Black Eyed Beans Curry / Lobia Curry

A new mall named Palyece has opened up in Abidjan yesterday. I am all eager to go there. Burger King has opened up a joint there. And I looove their burgers and fries. I also love a lot of other joints, but its the Burger King that is now available. And my fingers are all crossed that other joints will open up soon.

Black eyed beans appeared very cute the first time I saw them. They are not readily available in Kolkata...and seriously I never heard of them back them. But they tasted like tadka dal. Interesting!! I also got a recipe of this  black eyes beans with South Indian flavours...and I am really keen on trying that ou!! Black eyed beans are more popularly known as Lobia Masala...but I didn’t take the Punjabi way. Just prepared the basic Indian curry and added the beans there. It came out beautiful. I have more of them in my pantry..and I am definitely trying them sooner.

heat oil and add the cumin seeds.

Add the onions and cook till they are translucent. Then add the minced ginger and garlic and cook till the raw flavour is gone. (not in picture)

Add the chopped tomatoes and green chillies.

Once the tomatoes start to ooze out oil add the spices.

Add little water and cook till a gravy is formed and the raw smell of the spices are gone.

Then add the boiled black eyed beans, and water and cook till the gravy reaches your desired consistency. In the end add garam masala powder and chopped coriander leaves. (not in the picture)

Black Eyed Beans Curry

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup of black eyes beans

1 onion – chopped

1 tomato – chopped

4 garlic cloves – minced

1 inch stick of ginger – minced

2 tsp turmeric powder

2-3 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp garam masala powder

1 tsp cumin seeds

A handful of fresh coriander leaves

2 green chillies - chopped

Salt

1 tbsp oil

Method:

Wash and soak the black eyed beans overnight. Then drain the water and put them in a pressure cooker. Add in 3-4 cups of water, 1 tsp turmeric powder and salt. Cook on pressure till the cooker blows 5-6 whistles. Then put off the flame and let the pressure release on its own. Once done drain the water and keep the boiled beans aside.

Heat oil in a pan or kadai and add the cumin seeds in it.

As they start to splutter add the chopped onions to them.Sprinkle the salt over them and sauté the onions till they become red and translucent.

Now add the minced ginger and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes or until the raw garlic flavour is gone.

Then add the chopped tomatoes and chopped green chillies to them and cook till the onions become mushy and the oil starts to ooze out from them. Sniff to be sure. If the tomatoes smell of tomato no more, the mixture is ready.

Now add a little water to them and add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder and coriander powder.

Cook for 2 minutes to ward off the raw spice smell and then add the boiled black eyes beans to them.

Mix in, add a little salt and add in 3 cups of water.

Give a good stir to mix everything and with the back of a spoon smash some of the black eyed beans.

Put cover and cook till the gravy reaches your desired consistency and the oil starts to float on top of them.

Finally sprinkle the garam masala powder over them and stir in.

Add the chopped coriander leaves and put off the flame.

Serve hot with roti / chapatti / rice.