India is known for its soulful and flavor-packed curries, and this easy black-eyed pea curry is no different. If you have been looking for protein-rich recipes, this one is perfect- and with just the right balance of spices, it is great if you’re on the hunt for something that isn’t too overpowering in terms of flavor.
Plus, you can actually prep for the recipe in advance, and put it together in minutes, making it an excellent choice for a weeknight dinner. Scroll down to keep reading and get a quick gist of everything you’ll need to keep in mind before you start to put the recipe together.
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Ingredients For the Recipe
You’ll need three sets of ingredients to put this black-eyed pea curry together.
For the black-eyed peas
- Black-eyed peas: ½ cup
- Water: To soak
For the tomato-onion paste
- Onions (roughly chopped): 1 cup
- Tomatoes (roughly chopped): 1 cup
- Chilies: 2-3
For the curry
- Oil: 1 tbsp
- Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
- Mustard seeds: ½ tsp
- Bay leaf: 1
- Dry red chilies: 1-2
- Fenugreek seeds: ½ tsp
- Potatoes (cubed): 1 cup
- Turmeric powder: ½ tsp
- Red chili powder: 1 tsp
- Coriander powder: 1 tbsp
- Cumin powder: ½ tbsp
- Garam masala powder: 1 tsp
- Salt: 1 tsp or as per taste
- Coriander leaves (finely chopped): For garnish
- Water: 2 cups
Kitchen Tools Needed
How to Make the Black-Eyed Pea Curry
Once you have all your ingredients and kitchen tools ready, here’s what you need to do to make the curry.
Soak the black-eyed peas in water overnight or for at least 8 hours.
When ready to cook, start by making an onion tomato paste. Add the onions, tomatoes, and chilies and make a paste.
Next, heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, bay leaf, and dry red chilies. Saute.
Add the potatoes next and let them cook for 5 minutes. Keep sauteing in between.
Next, add the onion tomato paste and saute for 1 minute.
Add the spices next and mix well. Let it cook for a minute.
Next, add the soaked black-eyed peas and mix well.
Add water and coriander leaves and pressure cook the curry for 6-7 whistles.
Serve hot with steamed rice or any carbs of your choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Use the Beans Without Soaking Them?
Yes, you definitely can. Like most other beans, you can skip the soaking stage and pressure cook the beans until they are firm and well-cooked. Remember that when you start with raw beans (or any other lentils), you will need some extra cooking time to ensure that the beans are perfectly done.
Soaking your beans and lentils overnight is highly recommended, not just because it can cut down the cooking time, but also because it can reduce the amount of phytic acid present in them. This, in turn, can help the vitamins and minerals present in the lentils get easily absorbed by the body, and also make them easy to digest.
How Do I Fix a Runny Curry?
If you’ve added too much water while pressure cooking the peas, and your curry has turned out more runny than you’d like, there are actually a couple of good ways to fix that.
- Add a spoonful or two of heavy cream into the curry and let it simmer for a few minutes.
- Smash a big spoonful of the cooked black-eyed peas in a small bowl, and put it back into the curry. Let this simmer for a minute.
What Else Can I Add to the Black-Eyed Pea Curry?
While the curry is perfectly delicious on its own, you can actually add in some veggies to make it more healthy and nutritious. Think veggies like cauliflower, carrots, pumpkin, zucchini, squash, and mushrooms- they are some classics you can never go wrong with.
If you’re looking to get more greens into your meals, chop up some spinach or kale and throw them into the curry, let it simmer for a couple of minutes and you’re done.
How Do I Prep For the Curry?
If you’re looking for a way to whip up this curry in a jiffy to make it for a quick weeknight dinner, you can start by preparing the curry base made with all the spices, tomatoes, and onions in a big batch and refrigerate or freeze it. Then, when you want to make the curry, all you need to do is combine the base with the peas that have been soaked overnight, chop up some potatoes, and pressure cook them- easy peasy!
How to Store the Leftovers
Your leftover black-eyed pea curry can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Just make sure you use an airtight container to preserve its freshness. If you want to store the curry for longer, you can also freeze it in a freezer-safe container. Remember that freezing and then thawing the curry might cause the peas to lose their structural integrity a bit- so make sure you reheat the curry on low heat.
Tips to Make the Black-Eyed Pea Curry
Think you’re ready to give the recipe a shot? Keep these little tips in mind to nail the recipe.
- To cut down on your cooking time for this curry (and for practically any other Indian curry you’re making), just prepare the curry base and freeze it in individual meal portions.
- You can try out different variations of curries with the exact same curry base- use any other soaked or canned lentils or beans of your choice.
- If your curry has turned out spicier than you’d like, you can balance it out by adding some jaggery (or sugar) to it.
- Love the tangy taste a lot of Indian curries have? If the tomatoes aren’t doing the job well enough for you, top the curry with a generous squeeze of lemon juice!
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
Like most other Indian curries, the black-eyed pea curry is super versatile. It obviously tastes best when paired with some steamed rice on the side (or some hot and spicy lemon rice), but you can also make do with some chapati or naan or any other bread of your choice.
Loved how flavorful and delicious this curry was? On the hunt for some more interesting curry recipes to try out? Here are a few you might want to take a look at.
- Aloo Matar Paneer - 30 Minute Indian Curry Recipe
- Easy Rajma Masala Recipe - Indian Vegetarian Curry
- Authentic Mushroom Masala Curry Recipe
Easy Black-Eyed Pea Curry: Indian-Style
Ingredients
Ingredients for the black eyed peas
- ½ cup Black eyed peas
- 3 cups Water (to soak)
Ingredients for the tomato onion paste
- 1 cup Onions (roughly chopped)
- 1 cup Tomatoes (roughly chopped)
- 3 pcs Chilies
Ingredients for the curry
- 1 tbsp Oil
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- ½ tsp Mustard seeds
- 1 pc Bay leaf
- 2 pcs Dry red chilies
- ½ tsp Fenugreek seeds
- 1 cup[ Potatoes (cubed)
- ½ tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Red chili powder
- 1 tbsp Coriander powder
- ½ tbsp Cumin powder
- 1 tsp Garam masala powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Coriander leaves (finely chopped for garnish)
- 2 cups Water
Instructions
- Soak the black eyed peas in water over night or for at least 8 hours.½ cup Black eyed peas, 3 cups Water
- When ready to cook, start by making an onion tomato paste. Add the onions, tomatoes, and chilies and make apaste.1 cup Onions, 1 cup Tomatoes, 3 pcs Chilies
- Next, heat oil in apressure cooker. Add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, bay leaf,and dry red chilies. Saute.1 tbsp Oil, 1 tsp Cumin seeds, ½ tsp Mustard seeds, 1 pc Bay leaf, 2 pcs Dry red chilies, ½ tsp Fenugreek seeds
- Add the potatoes next and let itcook for 5 minutes. Keep sauting in between.1 cup[ Potatoes
- Next add the onion tomato paste and saute for 1 minute.
- Add the spices next and mix well. Let it cook for a minute.½ tsp Turmeric powder, 1 tsp Red chili powder, 1 tbsp Coriander powder, ½ tbsp Cumin powder, 1 tsp Garam masala powder, 1 tsp Salt
- Next, add the soaked black eyedpeas and mix well.
- Add water and coriander leaves andpressure cook the curry for 6-7 whistles.1 tbsp Coriander leaves, 2 cups Water
- Serve hot with steamed rice or anycarbs of your choice.
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