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Lobia Masala Curry Recipe (Black-eyed Peas Curry), How to make Lobia Sabzi

February 26, 2015 by Gopi Patel 10 Comments

Lobia masala curry – step by step: Today I am sharing a lunch recipe that is often prepared in my home. But let me be frank. It is not I have been making this sabzi since quite long. In fact recently started making lobia this way and my husband just loved it. So it got added in weekly/bi-weekly lunch menu. This black-eyed peas known as lobia in hindi language are small white seeds with a dark spot resembling to eye. Hence the name black-eyed. Also in Gujarati it is known as chawli or chovli.

The lobia masala recipe that I am sharing today has been prepared in traditional punjabi way. Most ingredients are easily available in an indian kitchen. A small twist in recipe is kasuri methi or dried fenugreek leaves. I am adding kasuri methi in the end. It just enhance the flavor by two-fold if not more.

Related: rajma masala | amritsari chole

To make lobia masala we need to soak the black-eyed peas for atleast 4-5 hours. However sometimes instead of soaking these beans they might still not get tender enough. In such case just add a pinch of baking soda while boiling lobia beans in a pressure cooker. This way they will cook nicely. Alternatively you can also add soaked lobia beans in tempered spices with tomato onion and then pressure cook it. However I feel it taste much better if we boil the lobia first and then simmer it in onion tomato gravy.

Normally we chop the tomatoes and add in the curry but here in this sabji I have made the tomato puree. That way we get nice gravy. Also the chopped onions are not over cooked. We just need to sweat the onions in oil. That way we preserve its sweetness.

Before we dig into making lobia masala sabji at home let us check few tips and tricks to make great lobia curry.

Tips to make best Lobia sabji

  • Always soak the lobia for about 5-6 hrs so that lobia becomes soft. Soaking lobia make it tender and tastier.
  • Once soaked, the lobia will double in size so soak lobia accordingly. Half cup lobia beans are good for 2.
  • To make gravy in the sabji always make the puree of tomato.
  • Also keep some boiled lobia aside and then smash it and add to the sabji this way the gray will thicken up. Alternately crush some beans in gravy itself.
  • Don’t forget to add kasuri methi in the end. It lifts the taste to a new level.

Lobia masala sabzi goes really well with hot chappati, phulka or paratha. Even they taste great with steamed rice or jeera rice.

lobia black eye bean curry step by step

Let us check how to make recipe of lobia masala curry with step by step photos.

Step by step recipe of Lobia masala curry with pictures

To make this delicious lobia masala sabji or lobiya curry we will first need to soak lobia beans for atleast 3-4 hours in water. Soaking lobia enhances its taste so do soak it for sufficient time. Once soaked lobia will grow almost double in size. Also we need to boil the lobia or black eye peas once in pressure cooker for atleast 5-7 minutes. Let the pressure cooker cools down before opening the lid.

lobia curry recipe lobia black eye bean

To make delicious lobia curry we will need following list of ingredients: lobiya/black-eyed peas, onion, tomato puree, ginger, garlic, green chili, oil, cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon, red chili powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder, salt and kasuri methi.

Also you can check the quantities of each ingredient in recipe box at the end of this article.

lobia curry recipe ingredients

Let’s begin the recipe of lobia masala curry. First heat oil in a thick-bottomed non-stick pan. Once the oil is hot temper jeera/cumin seeds, tejpatta/bay leaf and dalchini/cinnamon.

lobia curry recipe tempered spices cumin bayleaf

Once the jeera starts sizzling add ginger and garlic paste. Saute the paste for few seconds.

lobia curry recipe ginger garlic paste tempering

Saute the ginger garlic paste for few seconds in hot oil.

lobia curry recipe sauteing ginger garlic paste

Now add finely chopped onions.

lobia curry recipe onion chopped sauteing

Let the onion cook for 1 minute until it becomes translucent.

lobia curry recipe onion frying in oil

Now add tomato puree and cook for 2-3 minutes or until it oozes out oil.

lobia curry recipe tomato puree

Add dry spices now. Add red chili powder, cumin powder and turmeric powder.

lobia curry recipe red chili powder

Saute the spices in onion/tomato gravy for atleast 2-3 minutes until the gravy start oozing out oil. Now add slit green chilies. You can also chop green chilies finely and then add. Adjust the level of spice in lobia curry by increasing or reducing green chili.

lobia curry recipe green chili slit

Once onion/tomato gravy is simmered for atleast 2 minutes add boiled lobia or black-eyed peas in gravy.

lobia curry recipe adding boiled lobia beans

Mash around 1 tbsp of lobia and add mashed lobia in curry to make gravy thicken a bit. You can also mash lobia inside gravy using a spatula to achieve this. Also check the consistency of gravy and if required add more water at this stage.

lobia curry recipe adding mashed lobia beans

Add garam masala powder in lobia masala curry.

lobia curry recipe adding garam masala

Season the curry with salt as per your taste.

lobia curry recipe adding salt

Last but not least. Add a tbsp of kasuri methi in lobia curry. Rub the dry kasuri methi leaves between your palms and add in powdered form.

lobia curry recipe adding kasuri methi dry feenugreek

Kasuri methi or dry fenugreek leaves give really great flavor to this curry so do not miss this ingredient. Give a gentle stir and lobia masala curry is ready to serve.

