Thinking about what to cook for dinner? Here’s a simple thought. How about some Lobiya or Black-Eyed Peas? Now, before you assume we’re going to ask you to have a plain old bowl of Lobiya Dal which is yellow, boring and too regular for a dinner you actually want to enjoy, here’s something you should know. This Malai Lobiya recipe is all that you need but nothing that you assume. It is mildly spiced, packed with veggies and utterly creamy. In fact, it is more of a one-pot dish for dinner than a side to be paired with rotis or rice.
Black-Eyed Peas, contrary to what you might know, is not just cooked in India. The Indian version is usually heavily spiced and cooked more like a dal than a wholesome one-pot dish. However, in the southern states of the United States and Mexico, the legume is grown and cooked in a very different way. The spices are mild compared to Indian ones, but the addition of fresh cream and veggies—and often, bits of leftover chicken, turkey or meat—makes it a standout dish that can not only be eaten with our regular staples of roti, pulao and parathas, but also straight out of a bowl.
Lobiya, like every other legume, is packed with plant proteins—so, it’s a great pick for dinner for vegetarians as well as non-vegetarians. Making this dish is hardly going to take you any time. All you need to do beforehand is soak the Lobiya overnight. If you haven’t been able to do that, then just soak the Lobiya in hot water for an hour and you’re good to go. Of course, the Lobiya also needs to be boiled before adding to the rest of the dish, but that can be done with ease with the help of a pressure cooker. Here’s the rest of the recipe for you to try out.
Image courtesy: Africanbites.com
Ingredients:
1.5 cups lobiya, boiled
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 bay leaf
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp cumin powder
1 tsp garam masala
½ tsp paprika or Kashmiri red chilli powder
½ tsp black pepper powder
1 tbsp Cajun spices
Salt, to taste
3 tbsp butter/ghee
½ cup fresh cream
2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
Method:
1. Heat the butter or ghee in a wok.
2. Add the bay leaf and cumin seeds, and let them splutter.
3. Once they stop spluttering, add the onions, bell peppers, zucchini and ginger garlic paste.
4. Saute the veggies, and keeping the flame at a medium, cook until the onions turn brown and the veggies are half cooked.
5. Now, add the turmeric powder, cumin powder, garam masala, paprika and Cajun spices.
6. Mix well and add the boiled Lobiya.
7. Continue cooking until the veggies are cooked and the spices have blended well with the Lobiya.
8. Now, add salt and give it a good mix.
9. Continue sauteeing for 2-3 minutes, then add the fresh cream and mix again.
10. Turn off the flame and add the chopped coriander leaves.
11. Serve the Malai Lobiya hot with or without sides of your choice.
