Lobia (black-eyed bean curry)

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of black-eyed beans (400 gm each)
• 2 tbsps vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil
• 3 large onions sliced
• 2 large tomatoes chopped
• 2 tbsps garlic paste
• 1 tbsps ginger paste
• 2 tsps coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsps garam masala
• 2 tbsps tamarind pulp (soak a walnut-sized ball of tamarind in hot water and squeeze out pulp)
• 1"piece of ginger julienned
• 2 tbsps fresh coriander leaves chopped

Method:

1. Grind 2 onions, the tomatoes, ginger, garlic together into a smooth paste.
2. Heat the oil in a deep, thick-bottomed pan on a medium flame.
3. Add the remaining sliced onion and fry till light golden. Add the onion-tomato paste and fry till the oil begins to separate from the paste. Add the tamarind pulp and mix well.
4. Add the dry spices - cumin, coriander, red chilli, turmeric and garam masala powders. Fry for 5 minutes.
5. Drain the water in the can from the beans and rinse them well under running water. Add the beans to the masala. Mix well.
6. Add salt to taste and water to make gravy (about 1 1/2 cups).
7. Simmer and cook covered for 10 minutes.
8. Use a flat spoon to mash some of the beans coarsely. Mix well.
9. Garnish with juliennes of ginger and finely chopped fresh coriander leaves.