Lobia Masala (Black Eyed Peas Curry)
Black Eyed Peas Curry, or lobia masala, is a hearty, flavorful dish with the comforting taste of black eyed peas with bold Indian spices. This protein-packed curry is both nutritious and satisfying, making it perfect for a weeknight dinner. With its rich, onion-tomato based gravy and tender black eyed peas, it’s a dish that will quickly become a staple in your kitchen.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 188kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup black eyed peas dried
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ inch ginger freshly grated
Tadka
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 roma tomatoes finely diced or pureed
- ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ⅛ teaspoon asafoetida
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon kashmiri chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon achaari masala
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ lime
- cilantro garnish
Instructions
- Soak the black eyed peas in 2 cups of water for 4-6 hours, or overnight. Once soaked and doubled in size, drain the water and rinse the black eyed peas.
- In a pressure cooker or heavy bottom pot, add the soaked peas with enough water to cover them (about 2 cups). Add the salt, ground turmeric, and grated ginger and stir together.
- Cook the peas for 30-40 minutes (or 3 whistles) on low to medium heat, or until they're tender and not mushy. Add more water to the pot if necessary. Set aside.
- In a nonstick pan, heat 1 tablespoon of neutral oil. Add the cumin seeds. Once the seeds start to sputter, add the diced onions and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato puree to the pan along with the asafoetida, ground coriander, kashmiri chili powder, and achaari masala. Cook the mixture for another 7 minutes, stirring every minute to prevent sticking and burning. The mixture is done cooking once it darkens several shades, it's thick, and the oil starts to separate on the sides.
- Add the onion-tomato gravy into the pot with the cooked black eyed peas and stir well to combine. Bring the mixture up to a gentle boil for another 10 minutes, adding up to a cup of water to achieve the preferred thickness of the curry.
- Stir in the garam masala along with a spritz of the lime juice.
- Turn off the heat and garnish with chopped cilantro. Enjoy warm with roti or rice.
Notes
Storage Instructions
Black Eyed Peas store well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Allow the curry to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. When reheating in a saucepan, add 2 tablespoons of water to adjust the consistency as it will have thickened in the refrigerator.
