Mauritian Aduki Beans Curry with Plantain & Yardlong Beans

Mauritian-Style Curry with Sprouted Aduki Beans

Aduki beans deliver a deep, earthy taste to this hearty Mauritian-style curry with snake beans (also known as yardlong beans or Chinese long beans) and green plantain.

Also known as adzuki or azuki beans, these small red beans are often used in many Asian sweet preparations. I enjoy them just as much in savoury dishes. They have a flavour that is quite unique, earthy in a way that is difficult to compare, though red kidney beans come closest.

In this recipe, I’ve used sprouted aduki beans not only for their nutritional value but also because they cook faster than just soaked beans. It’s a small step that fits easily into a daily rhythm and makes the cooking feel more fluid. If you are short on time though, pre-cooked beans work just as well.

These days, I tend to go a little lighter on spice, following what feels right in the moment. So this version is quite balanced, but you can always add chilies to suit your preference.

Green plantain brings a lovely starchy element to the curry. If you can’t find plantain or green bananas, potatoes make a good substitute. In that case, they can be pan-fried until almost cooked through before adding them to the curry.

This makes a generous pot, enough to feed about 5 to 6 people, or to carry you through a few meals during the week.

Watch the Video

Watch Episode #2 of Spontaneous Cooking for the Soul

This recipe is part of the Spontaneous Cooking for the Soul series.

If you’ve watched Episode #1, then you already have a sense of how this flows. Otherwise, these videos are filmed in the moment, whenever the impulse to cook and share arises.

There’s no planning, no elaborate setup. Just a meal that is already being prepared, and the camera happens to be there. This particular episode came together in that same spirit. We were making something simple and nourishing, and it felt natural to capture it as it unfolded.

Ingredients

served with Boiled Basmati Rice

For the curry

• Green (or semi-ripe) plantain
• Aduki beans, soaked and sprouted (see below)
• Red lentils
• Snake beans (yardlong beans)
• Curry powder
• Asafoetida (hing), optional
• Fresh ginger
• Onion and garlic, optional
• Fenugreek seeds
• Curry leaves (or bay leaf)
• Tomatoes
• Fresh thyme
• Salt
• Coconut or vegetable oil
• Fresh coriander (cilantro), for garnish

For serving

• Basmati rice or roti

Method

The plantain is first boiled whole until the skin softens, then cooled, peeled and sliced. These slices are pan-fried until lightly golden, which brings out their flavour and gives a bit of texture to the curry.

At the same time, the base of the curry comes together with a simple paste made from curry powder, ginger and a little water. This is added to sautéed aromatics like onion, garlic, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves, and gently roasted until fragrant.

Red lentils and sprouted aduki beans are then added and left to simmer until they begin to soften and thicken the curry.

The plantain slices and snake beans are pan-fried separately before being added in. This step helps them hold their shape and adds another layer of flavour.

Tomatoes and thyme go in towards the end, and everything is left to simmer until the curry comes together.

Finish with fresh coriander and serve warm with rice or Mauritian roti.

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Aduki Beans Curry with Green Plantain & Yardlong Beans

A comforting Mauritian-style curry made with sprouted aduki beans, red lentils, green plantain and snake beans. This hearty vegan dish is gently spiced, nourishing and perfect for sharing or enjoying over a few days.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Mauritian

Keyword aduki beans curry, adzuki beans, adzuki beans curry, batch cooking vegan meals, comforting plant-based meals, Mauritian curry, plantain, plantain curry, snake beans curry, sprouted beans curry, vegan curry recipe, yardlong beans recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings 5 – 6 servings

Author Teenuja Dahari – veganlovlie.com

Ingredients

For the curry (serve 5- 6)

