Swap Broth With Full-Fat Coconut Milk For Extra Creamy Butter Beans

You may think that the humble and nutritious butter bean is a delicacy of the American South, but that's really a bit of semantics. In reality, the butter bean is just a name varietal of the lima bean, a legume that you can find all over the world, including its namesake country of Peru. As such, there are many international recipes for the butter bean, just under the name lima beans. One international take worth a look at is India's lima bean curry, a blend of creamy coconut milk, fresh spices, and starchy beans. 

If you want to really single out the best part of the recipe, it's the mind-blowing combination of full-fat coconut milk and lima beans. If you've only ever had your butter beans simmered in broth or water, this creamy swap is the ultimate decadent departure. You can keep the formula epically simple, or add in other aromatic flavors, but the standout pairing between mildly sweet coconut milk and earthy butter beans is one to remember. 

To kick off this internationally inspired dish, decide what type of lima bean you want to work with. If you have dried legumes, make sure to soak them the night before and then cook them until tender. If you opt for frozen lima beans, make sure you defrost them first. But if you're working with the canned variety, you don't need to do any prep. You just want to make sure you're working with tender beans, as the coconut milk will be a simmering sauce rather than a cooking medium. 

You can add tomatoes, sauteed peppers, and a whole heap of warm spices to this mix. Or, add in a handful of spinach or kale and let it wilt while your curry finishes heating up. On its own, it's a decadent, vegan meal that can be as comforting as a bowl of stew. Paired with a savory protein, it's the ultimate creamy accompaniment.