Wild Garlic and White Bean Curry

Ingredients

• 2 cups (400g) podded fresh coco beans, or 1 cup (200g) dried cannellini beans, cooked (see above)
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 2 red onions, peeled and finely sliced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoons fenugreek seeds
• seeds from 5 cardamom pods
• 3 fresh red chiles (or more if you like heat), sliced (seeded if you prefer less heat)
• 12 fresh curry leaves
• 6 kaffir lime leaves
• small handful of cilantro roots, washed and minced
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 2 tablespoons jaggery juice of 2 limes
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 x 12 ounce (340 g) cans good quality peeled plum tomatoes
• generous 3/4 cup (200 ml) coconut milk
• 10 ounces (300 g) wild garlic leaves

Steps

1. Have the fresh beans podded, or the dried beans already cooked. In a large heavy pan, heat oil over medium-low heat and sweat the onions until soft and translucent.
2. In a separate pan, warm all the spice seeds until fragrant and just starting to jump. Transfer to a mortar and grind with the pestle while still warm.
3. Stir the warm ground spices into the softened onions with the chiles, curry leaves, lime leaves and minced cilantro root. Cook another 5 minutes over fairly low heat. Add the crushed garlic, jaggery, lime juice and fish sauce, stir thoroughly and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the tomatoes and cook another 10 minutes. Add the fresh or cooked dried beans and coconut milk, then cook gently for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the beans are tender if using fresh ones.
5. While the curry cooks, wash the wild garlic very well and pick over every leaf thoroughly for any little stones.
6. A couple of minutes before serving, add the wild garlic and cook just until wilted and soft. Do not overcook it; it should stay bright and vibrant. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. The curry should be soft, fragrant, gently sweet, sharp and salty, with just enough heat for warmth.