Lobia | Lobia Dal | Black Eyed Peas Curry

Lobia is a nutritious and delicious, popular Indian curry made with black eyed peas, simmered in an onion, tomato base sauce, and some aromatic Indian spices. Enjoy this vegan and gluten free lobia dal over steamed white rice or some naan.

Lobia, or black-eyed peas, is a legume, commonly grown around the world. In India, it is also referred to as Chauri, Chawli, or Rangi. Growing up in India, I remember we used to have lobia masala almost once a month. Rajma Masala, Chole, Kala Chana, and Lobia Masala used to be on rotation in our family.

We all enjoyed this simple, yet nutritious preparation of curry, rich in protein and fiber. I remember, sometimes my mom used to also add some greens to make it more healthy and delicious. I love lobia masala with steamed white rice and some roti on the side.

Preparing for lobia masala is very easy, the only preparation involved in this recipe is the soaking time. I prefer soaking beans overnight or for a minimum of 4 hours. I believe soaking the beans not only reduces the cooking time but also enhances the flavors.

There are a couple of ways you can make this Black-eyed peas curry (Lobia Masala) can be boiled first and then slow-cooked in onion, tomato gravy or you can make it in a one-pot, which is what I am going to do today.

In India, a pressure cooker is used to cook the beans. I remember my mom always used a pressure cooker to cook beans. It is so easy and convenient to cook beans in a pressure cooker. You can use a stovetop pressure cooker or electric pressure cooker (Instant Pot).

Jump to:

• About Lobia | Lobia Dal
• Lobia Dal Ingredients
• Lobia Masala Preparation
• Punjabi Style Lobia Masala Recipe
• Lobia Instant Pot
• Tips for Best Lobia Recipe
• Why Soak Beans?
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Sides for Lobia
• Lobia | Lobia Dal | Black Eyed Peas Curry
• More Beans Recipes

About Lobia | Lobia Dal

Lobia masala, also known as black-eyed peas curry, is a popular dish in the northern state of Punjab, India. Typically, lobia is soaked overnight, boiled, and simmered in onion, and tomato-based sauce, along with some aromatic Indian spices, until all the flavors are incorporated well into the curry.

The preparation of lobia masala is quite similar to Rajma Masala (Kidney Beans Curry). However, lobia cooks faster than Rajma and hence makes it an ideal candidate for busy weeknights.

Lobia Dal Ingredients

• Lobia (Black-eyed Peas): Small, white beans with a black spot, rich in protein and fiber.
• Onions: A pungent vegetable that adds depth and sweetness to the dish when cooked.
• Tomatoes: Juicy and tangy, providing acidity and flavor to the recipe.
• Green Chili: Adds heat and a vibrant flavor to the dish.
• Ginger: Aromatic and spicy, lending warmth and depth to the flavor profile.
• Ground Spices (Coriander Powder, Red Chili Powder, Amchur, Turmeric Powder, Garam Masala, Salt): These spices collectively contribute to the rich and balanced flavor of the dish, offering earthiness, heat, tanginess, and overall seasoning.
• Cumin Seeds: Small seeds with a warm, nutty flavor that adds aromatic depth.
• Bay Leaf: A fragrant leaf that imparts a subtle, sweet aroma to the dish.
• Asafetida: A pungent spice that enhances the overall flavor and aids in digestion.

Lobia Masala Preparation

Soak the dried black-eyed peas overnight or a minimum of 4 hours.

Chop all the veggies - onion, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, keep it aside.