Serve lobia curry hot along with chappati, phulka, roti, paratha, steamed rice or jeera rice.

lobia curry recipe dry feenugreek

Let us quickly check the recap recipe of punjabi lobia masala sabzi.

Lobiya Masala Curry Recipe Box

4.7 from 3 reviews
Lobia Masala Curry Recipe (Black Eye Bean Curry)
 
Print
Prep time
35 mins
Cook time
25 mins
Total time
1 hour
 
Lobia curry recipe - A traditional recipe of black-eyed peas cooked in onion tomato gravy with indian spices.
Author: Gopi Patel
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • Lobia/black eye peas : 1/2 cup, unboiled
  • Onion : 1/2 cup, diced
  • Tomato : 1/2 cup, puree
  • Oil : 1 1/2 tbsp
  • Cumin seeds / Jeera: 1 tsp
  • Bay leaf / tejpatta : 1 leaf
  • Cinnamon: 1 small piece
  • Green chilies : 1 piece, slit
  • Ginger : 1 tsp, paste
  • Garlic : 1 tsp, paste
  • Red chili powder : 1/2 tsp
  • Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
  • Cumin powder : 1 tsp
  • Garam masala powder :1 tsp
  • Salt : 1 1/2 tsp or to taste
  • Kasuri methi / dry fenugreek: 1 tbsp crushed
Instructions
Pre Preparation
  1. Soak the lobia over night or about 4-5 hrs.
  2. Once the lobia is soaked boil it in presser cooker for about 3 whistle.
  3. Diced the onion and puree the tomato and keep aside.
  4. Make the paste of ginger and garlic.
To make lobia masala curry
  1. In a pan heat oil and add bay leaves, cumin seeds, cinnamon and cook for about half min.
  2. Then add ginger and garlic paste and saute for a min.
  3. Once ginger and garlic is sauteed add onion and cook for about 2 min or till onion sweats.
  4. Then add tomato puree and cook till it oozes out oil.
  5. Now add dry Indian spices like turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder and cook for a min and then add slit green chili also.
  6. Once all the masala blend well with each other then add boiled lobia. Stir well.
  7. Mash a tbsp of lobia beans and add in the gravy.
  8. When lobia blend well with masala then at the end add garam masala and salt to this sabji. Mix well.
  9. At the end add kasuri methi and mix well and serve hot.
  10. Serve this delicious lobia masala curry with hot chappati, roti or paratha.
3.2.2929

Some delicious curry recipes similar to lobia masala

  • kala chana masala
  • chole paneer
  • vegetable jaipuri
  • butter bean curry / vaal ki sabji
  • corn palak

Categories: Curry Recipes, North Indian Cuisine, Pressure Cooker Recipes, Punjabi Cuisine Ingredients: Fenugreek leaves (Methi), Lobia (Black-eyed peas)

Comments

  1. Gokila says

    February 27, 2015 at 8:30 am

    Really yummmyyyyyyy….Have to try today night for dinner…today only i saw your website, the recipes are simple and superB…..

    Reply
  2. Ierene says

    June 16, 2015 at 2:38 pm

    Hey, I tried this today. Was really easy and tastes good. Thanks!

    Reply
  3. Ravinder Kumar(Johnny) says

    December 2, 2015 at 12:17 pm

    A very good recipe. Be careful while using Garam Masala. It was very intensive so later I added some Malai to reduce intensiveness of Garam Masala. Overall a very good recipe.

    Reply
    • Gopi Patel says

      December 4, 2015 at 9:42 pm

      Hello Ravinder, thanks for the comment. Yes you can avoid adding garam masala or add less of it to control the intensity. I liked the way you balanced the spiciness using malai (fresh cream). Thanks for the tip.

      Reply
  4. Frank Z. says

    January 9, 2016 at 7:13 am

    This recipe is pure gold! East Indian cookery is the holy grail for vegetarian bean dishes.

    I just discovered your site and will be going through your other offerings. Thanks for taking the time to make the site and post all these treasures.

    Reply
    • Gopi Patel says

      January 19, 2016 at 1:18 pm

      Hi Frank, Indeed.. Thanks for your comment.

      Reply
  5. Mehvesh says

    March 29, 2016 at 2:35 am

    Hey I tried this dish but I got a very sandy color for my gravy ?
    How come yours is brown ?
    Can you please tell me what did you add to get that color ?
    Thanks

    Reply
  6. Khalid. says

    March 19, 2017 at 6:34 pm

    Mouth-watering for sure! But, before I attempt it, please clarify whether I take half a cup of sliced tomatoes and purée same, or is it to be half a cup of Tomato Purée?
    Thanks.

    Reply
    • Gopi Patel says

      March 23, 2017 at 2:44 am

      Hi Khalid, you need to add half cup tomato pure. Let me know how it turned out.

      Reply
  7. Dixita says

    May 16, 2018 at 6:04 am

    I made this bean first time.
    It was very tasty, everyone liked it!
    Today I am making again!
    I Would like to say thank you! for recipe.
    Now I have one different sabji in my menu.
    Thanks !
    Dixita

    Reply

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