Lobia Masala Curry recipe |How to make punjabi style lobia gravy

Todays recipe is lobia or chawali masala gravy made in Punjabi style.I have always loved the marathi chawali chi bhaji since childhood.
Chawali is known as black eyed beans in English, "karamani" in Tamil and "lobia" in Hindi. 


This curry goes well with rice, you can have it with chapati & some salad and papad. It is made by frying tomato-onion masala gravy on slow heat till the gravy
is little dark along with the addition of selected spices ,garam masala & kasuri methi.you can adjust consistency from semi dry to gravy bu adjusting the amount of water .

It is protein packed dish.


Ingredients 

   Black eyed bean - 1 cup
   Onion - 2 medium size
   Tomato - 3 medium size
   Garlic - 3 cloves
   Ginger - 1 inch piece
   Green chilli - 1
   Salt needed

   Spice powder 

   Chilli powder -1 tsp
   Coriander powder -2 tsp
   Cumin powder - 3/4 tsp
   Garam masala or kitchen king masala -1 tsp
   Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp
   Kasuri methi - pinch


   For the seasoning 

   Oil - 2 tbsp
   Cumin seeds/jeera - 1 tsp
   2 cloves 
   1/2 inch piece of cinnamon
   1 bay leaf  



Method 

1 Wash and soak the lobia in luke warm water for 4-5 hours or you can even soak overnight.

2.Heat 2 tbsp oil in kadai, add ginger, garlic , green chili and onion. Sauté till onions are soft and a raw smell disappears.
3.Add tomatoes and cook till tomatoes turn pulpy and cooked well.
4.Cool all the ingredients and grind to a fine paste adding little water to it.
5.Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a kadai; add bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon and cumin seed. When cumin seed starts to sputter add the above grinded gravy along with pepper powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt. Saute till gravy is dry and little dark in color.
6.Next add the all the dry spices - turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder and garam masala.
7.stir and saute the masala on a low flame, till the entire tomato-onion mixture starts to leave the sides of the pan or cooker and you see the oil leaving from the sides. this cooking method is called as bhunao in punjabi and takes some time.
8.Now add the lobia or black eyed beans. stir well.Add 3 cups water.add salt.
9.stir pressure cook till the lobia is cooked completely for about 4-5 whistles.( Pressure cook it for 8-9 whistles if you have  soaked it for only half an hour)
 lobia should be soft enough and when pressed with your fingers, it should get mashed easily. check the lobia once its done.
10.mash few lobia with spoon,add kasuri methi  and simmer gravy till it becomes thick to the consistency you desire.
11 .Garnish it with coriander leaves .Serve hot with chapatti.


Tips /variation

1.Can add 1 tbsp ceam or dahi iin step 10 & then simmer the gravy
2. Can pressure cook lobia till soft in advance & them add in step 8 & follow the rest recipe .in this case you need not pressure cook for 4-5 whistles as lobia is already cooked ,you have to only simmer