Black Eyed Peas Curry or Lobia Masala is a popular dish in North India, that is so easy and quick to make in the pressure cooker. It is made in an onion-tomato gravy, along with lots of ginger, garlic and aromatic spices. It is perfect to enjoy with some steaming basmati rice and parathas. This is a vegan and gluten free recipe.
Being a North Indian, I grew up eating Punjabi Black-Eyed Peas Curry, also referred to as Rongi, Chawli or Lobia Masala in different parts of India. Interestingly they are also referred to as cowpeas, and are from the beans family, not peas.
It was very interesting to find that eating Black eyed peas on New Years day is a tradition in Southern United States. They say it brings good luck. We love black eyed peas any time, so I have started to make them on New Years too 🙂
Black eyed peas cook much faster than other beans, which means you can get this meal ready pretty quickly. I have changed this recipe to make it in an Instant Pot, but you could very well use a normal pressure cooker. The preparation for this curry is very easy and you will love the result. It is a comforting and nutritional meal.
Table of Contents
- Watch How to Make Black-Eyed Peas Curry (Indian Lobia Masala)
- Are Black-Eyed Peas Healthy?
- Ingredients
- How to Make?
- How to cook in Stovetop Pressure Cooker?
- How to serve?
- Meeta’s Tips
- Make this a Black Eyed Pea Vegetable Soup
- Common Questions
- Black Eyed Peas Curry (Indian Lobia Masala) – Instant Pot & Stovetop Recipe
Watch How to Make Black-Eyed Peas Curry (Indian Lobia Masala)
Are Black-Eyed Peas Healthy?
Half a cup of cooked black eyed peas, has about 18 grams of carbs, 7 grams of protein, 6 grams of fiber, and less than 1 gram of fat. They also have a variety of vitamins and antioxidants.
Black-eyed peas are a complex carb that takes longer to digest and keep you full for longer. They are a good source of folate, which makes them great to eat during pregnancy.
Black-eyed peas are very versatile and can be eaten as soup, curry, added to chili, or added to salad. So do incorporate them into your diet.
If you like black-eyed peas, check out hearty and healthy Black Eyed Peas & Spinach Rice.
Curious about pulses used in Indian cooking? Check out my detailed guide about Indian Pulses.
Ingredients
This curry needs very basic ingredients, which I always keep in my pantry. The only preparation needed is soaking the black-eyed peas. They cook much faster if they have soaked well for 4 or more hours. If you forget to soak, then try soaking for 1/2-1 hour in hot water and cook for longer, about 20 mins in the pressure cooker.
I use dry black-eyed peas that I have soaked for 4 hours in this recipe. Using the instant pot to cook the black-eyed peas is a great convenience, and we can use dry black-eyed peas rather than canned. It is also cheaper to use dry peas. If you want to use canned black-eyed peas, check the recipe notes for more details.
Want more Vegan Recipes? Check out this collection of 65+ Vegan Indian Recipes.
How to Make?
- Heat oil with some cumin seeds and green chili. The chili is optional.
- Sauté the onions with ginger and garlic, and then add the tomatoes and spices.
- Add black-eyed peas and water, stir, and cook on high pressure.
And the black-eyed peas curry is ready. Garnish with cilantro.
I like to add some lemon juice at the end. It adds a great tang to the curry. Really…try adding some lemon juice to all the curries and lentils…it tastes wonderful.
Enjoy this curry over basmati rice or with paratha. You can also cook rice pot-in-pot with this curry. When cooking this curry after soaking the peas overnight, cook with white rice pot-in-pot for 12 minutes at high pressure. See my spinach dal recipe for how to cook pot-in-pot rice with a dal or curry.
How to cook in Stovetop Pressure Cooker?
Follow the same process as in the video when cooking on a stovetop pressure cooker. Cook on high flame for 2 whistles and then change to medium-low flame and let it cook for another 12 minutes.
How to serve?
This black-eyed peas curry pairs perfectly with basmati rice. You can also pair it with quinoa or cauliflower rice.
This curry can also be enjoyed as a soup with some added veggies.
Meeta’s Tips
Double the quantity: You can also double this recipe with the same cooking time. The pressure cooker will take longer to come to pressure. This lentil also freezes well, so it is great for meal prep.
Use my Onion Tomato Bhuna Masala: You can use 3/4 cup of this masala and skip onion, tomato, ginger, and garlic in this recipe. Do adjust the spices to your taste.
