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Baked Beans Butter Masala
Introduction from Sanjana Modha
Masala baked beans, tadka baked beans, curried baked beans, spicy baked beans; all avatars of spice-laced baked beans are a mainstay of British Asian kitchens. We were raised on this stuff. Use them as a toastie filler, to smother jacket potatoes, or scoop them up with roti. Enter, Baked Beans Butter Masala. With a sharp sweetness, a versatile tin of baked beans already has all the foundations required to build a brilliant butter masala. All we’re doing here is dressing them up. I like to think of it as though the beans are donning a frock made of all the good stuff – butter, cream and spices. This creamy, dreamy baked-bean curry is delicious with naan or served as any of the suggestions I’ve mentioned above.
Ingredients
Method
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and add the onion. Sauté for 3–5 minutes, or until softened and translucent. Next, add the garlic, ginger and tomato purée and continue to sauté for another minute until aromatic.
Add the baked beans, along with their sauces, and the turmeric, chilli powder, ground cardamom, garam masala and salt. Stir well and bring the beans to a gentle simmer.
Add the cream and stir thoroughly. Cover with a lid and allow the curry to come to a simmer over a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring often to prevent the beans from sticking to the base of the pan.
Remove the lid and add the dried fenugreek leaves, rubbing them between your palms to create a fine powder. Swirl in the reserved cream and if using, extra butter, then garnish with coriander and serve.
Notes
To make this dish vegan: Use your favourite plant-based butter and an oat or soya-based cream. Coconut milk also works in place of cream.
Reviews
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