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Black Eyed Peas Recipe | Black Eyed Peas Curry

This recipe for Black Eyed Peas presents a hearty, zesty, and flavorful Kerala-style curry made with pearl onions, tomatoes, and a medley of spices and herbs.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4
Calories 277 kcal

Ingredients
  

For Cooking Black Eyed Peas

  • 1 cup dried black eyed peas (black eyed beans, vellapayar, lobia or chawli)
  • 2.5 cups water – for pressure cooking

For Making Black Eyed Peas Curry

  • 3 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds (black mustard seeds)
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 2 pieces each of 1 inch cinnamon
  • 2 green cardamoms
  • 4 cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper – slightly crushed
  • 1 dried red chili – seeds removed
  • ⅓ cup sliced pearl onions or ⅓ cup chopped shallots or onions
  • 8 to 10 curry leaves
  • 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
  • 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coconut
  • ½ cup chopped tomatoes
  • 2 green chilies – slit
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
  • ¼ teaspoon garam Masala – optional
  • 1.5 cups water or add as required
  • salt as required
  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil – to be added later
  • 3 to 4 curry leaves – to be added later

Instructions
 

Cooking Black Eyed Peas

  • Rinse the black eyed peas in water for a couple of times. Then add the rinsed beans in a 2 liter pressure cooker.
  • Add 2.5 cups water.
  • Pressure cook for 10 to 12 whistles on medium heat. Timing will vary on the quality of vellapayar.
    You can also cook the beans in an Instant Pot or in a pan on the stovetop adding water as needed.
  • When the pressure settles down naturally, open the lid and check if the beans are cooked well.
    The beans have to be completely cooked but not mushy or pasty. If they are undercooked, then add some more water and pressure cook for a few more whistles.
  • Using a strainer, strain the beans and discard the water or liquids from the cooker.
  • When the beans are getting cooked, you can prep the other ingredients. Chop pearl onions (shallots or onions), tomatoes, ginger, garlic and green chilies.

Making Black Eyed Peas Recipe

  • Heat 3 tablespoons coconut oil in a pan.
  • Keep heat to low, add the black mustard seeds and let them crackle.
  • When the mustard seeds crackle, then add cumin seeds. Let cumin seeds splutter.
  • Now add the cinnamon sticks, green cardamoms, cloves and dry red chili. Fry for 1 to 2 seconds till the spices are fragrant. The frying of the spices should be done on low heat.
  • Add the sliced pearl onions or shallots or onions. Give a stir.
  • Add curry leaves, 1 teaspoon chopped ginger and 1 teaspoon chopped garlic.
  • Also add chopped fresh coconut and mix well.
  • Next add black pepper, slightly crushed.
  • Mix and sauté till the onions become translucent.
  • Now add chopped tomatoes and slit green chilies. Mix well.
  • Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder (optional).
  • Mix again and begin to sauté tomatoes on a low to medium heat till the tomatoes soften and look mushy.
    When sautéing the tomatoes, you can add a few tablespoons of water if the tomato mixture dries up or starts sticking to the pan.
  • Add 1.5 cups water or add as required depending on the consistency preferred.
  • Add the cooked black eyed peas.
  • Season with salt as per taste, mix again.
  • On a low to medium-low heat, simmer the curry for 10 to 12 minutes till the gravy thickens. With a spoon, mash some beans to thicken the gravy.
  • Once the Black Eyed Beans Curry is done, then switch off the heat and add 3 to 4 curry leaves.
    Also drizzle 1 teaspoon coconut oil. Stir and cover the pan. Let the flavors infuse for 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Serve Kerala style Black Eyed Peas Curry with steamed rice, roti, paratha or naan or soft dosas. You can garnish the curry with coriander leaves if you like.

Notes

  1. If using canned beans, with a strainer, first drain the liquid from the can and rinse the beans in fresh water. Drain the water and set the beans aside. Follow the recipe instructions of sautéing spices, onions, tomatoes and then add the canned beans. Add water as needed and simmer until the curry consistency thickens. 
  2. Use dried black eyed beans that are within their shelf life and fresh. Try not to use aged beans as they takes a lot of time to cook and do not taste good.
  3. Note that the time to pressure cook the soaked black eyed peas will depend on the quality of beans.
  4. For cooking black eyed peas in a pan or pot on the stovetop – first rinse and soak beans in enough water for 4 to 5 hours or overnight. Then boil black eyed beans with 3 to 4 cups of water with ½ teaspoon of salt till they are softened and well cooked.
  5. If the black eyed beans are undercooked add some more water and pressure cook for a few more whistles. Keep in mind not to overcook the beans as they become mushy or pasty.
  6. Remember to fry the whole spices on low heat or else they have a chance of burning.
  7. To reduce spiciness, add less black pepper and red chili powder.
  8. Instead of adding the coconut slices while sautéing, you can also fry them separately in coconut oil till they become golden and crisp, then garnish the curry with these fried coconut slices.
     

Nutrition

Calories: 277kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 11gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 393mgPotassium: 590mgFiber: 7gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 370IUVitamin C: 63mgCalcium: 90mgIron: 4mg
Keyword Black Eyed Peas Recipe | Black Eyed Peas Curry
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