Lobhiya Curry (Black Eye Pea Curry)

Ingredients

1 Cup Lobhiya (Black eye pea) (soaked overnight)

A pinch of asafetida

1” finely chopped ginger

½  teaspoon paste of garlic

2 Medium sized finely chopped onions

2 medium finely chopped tomatos

2 finely chopped green chilies

½ teaspoon of red chilli

½ teaspoon turmeric power

½ teaspoon garam masala

½ teaspoon coriander powder

½ tea spoon jeera power (cumin powder)

2 cardamoms

2 leaves of tejpatta (Bay leaf)

A small piece of cinnamon

Chopped coriander leaves

2 cloves

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon Oil

Method

Heat the oil in a pressure cooker. 

Add a pinch of asafetida.

Add chopped ginger & garlic paste to it. Stir it.

Add chopped onions. Cook it till the onions become golden.

Add chopped green chilies and keep stirring.

Now add the chopped tomato into it and cook it till the oil separates.

Add Bay leaf, cardamoms, cloves, garam masala, coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, and salt to taste, and stir it well.

Add soaked lobhiya to it and mix well.

Add 2-3 cups water in a pressure cooker and cook it till the lobhiya are cooked properly and tender.

Pour it in a serving bowl and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve it hot with rice or parantha.

Tip of the day # 2

Making Curd at Home

Curd can be easily made at home.

Ingredients

500 ml milk

1 tablespoon milk powder (optional)

½ teaspoon curd

Method

Boil the milk in a pan.

Cool it at room temperature. (In winter use warm milk.  In summer moderately cold milk should be used).

Pour the milk in a bowl.

Add milk powder (optional) and curd in the milk and mix it well.

Cover it and keep it aside (in winter at warm place).

After 30 minutes open the lid and wipe the moisture from the lid if it is there.

Now again cover the lid and keep it aside for 7-8 hours (in winter it takes more time) .

When the curd is properly made it can be kept in the refrigerator.

In summer, when the curd is partially made it should be kept in the refrigerator.

HAPPY 2011 to all my readers! :)

Ring out the old, ring in the new,

Ring happy bells across the snow;

This year is going, let him go,

Ring out the false, ring in the True.

            - Alfred Lord Tennyson

To herald this beautiful new year, I'll be starting a Tip of the Day Page and posting useful and quintessential tips in that section. HAPPY COOKING! :)

TIP OF THE DAY # 1

Moong dal / Udad dal Papad can be fried in a large number and can be stored in an airtight sealed plastic bag / Zip pouch in the fridge. They remain crisp and fresh for many days.