Edamame in Tangy South Indian Curry - Edamame Kara Kuzambu. Use other beans or chickpeas in this delicious vegan gluten-free Indian curry. Easily made soy-free with other beans or cooked chickpeas.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 45 minutes
  • Total time: 60 minutes
  • Yield: 2 servings
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons safflower or any neutral oil
  • 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
  • 1 teaspoon urad dal (split black gram, or use petite yellow lentils)
  • 10 curry leaves (coarsely chopped)
  • Pinch asafetida (omit to make gluten-free)
  • 1/2 cup chopped red onion (or pearl onions)
  • 4 cloves garlic (chopped)
  • 2 medium tomatoes (chopped (1 1/2 cups))
  • 1 teaspoon sambhar powder (or use 2 teaspoons ground coriander *)
  • 1 teaspoon tamarind paste (concentrate)
  • 3/4 teaspoon cayenne (or to taste)
  • 1 1/2 cups edamame (fresh or thawed if frozen, or other fresh or cooked beans like fava beans, butter beans, or lima beans)
  • 3/4 cup coconut milk (canned or culinary)
  • 1 cup or more water
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the mustard, fennel, and fenugreek seeds, and the urad dal. Cook until the seeds start to sizzle and the urad dal changes color, about 30 seconds. Stir in the curry leaves and asafetida. Add the onion and garlic and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes.
  2. Add the tomato, sambhar powder, tamarind, and cayenne, and mix well. Cook until the tomatoes are saucy, 6 to 7 minutes.
  3. Add the edamame, coconut milk, water, and salt. Cover and cook until the edamame are tender, about 25 minutes. Taster and adjust salt, heat (cayenne), tang (add lemon juice if needed). For thinner curry, add more water and bring to a boil. Serve hot with Dosa crepes, idli rice cakes or over rice.
  4. Pressure Cooker/ Instant Pot: Follow steps 1 to 3 on saute mode. Add the edamame, coconut milk, water, and salt and cook for 6 to 8 minutes at high pressure. Natural release. Taste and adjust salt, tang and heat.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.