• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Flavours Treat
  • Home
  • About Me
    • Disclosure & Privacy Policy
    • Recipe and Safety Disclaimer
  • Recipe Index
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • About Me
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • About Me
×

Home » Recipes » Curry

Black-Eyed Peas Curry (Instant Pot and Stovetop)

Published: Sep 9, 2022 by Geetha Priyanka · 2 Comments

Scroll to Recipe Share on Facebook
pin image of black eyed peas curry with blue text overlay on top.
pin image of black eyed peas curry with text overlay on top and bottom.
pin image of black eyed peas curry with black text overlay on top.

Nutritious, gluten-free and vegan black-eyed peas curry is a delicious dish that goes well with rice or any Indian flatbread. It is a freezer-friendly dish that makes a comforting midweek meal and a great dish to add to a weekly meal plan.

black eyed peas curry in a white bowl topped with halved lemon slices placed on a tile along with 2 forks, a glass of water with a lemon slice, a bowl of white rice and a pinch bowl of pickle.
Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Instructions
  • How to make lobia curry on a stovetop pressure cooker?
  • Variations
  • Serving Suggestions
  • Tips and Tricks
  • Storage
  • FAQs
  • 📖 Recipe Card

This Indian black-eyed pea curry, also called lobia masala is a staple in many Indian households. Here is an easy and quick curry made with pantry ingredients. The only time-consuming part is soaking black-eyed peas.

I'm showing an instant pot method to cook dried pea curry. However, a stovetop pressure cooker could be used as well. Either way, peas cook quicker in a pressure cooker rather than in a pot over a stovetop which is a slow process and takes nearly 1 and a half to 2 hours.


An Instant pot is such an amazing appliance that makes life easier. It has become an essential part of the kitchen for its versatility and for cutting down the cooking time drastically. Be it breakfast - vegetable upma, porridge, side dish cabbage poriyal, simple lentil curry- dal palak, or rice varieties - peas pulao, every dish cooks perfectly every time.

Ingredients

vegetables, dry and whole spices, oil, water, black eyed peas in a bowls placed on a wooden table.
  • Vegetables: Onion, pureed tomato, coriander, lemon, ginger and garlic.
  • Whole Spices: Bay leaf, cloves, cassia and cumin.
  • Dry Spices: Turmeric, chilli powder, garam masala, coriander powder, salt and desiccated coconut.
  • Liquids: sunflower oil for cooking and water to cook the curry. Feel free to use vegetable oil or any other cooking oil.

Refer recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

collage of 2 images with left image of black eyed peas soaked in water and right image of swollen black eyed peas in a white bowl.
  • Wash the peas in a colander under cold running water to remove dirt.
  • Soak them in a bowl with 3 cups of water for 6 hours or overnight. 
  • After 6 hours, drain the water and keep peas aside. 
collage of 4 images showing the process of frying whole spices and cooking vegetables along with dry spices in a inner steel pot of instant pot.
  • Gather all the ingredients and keep them on the kitchen platform and prep the vegetables. 
  • Plug in an instant pot and press the "sauté" button. 
  • Heat the oil in an inner pot, once hot add a bay leaf, cassia, cloves and sauté for a few seconds until aromatic. 
  • Add the cumin and sauté for a minute until it turns aromatic.
  • Add the onion, ginger and garlic and cook for 8-10 minutes or until the onion turns soft and translucent.
  • Stir in the tomato puree, turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until raw aroma vanishes. 
collage of 4 images showing the process of cooking black eyed peas curry in an instant pot.
  • Add drained black-eyed peas, fresh water and stir well. Deglaze the pot well.
  • Press the cancel button.
  • Close the pot with a lid, press the "pressure cook/manual" button, and set the timer to 10 minutes at high pressure. 
  • Move the pressure valve to the "seal" position. 
  • After the set timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally (NPR) for 10 minutes and then move the pressure valve to the "vent" position. Press the cancel button or switch the instant pot power off.
black eyed pea curry in an instant pot.

  • Once the pressure is completely released and the knob next to the pressure valve goes down, take the lid off the pot. 
  • Add coriander, lemon juice, desiccated coconut and stir well.
  • Enjoy delicious black-eyed pea curry with rice or chapati.

Hint: Let the pressure release completely before opening the lid of the Instant Pot.

How to make lobia curry on a stovetop pressure cooker?

Wash the peas in a colander under cold running water to remove dirt.

Soak them in a bowl with 3 cups of water for 6 hours or overnight. 

After 6 hours drain the water and keep the beans aside. 

Add the beans and fresh water in a pressure cooker. Cook on medium-high heat for 2 whistles, reduce the flame to the lowest setting, cook for 1 whistle and switch the heat off. Let the pressure release naturally before taking the lid off. 

In a pot or kadai, heat the oil over medium-low flame. 

Now follow the steps from frying spices to combining soaked black-eyed peas with cooked vegetables and water from the instant pot cooking method. 

Close the pot/kadai with a lid, increase the heat a little and simmer for 10 minutes. 

