AI-generated image
Lobia masala
Black-eyed bean curry
لوبیا (lobia): black-eyed beans in a dhaba onion and tomato masala
Truck drivers on the GT Road and students in Lahore's Anarkali eat lobia at dhabas for a few rupees a plate: soft black-eyed beans in a dark onion and tomato masala, mopped up with tandoori roti and a green chilli on the side. It tastes earthy and comforting, with a peppery edge and a thick, spoonable gravy. Undercooked beans that stay chalky in the middle are the common complaint, especially when tomato goes in before the beans are soft; boil them tender first, then simmer them in the masala. Chef's tip: mash a ladleful of the beans against the side of the pot near the end, which thickens the gravy the way dhaba cooks do.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 9 oz dried black-eyed beans (lobia)soaked for 4 hours, or 2 × 400 g tins, drained
- 1 litre waterfor boiling
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 onionsfinely chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 3 tomatoeschopped
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 ½ tsp ground coriander
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 2 green chilliesslit
- ⅓ oz fresh coriander (optional)chopped
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (4)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Drain the soaked 9 oz dried black-eyed beans (lobia), cover with 1 litre water in a pan and boil for 20–25 minutes until a bean squashes easily between your fingers. Keep the cooking water. (Skip this step for tinned beans.)
25 minStep 2: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy pot over a medium heat, crackle 1 tsp cumin seeds, then fry 2 onions for 8–10 minutes until deep golden brown.
10 minStep 3: Stir in 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste for a minute.
1 minStep 4: Add 3 tomatoes, 1 tsp red chilli powder, ½ tsp ground turmeric, 1 ½ tsp ground coriander and 1 ¼ tsp salt and cook until the tomatoes collapse and oil rises to the top.
7 minStep 5: Tip in the beans with 300 ml of their cooking water (or plain water for tinned) and simmer for 10–12 minutes. Mash a ladleful against the side of the pot so the gravy thickens.
12 minStep 6: Stir in ½ tsp garam masala and 2 green chillies, scatter with ⅓ oz fresh coriander and serve with roti or rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 10 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does lobia masala take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of cumin seeds?
- Ground cumin, three quarters of the amount (add it with the other ground spices, not to hot oil first).
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Sayur lodehVegetables in coconut milk
Sayur lodeh is everyday cooking in Central Java, made in big pots in Solo and Semarang kitchens and ladled over rice, with lontong rice cakes at Lebaran, or alongside opor and sambal goreng on festive tables. It's soupy rather than thick: a fragrant broth of coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass and lime leaf that carries chunks of aubergine, long beans, chayote and sweetcorn, plus tempeh and tofu to make it a meal. The flavour is mellow and slightly sweet, so the heat comes from sambal on the side. Chef's tip: keep the pot at a gentle simmer once the coconut milk goes in and stir now and then — a rolling boil splits the coconut milk into oily curds.
Indonesian
Chana masala
A North Indian staple that comes together from the store cupboard. Toasted cumin, slow-softened onion and a good spoonful of garam masala give tinned chickpeas real depth. Serve with rice, naan or a stack of warm rotis.
Indian
Bagara bainganBaby aubergines in peanut sesame sauce
Bagara baingan is a Hyderabadi wedding dish of small aubergines cooked whole in a dark, tangy gravy of roasted peanuts, sesame, dried coconut and tamarind. Unlike a Gujarati stuffed brinjal, the aubergines here are only quartered at the base and fried until silky, then left to soak up a thin-but-rich sauce that is finished with a tempering, the 'baghar' that gives the dish its name. It's sour, nutty and gently spiced, and is served with biryani, bagara rice or plain rice. Chef's tip: choose small, glossy purple aubergines that feel heavy for their size; soft, light ones are full of seeds and turn mushy before the gravy has a chance to cling.