Sri Lankan green bean curry recipe

The famous staple of ‘rice and curry’ in Sri Lanka is usually a foodgasm of many different small bowls of various curries served with rice.

We were pleasantly surprised at the variety of vegetarian (and even vegan) curries available, such as runner green bean curry.

Here”s the recipe we learnt during our home stay in Ella for green bean curry – as with all curries in Sri Lanka, served with rice.

Sri Lankan rice and curry cooking class at our home stay in Ella

Ingredients for green bean curry:

• 300g green beans, stringed and sliced
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• large piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• a handful of curry leaves
• 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds
• 400ml of coconut milk
• 4 cloves
• 1 red chilli, chopped (use half to make it less mild)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• handful of fresh coriander
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• juice from 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons of coconut oil for cooking (use vegetable oil as an alternative)

Green bean curry recipe from our cooking class in Ella

How to make green bean curry:

1. In a bowl mix 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder with the green beans.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a pan.
3. Add the chopped onion and cook on high heat, uncovered for around 5-10 minutes until the onion browns, stirring occasionally.
4. Mix in the chopped garlic, ginger, 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds and curry leaves and cook until the seeds begin to pop.
5. Pour in 400ml of coconut milk and add the 1 red chilli, 4 cloves and 1 cinnamon stick and cook on high heat, covered, until the mixture starts to boil, stirring occasionally.
6. Reduce the heat to medium and mix in the green beans mixture and cook for around 15 minutes, covered, or until the green beans are tender, stirring occasionally.
7. Remove from the heat and mix in the handful of fresh coriander and the juice from 1 lime. Serve with rice.