Make this a Black Eyed Pea Vegetable Soup
Want to make this a hearty soup? Add some veggies, such as carrots and celery, before pressure cooking. Then stir in some collard greens or spinach, or kale once pressure cooking is completed. Enjoy with some delicious garlic bread on the side.
Common Questions
Yes, it is best to soak black-eyed peas before cooking. I prefer to soak them for at least 4 hours up to overnight. If you forget to soak, then soak in hot water for 1/2-1 hour before cooking. Soaking also helps to reduce cooking time.
Leftover cooked black-eyed peas can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days in an airtight container. You can also freeze for up to 4 months.
Transfer to the refrigerator to defrost, and then reheat in the microwave for 1-3 minutes, depending on the quantity of curry.
Yes, you can use canned black-eyed peas. Use two 15oz cans in this recipe. Drain the liquid in the can. Add the peas with 1 cup of water and pressure cook for just 1 minute.
You can also use frozen black-eyed peas in this recipe. Follow the same steps and pressure cook for 4 minutes on high pressure.
I hope you enjoy this delicious lobia masala curry!
Want to find other easy Instant Pot Indian Recipes? Here are 29 Best Instant Pot Vegetarian Recipes for you to try!
Black Eyed Peas Curry (Indian Lobia Masala) – Instant Pot & Stovetop
Equipment
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup Black eyed peas (Lobia), soaked in water for 4 hours up to overnight
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- 1 Green Chili Pepper, diced
- 1 cup Onion, diced
- 1/2 tablespoon Ginger, grated
- 1/2 tablespoon Garlic, minced
- 1 cup Tomato, diced
- 2 cups Water, for cooking
- 1 teaspoon Lime juice
- Cilantro, to granish
Spices
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Turmeric (Haldi powder)
- 1/2-1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder, mild, adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder (Dhaniya powder)
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala , adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon Salt, adjust to taste
Instructions
- Soak the black eyed peas in abundant water for 4 hours or overnight so they are all submerged. When you are ready to cook, drain the water.
Instant Pot Method
- Start the Pressure Cooker in sauté mode and heat it. Add oil and cumin seeds. Then add the diced green chili pepper.
- Once the cumin seeds start to splutter, add the onions, ginger and garlic. Let this cook for 3-4 mins.
- Add the tomatoes and spices to the instant pot and cook for another 3 mins.
- Add the drained black eyed peas and water to the instant pot. Stir well. Press Cancel and close the lid with vent in sealing position.
- Change the pressure cooker setting to Manual or Pressure Cook mode at high pressure for 12 minutes.
- After the instant pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally. Stir in the lime juice. Garnish with cilantro and serve with roti/rice.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method
- Follow the same steps as above. Cook on high flame for 2 whistles and then change to medium-low flame and let it cook for another 12 minutes. Then let the pressure release naturally.
This prep came out sooo delicious! I’m obsessed with it! First recipe of yours I’ve ever tried. I’ve made it several times since for myself and for potluck. I used canned black eye peas; sauteed and cooked it in a regular pot. I love that this recipe is simple; not too many ingredients and easy to cook. I’m looking forward to making several, or ALL, of the vegetarian Indian recipes on your list!
Hi – That’s amazing! So glad you loved it and found it easy to make.
Perfect and perfectly delicious! We didn’t even eat it with rice or naan… so good!
Hi – So happy to hear that! 😊 Thanks for trying the recipe!
Made this twice last week because it was sooooo goood! Thanks for putting this recipe together!
Hi – That’s amazing! So happy you loved it enough to make it twice. 😊
Great Recipe! I used the Instant Pot method. and loved the spicy curried Black-eyed peas. After the natural release of the Instant Pot, I added several handfuls of spinach to the beans and made some Basmati rice on the side.
Thank you
Hi – Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
This was really fantastic. I made very few changes:
– cooked in a pot on the stove rather than in a pressure cooker
– used canned diced tomatoes rather than fresh since it’s winter here and fresh tomatoes are pretty terrible
– used the soaking water from the beans as well as the liquid from the tomatoes rather than plain water
The heat and spicing were spot on. Next time I might add some sort of greenery like spinach or kale.
Hi Dan – I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for sharing the changes you made!
When using frozen, do you cook everything for 4 minutes total, instead of 12?
Yes, 4 minutes will be enough for the pre-cooked frozen black-eyed peas.