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+ servings

Paneer, Kidney Bean & Coconut Curry

This easy paneer curry is quick and flavorful, using simple supermarket ingredients to create a delicious protein packed vegetarian dinner! This is a adaptable recipe that you can fit to your own spice preferences, make it vegan with tofu, or change around the beans - it's delicious every time!
4.73 from 18 ratings

Ingredients

  • 1 small onion, sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp ginger, minced
  • ½ tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
  • ½ tsp cumin seeds, lightly crushed
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp chili powder or cayenne, optional - leave this out to keep the curry mild
  • 2 Tbsp curry powder
  • 1 Tbsp garam masala
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste , known as tomato puree in the UK
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 14 oz (400 g) canned coconut milk
  • 14 oz (400 g) canned kidney beans, drained
  • 1 cup (240 ml) vegetable broth
  • 8 oz (225 g) paneer cheese, cubed
  • ½ lemon
  • 1 small bunch cilantro, chopped

Instructions 

  • In a large, deep saucepan or skillet, heat a layer of olive oil or butter and saute your onions over a low heat for around 10 minutes, until they are starting to brown and caramelise.
    1 small onion
  • Add the garlic, ginger, fennel seeds and cumin seeds to the pan and saute for another couple of minutes until all of the fragrances have come out.
    3 cloves garlic, 1 Tbsp ginger, 1/2 tsp fennel seeds, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • Add the curry powder, garam masala, smoked paprika and chili powder (if using). Mix through for a few seconds until fragrant, and then immediately move on to the next step - we don't want the spices to burn.
    1/2 tsp chili powder or cayenne, 2 Tbsp curry powder, 1 Tbsp garam masala, 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • Add the tomato paste and sugar, then stir to get all of the spices mixed in with the tomato paste. You may want to add another splash of oil or pat of butter at this point if the pan seems dry.
    3 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp sugar
  • Add the coconut milk and vegetable broth to the pan, stirring constantly until a consistent sauce has formed. Sometimes the tomato paste may be a little lumpy here - if this happens, you can mix briefly with a whisk to ensure it all emulsifies nicely.
    14 oz canned coconut milk, 1 cup vegetable broth
  • Add the kidney beans to the pan and allow the sauce to simmer for around 15 minutes, until it's reduced and thickened to your liking. You can use a wooden spoon to mash some of the beans into the sauce if you wish, but it's not essential. In the batch photographed I left them all whole.
    14 oz canned kidney beans
  • Once you're happy with your sauce, remove it from the heat and let it sit while you pan fry your paneer. Heat a thin layer of oil in a frying or grill pan, then fry for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden.
    Pan frying is optional - you can put the paneer in straight from the packet if you wish.
    8 oz paneer cheese
  • Add the paneer to the sauce, squeeze in the lemon juice and mix it all together.
    1/2 lemon
  • Serve immediately, with rice and/or naan, and chopped cilantro (fresh coriander) for topping.
    1 small bunch cilantro

Notes

If you have the time, go ahead and cook this curry for a longer period of time. It will always taste a little better with more cooking time. 
Tomato paste is known as tomato puree in the UK.
Calories: 520kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 17g, Fat: 39g, Saturated Fat: 30g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 37mg, Sodium: 619mg, Potassium: 763mg, Fiber: 10g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 723IU, Vitamin C: 11mg, Calcium: 352mg, Iron: 5mg