Lobia Curry

Lobia Curry
This is a simple everyday recipe
 
Ingredients

• 1 cup lobia beans (raw or dried )
• 2-3 tbsp of oil/ghee
• 2 medium size onions, chopped
• 1 big tomato, chopped
• 1 tsp heaped ginger-garlic paste
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp whole cumin
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder
• 2 tsp dry kasturi methi leaves (fenugreek leaves)
• Juice of ½ a lime
• 1 tbsp of chopped coriander leaves

 
Method
 
Preparing the black eyed beans

• Soak the black eyed beans ( if you are using the dried ones) in water for 6 to 8 hours or soak overnight. Discard the water
• Add the beans to a pressure cooker along with 3 cups of water
• Add the lid and whistle and cook till the first whistle. Then lower the flame and let it continue to cook for 15 to 20 mins post the first whistle.
• After 20 mins switch off the flame and leave the pressure cook till it has released all the pressure naturally.

 
Making the curry

• Add the oil / ghee to a pan and once it is warm add the cumin seeds
• When the seeds start spluttering add the chopped onions and saute till the onions become beige brown
• Once the onions are ready add the ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell of the ginger garlic is gone
• If the masala sticks to the pan add 2 – 3 tbsp of water to the pan
• Add the chopped tomato and saute till the tomato becomes soft
• Then add the salt ,turmeric and red chilli powders and saute for few minutes
• Add 2-3 tbsp of water, cover the pan and cook for few minutes till the tomatoes become mushy
• Now add the kasturi methi leaves and saute for few minutes
• Then add the cooked beans and the water with it
• Mix it in well with the masala and let cook
• Once the gravy starts bubbling cover and cook on low flame for 5-7 minutes so that the gravy infuses with the masala
• At this point with a flat spoon mash a little bit of the beans ,which added a thickness to the gravy .
• When the gravy becomes a little thick add the lime juice and mix it in well and cook for few minutes
• Add the chopped coriander leaves
• Serve with rice & raita

 
Note :
Short cut Method
Saute the masala totally,when the masala is ready  then add the soaked beans to the masala
Saute for few minutes
Add 3 cups of water (more or less depending on the gravy you would like) and cook for 15-20 minutes after the first whistle on low flame.
Let the cooker open naturally .
Done .