Punjabi Style Lobia Masala Recipe

Enjoy convenience and flavor with this pressure cooker lobia recipe:

1. Heat oil in the pressure cooker and add cumin seeds, bay leaf, and a pinch of asafetida. Allow the seeds to splutter.
2. Add finely chopped onions and sauté until they turn golden brown. Stir in ginger and green chilies, cooking for a minute.
3. Add ground spices – coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, amchur, and tomatoes.
4. Cook until tomatoes soften, breaking down to form a thick and flavorful base.
5. Add the soaked lobia and sauté for a couple of minutes.
6. Pour in enough water to cover the lobia, add salt to taste, and mix well.
7. Secure the lid of the pressure cooker and cook on medium heat. Once the pressure builds up, lower the heat and simmer for about 15-20 minutes, allowing the lobia to cook thoroughly.
8. Once done, let the pressure release naturally, and open the lid. Add garam masala, fresh cilantro, and lemon juice (optional) for an extra burst of flavor.
9. Serve the aromatic pressure cooker lobia with rice or bread.

Enjoy a delicious and wholesome meal in no time with this quick pressure cooker lobia recipe! I love to serve Gobi Aloo (Cauliflower Curry) as a side dish, Raita, or homemade yogurt and some homemade roti (Indian flatbread).

Lobia Instant Pot

I am sharing my recipe for Lobia Masala. I love to cook lobia in a pressure cooker (Instant Pot). You can use soaked or dry beans to make this curry. Please refer to the recipe card, at the end of the post for a complete ingredients list and detailed, step-by-step recipe.

1. Drain the water from the soaked black-eyed peas, rinse and keep it aside.
2. Turn on Instant Pot to sauté mode (high), add oil, cumin seeds, bay leaf, and chopped onions. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, or until onions are translucent.
3. Add chopped garlic, and sauté for 30 seconds.
4. Add chopped tomato, ginger, and green chili. Dry spices - coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, dried mango powder. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, or until tomatoes are soft.
5. Note: Add garam masala after pressure cooking the beans.
6. Add beans, water, and salt to taste. Close the lid with a vent in the sealing position.
7. Turn on Instant Pot to Manual / Pressure Cook (high) for 15 minutes. Let pressure release naturally, around 10 minutes, and then release the remaining pressure manually.
8. Open the Instant pot, and check if the beans are soft and cooked. If required, add a few minutes of pressure cooking.
9. Turn on Sauté mode (more), add garam masala, lemon juice.
10. Note: Simmer for a few minutes or until desired thickness. The sauce thickens as it cools.
11. Garnish with some fresh coriander. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Tips for Best Lobia Recipe

Soak Beans: I prefer to soak beans overnight or a minimum of 4 hours before cooking. Soaking the beans not only reduces the cooking time but also enhances the taste and flavor of Black-eyed peas curry. If using dry beans instead of soaked, double the cooking time.

For the Sauce: Onion paste or chopped onions, both work fine in this recipe. However, if using the onion paste, cook the paste down. Beans absorb flavors from the sauce, so depending upon how flavorful the sauce is, the Black-eyed peas curry will turn out.

Fresh or Canned Tomatoes: I use both fresh and canned tomatoes, depending upon the availability. With canned tomatoes, the sauce turns bright in color.

Cooking Time: The quality of the beans and the water used for cooking also affects the cooking time. Please use timing as a guideline, and adjust the cooking time as needed.

Canned Black Eyed Peas: If using canned beans, follow the same recipe, and pressure cook for 5 minutes. This will allow beans to absorb all the flavors to blend in well.

Why Soak Beans?

I think it's a personal preference. I prefer to soak black-eyed peas for 4 hours or overnight. It reduces the cooking time and also enhances the taste and flavor of Black-eyed peas curry. I remember my mom always used to soak beans for good reasons before cooking.

Soaking beans before cooking helps to break down some of the complex sugars that can make beans hard for some people to digest. It also reduces cooking times.

Soaking the beans also cleans them more thoroughly (since beans cannot be washed before being sold or they can turn moldy). Soak beans in enough water overnight or for a few hours, discard the water the beans are soaked in, and rinse the beans thoroughly before cooking.

Cooking beans can be very tricky at times. Depending upon the quality of the beans, if it is aged (old), they might take longer to cook even though it is soaked overnight.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sides for Lobia

More Beans Recipes