Lobia Tomato Masala Fry (Cowpeas in tomato gravy)

How to prepare Lobia Tomato Masala Fry | Black eyed beans in tomato gravy | No onion, no garlic recipe of Chauwli | Chawli tamatar Ki Sabzi | Chora nu shaak.

Today I'm partaking in a recipe of Lobia which is no onion and no garlic recipe and cooked in a tomato based gravy. It is very light and tasty recipe of black eyes peas, which is served with chappati in our house. For me this recipe is tiffin box recipe of Lobia. My mom used to give us in tiffin when I was in school.

Lobia is also known with various names. Common Name of lobia are Black Eyed Peas, black eyed bean, Lobhiya, Lobiya, Lobhia, chauwli, Chauli, chawli, Karamani (Tamil), Bobbarlu (Telugu) Alasandalu (Telugu), Alsandhi (Kannada), Alsande (Malayalam), Chauwli (Marathi),  Lobiya (Hindi), Chaurann (Sindhi), Raanh (Sindhi), Rongi (Punjabi), Chora (Gujarati), Vella Payuru (Tamil), Chori (Gujarati)

My earlier posting on Lobia are : 
Spicy Black-eyed Peas Garlic Masala Fry, Punjabi Lobia Curry (Chawli Curry)

✏Details:

• Category: Vegetarian
• Course: Main Course
• Cuisine: Indian
• Technique: Pressure Cooking and Sauteing
• Difficulty: Medium
• Serving: 4-5
• Soaking Time : overnight or 6-8 hours
• Preparation Time: 5-7 minutes
• Cooking Time: 25-30 minutes

Ingredients required for making Lobia Tomato Masala Fry

• 300 gms lobia
• 3-4 Tomatoes
• 5-6 Curry leaves
• 4-5 green chilies or as per your taste
• coriander leaves for garnish.
• 1tsp cooking oil or ghee
• 1tsp cumin seeds

Dry ingredients

• ½ tsp asafoetida (hing)
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 3 tsp Red chilly powder
• 2 tsp turmeric
• salt to taste

Process of making Lobia Tomato Masala Fry

✏Step 1: Wash and Soak Lobia Overnight

◾Wash and soak the lobia in water for roughly 6-8 hours or for overnight.

✏Step 2: Pressure Cooking of black-eyed beans {lobia / Chawli}

◾Pressure cook the lobia by adding sufficient water to cover it and ½ tsp salt.. Allow 2-3 whistles, simmer and then cook for a minute or two. Remove in colander, Keep aside. (Note: over night soaked black-eyed peas gets cooked within 2 whistles) 

✏ Step 3: Mise en place

◾Roughly chop tomatoes or puree it

✏ Step 4: Cooking time

◾Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, let them splutter, then add asafoetida and curry leaves, saute for 5 seconds.

◾Now it's time to add tomato puree, cook on high flame for 3-5 minutes, keep stirring, cook till puree reduced a bit.

◾ Add all the dry ingredients i.e. turmeric, red chilly powder, coriander powder and salt (add salt in less quantity as already added at the time of pressure cooking).

◾Add the black eye beans, ½ cup water. Mix well, cover and simmer for 3-5 minutes till it thickens. Taste and adjust the seasoning according to your preference. 

◾Serve hot garnished with chopped fresh coriander leaves. Serve hot with naan or roti.