Recipe for Rongi/Lobia ( Black eyed peas)

Rongi or Lobia ( Black-eyed peas) are made in many different ways in India. Sometimes they are made as a gravy dish to be eaten with rice or roti. Sometimes, they are boiled and tempered to be eaten as a snack between meals. I make it both ways in my home.

Today, I am sharing a simple recipe I use in my everyday cooking. In this recipe, black-eyed peas are soaked and cooked in the pressure cooker. Then, using simple everyday spices, a gravy dish is prepared. The preparation time is under 30 minutes and works well as a weekday lunch. We usually eat it with Rice or Roti.

Let’s start with the recipe:

The ingredients needed for making Rongi/Lobia are :

1. Black-eyed peas: 1 cup, soaked for a minimum of 1 hour
2. Onion: 1 Big, chopped
3. Tomato: 1 big, chopped
4. Ginger: 1 teaspoon, chopped
5. Garlic: 1 teaspoon, chopped
6. Green Chilies: 2-3, chopped/slitted
7. Fresh Coriander leaves: for garnishing
8. Salt: To taste
9. Turmeric Powder: 2 pinches to add when boiling the black-eyed peas + 1/2 teaspoon when making the masala
10. Kashmiri Red Chili Powder: 1 teaspoon
11. Coriander Powder: 1 teaspoon
12. Cumin Powder: 1/2 teaspoon
13. Garam Masala: 1/2 teaspoon
14. Cumin Seeds: 1 teaspoon
15. Curry leaves: 5-6
16. Oil: 2 tbsps
17. Water: About 3-4 cups
18. Asafoetida: 1/4 teaspoon

Method to make Rongi/Lobia:

1. Cook the soaked black-eyed peas with two pinches of turmeric powder and water in a pressure cooker.

2. In a pan, heat oil. Fry the cumin seeds till they crackle. Then add curry leaves and asafoetida.

3. Then add chopped ginger, garlic, and green chillies.

4. Now, add onions and fry till they soften.

5. Add tomatoes along with salt and all the dry spices. Lower the heat, put a lid and cook till the tomatoes soften.

6. In the pressure cooker where the black-eyed peas were cooked, add this mixture and cook them together for about 5-8 minutes.

Serve with rice or roti.

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