South Indian Black Eyed Peas Curry with Coconut Milk | Lobia Curry

1. Note:

   Before you start the recipe, soak the 1 cup black eyed peas for at least 1 hour and up to overnight in warm water. It often helps to soak the beans before you start chopping the veggies. This step helps ensure that even the oldest beans will cook evenly AND our helps your stomach digest them easier!

Instant Pot method

1. Turn on the Instant Pot to the sauté setting on medium heat. 
2. Add 1 tablespoon oil and chopped onions to the Instant Pot and sauté until the onions start to soften.
3. Next add black eyed peas, 20 garlic cloves, quartered 6 Indian baby eggplants, 2 teaspoons cumin powder, 2 teaspoons coriander powder, 2 teaspoons cayenne powder, ½ teaspoon sea salt, and 3 cups water and mix ingredients together. 
4. Close the Instant Pot and set to high pressure setting for 50 minutes. You can either manually release the pressure or wait for the Instant Pot to depressurize on its own.
5. Add 1 can full-fat coconut milk and mix all of the ingredients together. Use the back of a spoon to slightly mash down the eggplant and garlic until they dissolve into the soup and then a whisk to briefly emulsify the ingredients together.
6. Turn the Instant Pot to the sauté mode. Allow the soup to simmer uncovered and meld with the coconut milk for ~10 mins.
7. Taste the soup for salt and adjust. It is likely that the soup will need an additional bit to really make the flavors come to the forefront. If all you feel is heat in the back of the throat, then it is probably a good indicator that salt is needed for the other flavors to come through. Add salt in ¼ teaspoon increments, taste, and adjust to your liking.
8. Make thalipu/tadka:

   In a small saucepan on medium heat, add 1 tablespoon oil. Add ½ teaspoon black mustard seeds and ½ teaspoon cumin seeds to the oil and wait until they start dancing and popping in the oil. Turn the heat down to low and add 25-30 curry leaves. The curry leaves will pop in the oil when added. Turn off the heat and add in the ⅛ teaspoon asafoetida.
9. Either pour the tadka over the entire pot of soup or individually portion bowls of soup and spoon over the tadka to each serving for a nice garnish and finishing oil. Sprinkle the Zest of 1 lime over the soup. Enjoy while warm on its own or add rice to the bowl for an even heartier dish.

Stovetop Method

1. Place a dutch oven or a deep heavy bottomed pot on the stove. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the pot on medium heat. 
2. Add chopped onions and sauté until the onions start to soften.
3. Next add 1 cup black eyed peas, 20 garlic cloves (whole), 6 Indian baby eggplants, 2 teaspoons cumin powder, 2 teaspoons coriander powder, 2 teaspoons cayenne powder, ½ teaspoon sea salt and enough water to cover and submerge all of the ingredients in 1 inch of water (~3-5 cups of water) and mix.
4. Turn the heat on high and allow the water to come to a boil.
5. Once the water has come to a boil, turn the heat to medium and allow the pot to have a rolling simmer for 1.5 - 2 hours or until the garlic cloves are soft and tender and easily mash down into the soup. At any point, if there isn’t enough water to cook the ingredients, add a bit more.
6. Once the beans and garlic have cooked through, add 1 can full-fat coconut milk and mix all of the ingredients together. Use the back of a spoon to slightly mash down the eggplant and garlic until they dissolve into the soup and then a whisk to briefly emulsify the ingredients together. Allow the soup to simmer and meld with the coconut milk for ~10 mins.
7. Taste the soup for salt and adjust. It is likely that the soup will need an additional bit to really make the flavors come to the forefront. If all you feel is heat in the back of the throat, then it is probably a good indicator that salt is needed for the other flavors to come through. Add salt in ¼ teaspoon increments, taste, and adjust to your liking.
8. Make thalipu/tadka:

   In a small saucepan on medium heat, add 1 tablespoon oil. Add ½ teaspoon black mustard seeds and ½ teaspoon cumin seeds to the oil and wait until they start dancing and popping in the oil. Turn the heat down to low and add 25-30 curry leaves. The curry leaves will pop in the oil when added. Turn off the heat and add in the ⅛ teaspoon asafoetida.
9. Either pour the tadka over the entire pot of soup or individually portion bowls of soup and spoon over the tadka to each serving for a nice garnish and finishing oil. Enjoy while warm on its own or add rice to the bowl for an even heartier dish.