After 10 minutes switch the flame off, open the lid, add the coriander leaves, lemon juice, desiccated coconut and stir well. 

Enjoy the delicious black-eyed pea curry with rice or any Indian flatbread. 

Hint: You can cook the peas in a pot over stove top for around 2 hours until peas are tender if you don't have a pressure cooker.

Variations

Leafy vegetables like spinach or methi (fenugreek) add extra nutrients to this flavourful Indian black-eyed pea recipe. 

Vegetable stock could be used instead of water.

You could use pre-made ginger garlic paste if you have it on hand instead of minced fresh ginger and garlic. 

I've used passata, feel free to use tinned tomato puree or freshly pureed tomatoes. 

Serving Suggestions

This dried pea curry paired with plain rice, poppadum and a simple side dish aloo gobi, pickle, onion salad and cucumber raita make a wholesome meal. 

Indian flatbreads such as chapati, naan and paratha go well with Indian lobia bean curry. 

This easy Indian curry not only pairs well with plain rice but also with mildly flavoured rice such as saffron rice, jeera rice or methi pulao. 

Tips and Tricks

Soaked peas not only cook faster but also make them easier to digest. 

If you are short of time, soak the peas for at least 1 hour in hot water. 

Ensure to deglaze the pot before turning it to pressure cook mode. Otherwise, it will result in a "burn" message. 

Before closing the pot make sure the inner silicone seal is fixed properly to the lid. 

To multiply the quantity, increase the ingredients but NOT the cooking time. 

Regardless of double or triple quantity, keep the pressure cook/manual cooking time the same. Instant pot just takes a little longer to come to pressure and then the timer countdown starts. 

Storage

Fridge: Black-eyed pea curry stays good for 2-3 days in the fridge if stored properly in a clean airtight container. 

Freezer: This is the best freezer-friendly recipe, perfect to have in a meal prep plan. Make a big batch ahead of time. Once the curry cools down, divide it into required portions in freezer-safe containers and store them in the freezer. 

Defrost: Thaw the lobia curry the night before you plan to consume it. Take a portion out of the freezer and pop it in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stovetop until piping hot.

More Easy Curry Recipes

Chickpea spinach curry 

Butternut squash chickpea curry 

Babycorn masala 

Capsicum masala 

Green peas masala

FAQs

Is it essential to soak black-eyed peas?

Yes, soaking helps the peas cook quicker and make them easier to digest. I would suggest soaking for at least 6 hours or overnight. If you forget, soak at least 1 hour in hot water and pressure cook for 5 minutes longer.

How to store leftover curry in the freezer?

Divide the leftover curry into the desired portions in freezer-safe containers and store them in the freezer. Use them up within 3 months. 

KEEP IN TOUCH

Do let me know if you make this easy Indian dish black-eyed peas curry. I love hearing from you all. If you like this recipe kindly consider rating it using stars in the comment section or on the recipe card to help more people find this recipe online. You can stay up to date by following me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram or subscribing to my Youtube channel. Or why not subscribe to my blog and get simple recipes straight to your inbox?

📖 Recipe Card

top shot of black eyed peas curry in a white bowl placed on a table along with 2 forks, pickle, rice and a glass of water.

Black Eyed Peas Curry

Nutritious, gluten-free and vegan black-eyed peas curry is a delicious dish that goes well with rice or any Indian flatbread. It is a freezer-friendly dish that makes a comforting midweek meal and a great dish to add to a weekly meal plan.
4.86 from 7 votes
Prevent your screen from going dark
Print Pin Share by Email Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
Soaking Time: 6 hours hours
Total Time: 6 hours hours 45 minutes minutes
Servings: 5
Calories: 1291kcal
Author: Geetha

Video

Equipment

  • Instant Pot
  • Ladle

Ingredients

1 Cup = 250ml ; 1 Tablespoon = 15ml ; 1 Teaspoon = 5ml

  • 1 cup (or) 195 gms Black Eyed Peas
  • 2 Teaspoons Oil
  • 1 Bay Leaf
  • small piece Cassia/Dalchini
  • 2 Cloves
  • 1 Teaspoon Cumin
  • 140 gms Onion peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 inch Ginger peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 cloves Garlic peeled and finely chopped
  • 160 gms Tomato Puree/Passata
  • ½ Teaspoon Turmeric
  • 1 Teaspoon Chilli Powder
  • ½ Teaspoon Garam Masala
  • ½ Teaspoon Coriander Powder
  • Salt as required
  • 18 gms Desiccated Coconut
  • Juice from half a lemon
  • 3 Cups Water
  • handful Fresh Coriander Leaves chopped