• 1 green or semi-ripe plantain
• 1 cup dried aduki beans, (200 g) soaked overnight and left to sprout*
• 1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed (100 g)
• 150 g snake beans, cut into 5-cm (2-inch) pieces
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida, (hing), optional
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger, make your own
• 1 small/medium onion, sliced or diced (optional)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or minced (optional)
• 10 – 12 fenugreek seeds
• 6 – 7 curry leaves, fresh or dried or substitute with 1 bay leaf
• 2 – 3 Roma tomatoes, diced (fresh or canned is also good)
• 6 – 7 sprigs fresh thyme, or use 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
• Salt to taste
• 2 – 3 tablespoons coconut, or vegetable oil
• 4 – 5 bunches fresh coriander, cilantro for garnish

For the rice (serve 2 – 3):

• 1 cup basmati rice, (200 g)
• 1 1/2 cup water, (360 ml)

Instructions

• Place the whole unpeeled plantain in a pot of water on medium high heat. Boil for about 20 minutes or until the skin is soft enough to peel off.
• Remove from the pan and place in a bowl of cold water to cool. Once cooled, peel the plantain and slice into slanted discs of about 5 mm (1/4 inch) thickness. Set aside.
• If you can multi-task, while the plantain is boiling, you may prepare the other ingredients (cut the snake beans, tomatoes, rinse the lentils) and start making the curry as follows.
• In a small bowl, mix the curry powder, asafoetida, minced ginger with a little water to make a paste.
• In a large pan or cooking pot, add 1 tablespoon of oil. Turn the heat on medium-high temperature. Add the onions and garlic (if using) and saute for about 2 minutes.
• Add the fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Once they release their fragrance (about 15 seconds), add the curry paste.
• Immediately add a little water if required and roast the curry paste for about 5 – 8 minutes. Keep adding a little water to avoid burning the curry paste.
• Add in the red lentils followed by the adzuki beans. Add about 1 cup of water. Stir, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes. Occasionally add more water and stir as required.
• In a sauté pan or skillet on medium-high heat, add one to two tablespoons of oil. Add the sliced plantains. Pan-fry until golden and crispy on one side. Flip and fry the other side. Remove from the heat and add to the curry.
• In the same skillet, add a little more oil if needed. Add in the cut snake beans. Toss and pan fry for about 3 – 4 minutes. Then remove from the heat and add to the curry.
• Add the diced tomatoes to the curry followed by the thyme leaves.
• Stir, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Adjust salt to taste. Turn off the heat.
• Garnish with coriander leaves (cilantro).
• Serve over rice or with roti.

To cook the rice:

• Rinse the rice and drain a few times until the water runs clear.
• Place rice with 1 1/2 cups water in a pot.
• Partially cover the pot and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes, until all the water is absorbed.
• Turn off the heat. Cover the pot and let it stand for about 5 minutes.
• Fluff the rice and serve warm.

Video

Notes

Sprouting Aduki Beans:
Soak beans overnight, then drain and cover with a breathable cloth. Rinse and drain twice daily. After 2 to 3 days, sprouts will form and can be used directly without pre-cooking. If using unsprouted soaked beans, cook them separately until partially tender before adding to the curry.

Sprouted beans will cook faster than just soaked ones. So they can be used without pre-cooking in the curry.

If using soaked beans only, pre- cook them for about 20 – 30 minutes.

The recipe for Aduki Beans Curry with Green Plantain & Snake Beans first appeared on Veganlovlie – https://veganlovlie.com/aduki-beans-curry-plantain-snake-beans/

Sprouting Aduki Beans

If you’d like to sprout the aduki beans, start by soaking them overnight.

Then drain the water and leave the beans in a bowl, covered with a breathable cloth. Rinse and drain them twice a day, letting them sit at room temperature in between.

After about 2 to 3 days, small sprouts will begin to form.

At this stage, they can be used directly in the curry without pre-cooking.

If using soaked but unsprouted beans, it’s best to cook them separately for a while beforehand, as they will take longer to soften.

Notes & Tips

• Plantain substitute: Potatoes work well here. Pan-fry them until nearly cooked before adding to the curry.
• Spice level: Adjust with fresh or dried chilies as desired.
• Batch cooking: This recipe makes a generous quantity and keeps well for several days.
• Texture balance: Pan-frying the plantain and snake beans separately helps them hold their shape and adds depth to the final dish.