Beans with Coconut Milk

Six ingredients. That’s all it takes to fill your kitchen with the warm, golden aroma of turmeric and coconut.

This African-inspired dish starts by cooking soaked chickpeas until they’re halfway tender, then finishing them in a bath of rich coconut milk with chopped tomato, plenty of crushed garlic, and a generous dose of turmeric that turns everything a gorgeous golden hue.

The coconut milk reduces and thickens as the chickpeas finish cooking, creating a creamy sauce that clings to every bean.

Serve it over steamed rice and let its simplicity speak for itself.

Chef Tips

• Soak the chickpeas overnight for the best texture. Quick-soaked beans work but tend to cook less evenly.
• Use full-fat coconut milk, not light. The fat is what makes the sauce rich and creamy. Light coconut milk will leave you with a thin, watery result.
• Turmeric stains everything it touches, so use a wooden spoon you don’t mind turning yellow and avoid your best white dishcloth.

Variations

• Add a teaspoon of curry powder or garam masala for a more complex spice profile.
• Stir in a handful of fresh spinach in the last minute of cooking for color and extra nutrition.
• Swap chickpeas for black-eyed peas or pigeon peas for a more traditionally East African version.