Sri Lankan Sweet Potato and Green Bean Curry
Today we are having a culinary geography lesson and the subject is: Sri Lanka. An island of just over 20 million people, Sri Lanka sits off the southern coast of India and is known as ‘The Pearl of the Indian Ocean’. Until 1972 it was actually called Ceylon (hence the tea!) and it’s particularly well known for its tasty spices. We had a word with our friends down at Seasoned Pioneers when we decided to create this recipe and they sent us this incredible fruity spice blend to transport you to sunnier climes. Enjoy!
Boxes and ingredients are packed in facilities that handles Peanut, Nuts, Sesame, Fish, Crustaceans, Milk, Egg, Mustard, Celery, Soya, Gluten and Sulphites. Due to the war in Ukraine, it has been necessary to substitute sunflower oil with rapeseed oil in some products without a label change. The FSA have advised that allergic reactions to rapeseed oil are rare.
Ingredients
150
Brown Basmati Rice
1
Onion
1
Garlic Clove
1
Ginger
1
Green Beans
½
Small Sweet Potato
½
Coriander
1.5
Sri Lankan Curry Powder
400
Coconut Milk
25
Cashew Nuts
(Contains Nuts May contain Sesame, Nuts, Peanut)
1
Desiccated Coconut
½
Lime
1
Vegetable Stock Pot
(Contains Celery, Sulphites)
Nutritional information
Utensils
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil with a pinch of salt and half the vegetable stock pot. Rinse the rice under running water for 30 seconds (important step!). Add the rice to the boiling water and boil for 25 mins until soft enough to eat. When your rice is cooked, drain it, put it back in the pot off the heat and cover with a tea towel.
Meanwhile, peel and roughly chop the onion and peel and finely chop the garlic. Peel the ginger using the edge of a spoon and finely chop. Cut the very top and bottom off the green beans (i.e. ‘top and tail’ them) then chop them into three pieces. Wash the sweet potato and chop into 1cm cubes, then roughly chop the coriander. Tip: No need to peel the sweet potato as the skin is very nutritious!
Heat a frying pan with a splash of olive oil over medium heat. Add your onion and cook for 4 mins until soft, then add your garlic and ginger and cook for another minute. Add the Sri Lankan curry powder, sweet potato, along with a pinch of salt and mix well.
Add the coconut milk and the other half of your stock pot, stirring well to dissolve your stock pot, and bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 10-15 mins, until your sweet potato is just cooked. Add your green beans and continue to cook for a further 5 mins without the lid.
Toast the cashew nuts in a dry frying pan for a few mins. Watch them carefully as they can burn quickly. Once your cashews start to brown, add the desiccated coconut. Tip: Be careful as the coconut can burn really quickly too.
Once your sauce has bubbled down to a nice thick consistency, squeeze a little your lime juice into your curry. Stir through three-quarters of your coriander. Add more salt and black pepper to taste.
Serve your rice topped with your curry, your toasted coconut and cashew and your remaining chopped coriander.
