Indian White Bean Coconut Curry

I have a secret. I’m a lactose-free eater who hates coconut.

“Oh my God! What ice cream do you eat?” you ask – the obvious question.

Either Solo Fruit Sorbet, So Delicious almond ice cream (though for legal reasons it’s called “non-dairy frozen dessert”) or I make my own almond milk-based custard and process in one of my two ice cream makers.

See? Life’s not all bad.

But when it comes to creaming up savoury dishes, especially the South Indian, Thai and Malaysian types, coconut milk is the path of choice. You see a lot more coconut trees in those areas than almonds.

First, there’s the whole problem with coconut cream versus regular versus “light” coconut milk. If you buy the light stuff, you’re basically paying for water with a little coconut flavour. The flavour is in the fat.

Coconut flesh (the white part) is grated and soaked in hot water. The coconut cream rises to the top and can be skimmed off. The remaining liquid is squeezed through a cheesecloth to extract a white liquid that is coconut milk. By repeating this process, the coconut milk becomes thinner. The thicker version is used for desserts and rich sauces. Thin coconut milk is used for cooking curries and soups.

Coconut milk is made from the grated flesh of a coconut soaked in hot water. The cream rises to the top and is sold as coconut cream. The rest is put through a sieve and canned. It then separates in the can between water on the bottom and what little cream is left on top, which is why you should shake the can if you want a milk-like consistently. The cream to water ratio in a can is dependent on how much cream that company is skimming off to sell separately as full-fat coconut cream. So if you actually want “light” coconut milk, you’re better off buying a can of full-fat coconut milk, using half and adding half a can of water, then saving the rest of the can for another recipe.

You could also separate the creamy part off the top yourself if you just want the faintest hint of coconut. But this will definitely dilute your recipe. I only do this when making coconut whipped cream (refrigerate a can to solidify the cream and beat it as a replacement whipped cream).

Then there’s the whole issue of healthy fats in coconut, which is a whole different can of worms.

But what it comes down to for me is the taste.

When you cook with coconut, everything tastes like coconut.

That’s why if I’m making a green curry or a squash and ginger or sweet potato soup, I’ll use a mix of coconut milk and almond milk – because a little goes a long way.

And that’s just what I did with this recipe for Indian white bean curry. The result is a curry that’s not too coconut-y, creamy from the white beans and thick and nutty from the gram flour – and it’s lower in fat.

South Indian White Bean Coconut Curry (Easy slow-cooker version or stove-top version)

Serves 8 (freeze the leftovers)

1 tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp black mustard seeds
2 tbsp cumin seed
1 tsp fenugreek
2 tbsp minced ginger
4 cloves garlic, minced

6 large carrots, chopped
3 cups almond milk
1 can regular coconut milk
2 tbsp gram flour (also called besan or chickpea flour)
6 cups cooked white beans (preferably soaked overnight and boiled until tender, but canned will do)
1/2 tsp ground cayenne 
3/4 tsp turmeric powder
7 to 8 dried or fresh curry leaves, optional
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup to 1 cup water, optional (to dilute if needed)