BLACK EYED PEAS CURRY
Black eyed peas or Cow pea also known as Rongi , Chawali or Lobia is popular in beans family not peas as the name suggests.
Black Eyed Peas Curry or Lobia Curry is where this nutritious bean is cooked in spicy, tangy tomato-onion based gravy. It is prepared in almost all North Indian households. The other ingredients used to make this gravy more flavourful are ginger, garlic, green chili , kasuri methi along with regular dry Indian spices.
It is a great recipe to cook up when you are short on fresh vegetables during the weekdays in your refrigerator. Another benefit why I prefer to make it is that it does not require overnight soaking of lobia as in rajma. Just a couple of hours of soaking in lukewarm water is good to start with. It is tried , true - winner no plan meal of the weekdays. Hurray !!!!!
HEALTH BENEFITS
It is amazingly delicious curry with a lot of health benefits. These beans contain a lot of vitamins and minerals essential for human body. The best part is that it is a good source of protein, potassium and magnesium.
INTERESTING FACT
Eating black eyed peas on New Year’s Day has been considered as good luck in the Southern United States. The beans are cooked and served with greens symbolizing U.S. currency and cornbread which symbolizes gold. It is believed that eating this trio brings luck and prosperity in the new year
SERVING SUGGESTION
This spicy curry is best served with roti or plain hot steamed basmati rice. A simple boondi raita balances and tones down the spices and makes a comforting meal all together.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE RAJMA MASALA ANOTHER POPULAR BEAN CURRY RECIPE ON MY BLOG.
Cuisine : Indian
Course : Main Course / Dal
Prep time : 2 Hours (includes soaking time)
Cooking time : 30 min
Serving : 4-6
Ingredients
1 Cup black eyed peas / lobia
1 Tbsp + 1/2 Tsp salt
1/2 + 1/2 Tsp turmeric powder
3 Cup water
1 Green chili chopped
1 Large sized onion sliced
2 Medium sized tomatoes chopped
1 Tbsp coriander powder
1 Tsp red chili powder
1 Tsp garam masala powder
Juice of half lemon
1 Tsp kasuri methi
2 Tbsp coriander leaves
For ganishing
Fresh coriander leaves
Chopped fresh red chili
Instructions
1. Wash the lobia and soak in lukewarm water for around 1 - 1 and 1/2 hour. The beans swell up a little after soaking.
2. Discard the water in which beans were soaked. Wash the soaked beans once again and put in pressure cooker. Add enough water in cooker to cover the beans by an inch. Add 1 Tbsp salt, turmeric powder and pressure cook up to 4 whistles on medium high flame or till beans are tender but not mushy.
3. Switch off the flame after 4 whistles and let the steam escape naturally. Once the steam escapes open the lid of pressure cooker and keep it aside to cool. Do not stir much as the beans are tender at this time and can be mushy if over mixed.
4. Heat the oil in the pan and add ginger-garlic paste and chopped green chili. Saute for a minute till the raw smell of garlic goes away. To this add sliced onion and saute till the onion turns golden brown in colour.
6. Once the onion has turned nice golden in colour add roughly chopped tomato and all dry spices like salt, turmeric powder ,coriander powder , garam masala. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes till tomatoes are soft and mushy then add red chili powder to it. Cook for another couple of minutes and then switch off the flame and allow the tomato-onion masala to cool down a little.
7. Transfer the above cooled down masala to grinder , add fresh coriander leaves and grind to a smooth paste. Add water if required to grind the masala.
8. Empty the ground masala in a pan, with flame switched on to low and add the boiled lobia. Reserve the water in which beans were pressure cooked for later use.
9. Mix thoroughly till ground masala is well incorporated with the boiled beans. Add the reserved water in which beans were boiled. If you think the reserved water is too less to adjust the consistency you required you can add some amount of fresh water too. With the help of a laddle mash some beans in the curry to give a nice creamy and thick texture to the curry. Let the curry simmer on low flame for around 10 minutes.
10. Now add crushed kasuri methi and lemon juice , give a quick stir and switch off the flame. The bean curry is ready to serve with roti or rice.
11. Garnish with chopped red chili , green chili and coriander leaves.
SIMPLE, DELICIOUS AND NUTRITIOUS LOBIA CURRY.........
