Lobia Masala

Ingredients

• 1 cup Lobia clean, wash, and soak lobia in 3 cups of clean water for at least 3 hours before cooking
• salt to taste I use around 1 tsp
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder/ Haldi

For Gravy

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/8 tsp Heeng/asafoetida
• 1/2 tsp Jeera/ cumin seeds
• 1 tej patta/bay leaf
• a small piece of dalchini/cinnamon stick
• 1 green chili chopped
• a piece of grated ginger
• 1 tomato chopped finely or pureed
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder it will depend on its hotness. mine is not very hot
• 1 tsp Dhania/coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp garam masala

Garnish

• 1 tbsp Chopped coriander leaves/ cilantro to garnish

serve with

• rice boiled
• roti or paratha

Instructions

To boil Lobia

1. Pressure cook the soaked Lobia with water( use the same one in which Lobia is soaked), salt, and turmeric powder. Don’t throw the water in which we soak it. I use the same water for cooking Lobia.
2. After 1 whistle on high reduce the flame to low and let it cook for 8-10 more minutes. After the steam escapes open the pressure cooker and check Lobia. It should be soft and mashable. If it is not, cook for some more time. Check the salt also and if it is less then add it before cooking again.

To make Curry

1. In a pan or kadai heat oil. When it’s hot add heeng, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and Jeera/cumin seeds. Wait for cumin seeds to crackle. Add chopped green chili, grated ginger, red chili powder, and dhania powder. Now add chopped or pureed tomatoes and let it cook stirring frequently. when the tomato mixture starts leaving the oil or coming together it is ready.
2. Add cooked lobia and garam masala to the tomato mixture. Give it a good stir and cook for 3-4 minutes. Mash some lobia to get a thick curry.
3. Lobia Masala or Black-eyed Curry is ready. Garnish with chopped coriander/ cilantro leaves.

To Serve

1. Serve hot with Rice, Roti or Paratha.