular basis. I love the use of fennel and it gives it such a distinct flavor. I am bookmarking this recipe to make soon. So healthy and flavorful!
Thanks a lot, Sandhya.
The bowl of beans with coconut masala looks too tempting, can be enjoyed with a cup of tea in winters or some juice during summers!!
Oh yeah definitely.
Oh I love double beans and enjoy it very much in the biryanis we add, this is an excellent way to have them too!
Oh yeah, I love double beans in biryani too. Very yum
That is a lovely curry with butter beans. That spice paste must have added so much flavor to the dish. Good one Vidhya.
Thanks :-)
We make Sunday of this type with slightly different spices. With a cup of coffee, this would be divine.
Oh yeah… Coffee and sundal bestu
A definitely flavorful one. I love to have these varieties of sundals for a snack. Thanks for the masala idea.
Thanks Harini.
Can have this nutritious curry just like an evening snack. How flavourful and protein rich na.. My kind of dish. Simply loving it.
I love this one too. Thanks
I like how you used the masala with a host of different beans. Makes a new flavorful dish with little addition effort. Nice one!
:-) Thanks
Beans are full of protein and they are perfect to enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee as a mid afternoon snack . The recipe is simple and sounds delicious , must try it sometime .
Thanks Vaishali.