Instructions

  • Wash the peas in a colander under cold running water to remove dirt.
    1 cup (or) 195 gms Black Eyed Peas
  • Wash the peas in a colander under cold running water to remove dirt.
  • Soak them in a bowl with 3 cups of water for 6 hours or overnight.  After 6 hours, drain the water and keep peas aside. 
  • Gather all the ingredients and keep them on the kitchen platform and prep the vegetables. 
  • Plug in an instant pot and press the "sauté" button. 
  • Heat the oil in an inner pot, once hot add a bay leaf, cassia, cloves and sauté for a few seconds until aromatic. 
    2 Teaspoons Oil, small piece Cassia/Dalchini, 2 Cloves, 1 Bay Leaf
  • Add the cumin and sauté for a minute until it turns aromatic.
    1 Teaspoon Cumin
  • Add the onion, ginger and garlic and cook for 8-10 minutes or until the onion turns soft and translucent.
    140 gms Onion, 1 inch Ginger, 2 cloves Garlic
  • Stir in the tomato puree, turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until raw aroma vanishes. 
    160 gms Tomato Puree/Passata, ½ Teaspoon Turmeric, 1 Teaspoon Chilli Powder, ½ Teaspoon Garam Masala, ½ Teaspoon Coriander Powder
  • Add drained black-eyed peas, salt, fresh water and stir well. Deglaze the pot well.
    1 cup (or) 195 gms Black Eyed Peas, 3 Cups Water, Salt
  • Press the cancel button.
  • Close the pot with a lid, press the "pressure cook/manual" button, and set the timer to 10 minutes at high pressure. 
  • Move the pressure valve to the "seal" position. 
  • After the set timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally (NPR) for 10 minutes and then move the pressure valve to the "vent" position. Press the cancel button or switch the instant pot power off.
  • Once the pressure is completely released and the knob next to the pressure valve goes down, take the lid off the pot. 
  • Add coriander, lemon juice, desiccated coconut and stir well.
    18 gms Desiccated Coconut, Juice from half a lemon, handful Fresh Coriander Leaves
  • Enjoy delicious black-eyed pea curry with rice or chapati.

Notes

Soaked peas not only cook faster but also make them easier to digest. 
If you are short of time, soak the peas for at least 1 hour in hot water. 
Ensure to deglaze the pot before turning it to pressure cook mode. Otherwise, it will result in a "burn" message. 
Before closing the pot make sure the inner silicone seal is fixed properly to the lid. 
To multiply the quantity, increase the ingredients but NOT the cooking time. 
Regardless of double or triple quantity, keep the pressure cook/manual cooking time the same. Instant pot just takes a little longer to come to pressure and then the timer countdown starts. 
 
** Nutritional information provided here is estimated and for guidance only. Please refer my Recipe Disclaimer for more details.

Nutrition

Calories: 1291kcal | Carbohydrates: 293g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 149mg | Potassium: 4691mg | Fiber: 54g | Sugar: 132g | Vitamin A: 349IU | Vitamin C: 232mg | Calcium: 729mg | Iron: 8mg
Tried this recipe?Leave your feedback and RATE THE RECIPE!
Enjoy recipe video?Check out my YouTube channel FLAVOURS TREAT for more videos!

More Curry

  • sambar in a brown pot place don awhite tile along with 2 spoons and a bowl of spice powder.
    Instant Vegetable Sambar - Instantpot and Stovetop
  • whole green gram curry in a white bowl placed on a tile.
    Green Moong Dal Recipe (Sabut Mung Curry)
  • paneer curry with mixed peppers and onion in a kadai placed on a black board along with a brown cloth.
    Restaurant Style Kadai Paneer Recipe
  • paneer korma in a grey bowl garnished with cream placed on a table along with a spoon, basket of naan breads and a cloth.
    Paneer Korma

Sharing is caring!

156 shares

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Kelly

    February 03, 2023 at 11:38 pm

    5 stars
    Absolutely love this recipe. I forgot to add the lemon juice but still it was delicious. Family loved it!

    Reply
    • Geetha Priyanka

      February 04, 2023 at 2:29 pm

      Kelly, so happy to know all your family members loved this dish.

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

FOLLOW ME

Hey, Welcome to Flavours Treat. Geetha here - a cook, photographer, videographer, editor and voice behind the Flavours Treat.

More about me and blog →

Popular Recipes

  • honey garlic cauliflower wings in the black frying pan.
    Honey Garlic Cauliflower (Party Appetiser + Video)
  • coconut pudding topped with chopped walnuts on plate placed on a granite.
    Homemade Coconut Pudding (Eggless and Dairy-free)
  • mixed millet dosa on a black plate along with chutneys and sambar.
    Millet Dosa (Mixed Millet Dosa Recipe)
  • close up shot of jeera aloo
    Jeera Aloo Recipe (Cumin Spiced Potatoes)

FEATURED on

Footer

Search for a Recipe:

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Connect With Us

Disclosure and Privacy Policy

Recipe and Safety Disclaimer

 

Recent Posts

  • Easy Instant Pot Potatoes and Carrots
  • Mango Avocado Salad
  • Easy 5 Minute Onion Raita
  • Mango Cherry Popsicles (Dairy Free Popsicles)
  • Avocado Banana Smoothie

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Disclosure and Privacy Policy
  • Recipe and Safety Disclaimer

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2021 Food Pro on the Foodie Pro Theme

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
156 shares
156 shares