Black Eyed Peas Curry Recipe

Method14 steps · about 40 min

1. 1

   Step 1: For dry beans, rinse 1 cup black-eyed peas well three times, then soak in 4 cups water for 4–8 hours. Cover loosely with a clean cloth or mesh cover. For the exclusive canned/precooked route, use 2½ cups drained beans and skip steps 1–4.

   Uses 1 cup dry black-eyed peas · 4 cup water

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Drain the soaked beans, rinse twice with fresh water and put them in a pressure cooker or suitable inner bowl with 1 cup fresh cooking water.

   Uses 1 cup water · fresh water for rinsing beans · dry beans soaked 4–8 hours and drained

3. 3

   Step 3: Pressure-cook the soaked beans for 2–3 whistles in a stovetop cooker, or 8–10 minutes in an Instant Pot when soaked overnight. A shorter soak may need longer; use tenderness as the final check. If cooking in an inner bowl, supply the separate outer steam water required by the cooker manufacturer.

   Instant Pot beans only · 10 minUses outer pressure-cooker steam water as required by its manufacturer if using an inner bowl · soaked beans with 1 cup fresh initial cooking water

4. 4

   Step 4: Let the pressure release naturally and open according to the cooker instructions. The beans should hold their shape but mash easily when pressed. Cook longer if necessary. Keep the tender beans and their stock together.

   Uses tender cooked black-eyed peas with their cooking liquid

5. 5

   Step 5: Chop the onion (1 cup) and prepare the ginger-garlic. Puree the chopped tomatoes (1.5 cup). If using the optional potato (1), peel and cut it into 1½-inch pieces, holding them in water until needed.

   Uses 1 cup onion · 1.5 cup tomatoes · 1 potato · 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste · water for holding cut potatoes; drain before use

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Pour oil (2–3 tbsp) to a pan and heat it. Add bay leaf (1) and cinnamon if using.

   Uses 2–3 tbsp oil · 1 bay leaf · 1 inch cinnamon stick

   
7. 7

   Step 7: When they begin to sizzle, add the onions and stir fry on a medium high heat for 6 to 7 minutes, until golden.

   Uses 1 cup onion prepared before tempering

   
8. 8

   Step 8: Add the ginger garlic and saute for a minute. Reduce the heat and stir in salt (1 tsp) along with all the ground spices - red chilli powder, garam masala (1–1½ tsp), coriander powder (1–1½ tsp), cumin and turmeric (0.25 tsp).

   Uses ¾–1½ tsp Kashmiri chili powder · 1–1½ tsp garam masala · 1–1½ tsp coriander powder · ½–¾ tsp cumin powder · 0.25 tsp turmeric · 1 tsp salt · 1 tbsp grated/crushed ginger and garlic or paste · onion sautéed in bay/cinnamon oil

   
9. 9

   Step 9: For fresh tomatoes, stir the prepared tomato puree into the onion-spice base and sauté 3–4 minutes until thick and no longer raw-smelling. If using passata with potatoes, keep the passata aside until the potatoes in the next step are tender, then stir it in and sauté 3–4 minutes.

   Uses ginger-garlic and ground spices cooked with onion · puree made from 1½ cups chopped fresh tomatoes, or the stated alternative

   
10. 10

    Step 10: If using potatoes, drain and add the diced potato to the masala, then pour 1 cup from the listed curry water. Cover and cook on low heat until fork tender but still firm. Add extra hot water only if necessary. For the deferred passata route, now add the passata and sauté 3–4 minutes. Skip this step if omitting potatoes.

    Uses 1 cup hot water ONLY if using potatoes · extra hot water only as needed for curry consistency · optional large potato cut into 1½-inch pieces and drained · fresh-tomato masala; if using passata with potato, keep passata aside until potatoes tender

11. 11

    Step 11: Add the tender pressure-cooked beans together with their reserved stock to the cooked masala, using the optional-potato mixture if made. Alternatively add the 2½ cups drained canned/precooked beans; rinse canned beans with fresh water before adding them.

    Uses 2½ cups drained canned beans ONLY instead of cooked dry beans · fresh water for rinsing beans · ONLY the optional-potato route, with potatoes fork tender · ONLY the no-potato route · ONLY if cooking the dry-bean route; otherwise use drained canned beans

12. 12

    Step 12: Pour 1 cup hot water into the curry; this is the remaining cup if potatoes were cooked, or the first curry-water cup if omitted. Add extra hot water only as needed. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on medium heat 7–10 minutes until thick and flavorful.

    Simmer Curry · 10 minUses 1 cup hot water for final curry simmer · extra hot water only as needed for curry consistency · fully cooked beans combined with masala and optional tender potatoes

13. 13

    Step 13: Mash a few tablespoons of cooked beans from the curry with a spoon and stir them back in to thicken it. Taste and add extra salt or garam masala (to taste) only if needed.

    Uses extra salt only to taste · extra garam masala only to taste · thick flavorful curry after 7–10 minutes simmering

14. 14

    Step 14: Turn off and garnish black eyed peas curry with chopped coriander leaves (2 tbsp). Serve it over steamed rice, quinoa, steel cut oats or millets. It also goes well with naan, roti, chapati or artisan breads.

    Uses 2 tbsp coriander leaves · cooked curry with a few beans mashed and seasonings adjusted