Black Eyed Peas Recipe(Punjabi Lobia)

Black pan with cooked black eyed peas (Punjabi lobia) recipe, garnished with red onions, sliced lemons and cilantro.

5 from 2 votes

Black Eyed Peas Recipe(Punjabi Lobia) is a spicy and tangy curry prepared with black-eyed peas cooked in a delicious onion and tomato gravy.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian, Pakistani

Diet: Gluten Free, Halal, Hindu, Kosher, Low Calorie, Low Fat, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword: Black Eyed Peas Masala, easy recipes, gluten free recipe, lobia curry, lobia masala, vegan recipe

Servings: people

Calories: 257kcal

Author: Nosheen Babar

Ingredients

12 oz black eyed peas (see notes)
¼ cup avocado oil (see notes)
1 onion
2 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp white cumin seeds
3 oz tomato paste (see notes
2 tsp salt (see notes)
2 tsp red chilli powder (see notes)
½ tsp turmeric powder
2 cups water (see notes)
½ cup cilantro

Instructions

Heat the cooking oil in a wide pan
Add diced onion to it and saute till medium brown
Add the garlic paste and saute for 30 seconds
Add the white cumin seeds and saute till you can smell the aroma
Add the frozen peas directly from the bag and mix well
Add the tomato paste 2 Tbsps at a time and stir to mix and dissolve
Add all of the remaining spices, saute for 30 seconds and then add the water
Stir, cover, reduce the flame to low and cook for about 20-30 minutes (see notes)
Once cooked, remove lid, stir and garnish with cilantro.

Notes

The Black-Eyed Peas - For best results, use frozen black-eyed peas. The dried ones take too long to cook, and the canned ones contain preservatives and tend to get mushy and overcooked.

The Oil - I like to cook with avocado or canola oil as both have a high smoke point and work well when making curries. Sunflower and Peanut oil are also good options.

Tomato Paste - I use tomato paste for this curry as it lends a depth of flavor to the otherwise bland beans due to their caramelized, smoky, and acidic taste.

The spices - Feel free to adjust the salt and red chili powder. It's best to start with half the recommended amount and add more as desired.

The water - Adjust the water as needed for a dry or soupy consistency.

Cooking Time - Cooking times are variable as we all have different appliances, utensils and often cook at different altitudes. After 20 minutes, check to see if your beans are done or if you need to add more water and cook a bit longer.

Nutrition