Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas Curry (Punjabi Lobia Curry)

There are days when making a well-rounded, healthy meal can be a daunting task. Therefore, to ease up your weeknight meal-prep, I have just a perfect recipe for you, my dear friend.

I am talking about my quick and easy Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas Curry (Punjabi Lobia Curry).

This curry is so amazingly delicious that it will become a staple in your house, and you will crave to make this again and again.

Base sauce for Black Eyed Peas Curry!

This recipe calls for boiled onion tomato masala as a base sauce. Therefore, I have used my homemade masala here, along with some mild seasonings to flavor the black-eyed peas curry.

Because it is a simple curry, I have opted out of garam masala. But feel free to add a teaspoon of garam masala to the finished curry. The addition of garam masala will add warmth and zing to this curry.

This Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas Curry (Punjabi Lobia Curry) can be made with either boiled onion tomato masala or a regular cooktop onion tomato masala.

Both will yield the same results. Only the boiled masala will have a subtle flavor compared to the cooktop one.

A word about Black Eyed Peas!

Black-eyed peas, commonly referred to as Cowpeas is a specific type of edible bean that is oval and has a black eye on the outer covering.

In other Indian states, it is known as ‘Chawli’ in Marathi, ‘Karamani’ in Tamil, and ‘Lobia or Rongi’ in Punjabi.

This nutritional bean is famous for its creamy taste and flavor when cooked. Instant Pot Lobia masala  

Why are black-eyed peas called Cowpeas?

Long back, in the 1700s, the legume (green and fresh pods) of black-eyed peas was used as fodder for cows.

Therefore, it acquired the name Cowpeas.

Health benefits Of Black-Eyed Peas

Black-eyed peas have numerous health benefits and are considered nourishing because it contains almost all the essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, C.

Other essential ones are folic acid, iron, calcium, manganese, Thiamine, zinc, copper, phosphorus, Folate, and many others.

The best part is that every 100 grams of serving provide 8 grams of protein, 53 mg of magnesium, 278mg of Potassium, and 6.6grams of fiber.

Now that’s my kind of bean: nutritious and wholesome!

Why Soak the beans?

To soak or not to soak the beans is the question that always comes my way. Let me clear the confusion here.

Soaking is always right, and I highly recommend it. The idea behind soaking dried beans is that the beans that have been soaked ahead of time (soaked for at least 3-4 hours) will cook faster compared to the beans that have not been soaked at all.

Raw dried deans (the ones that are not soaked) will require higher cooking times. Instant Pot Lobia masala  

Besides that, you will need to simmer those beans on a medium-low flame and keep stirring every 30 minutes to ensure that the beans get cooked evenly and release their flavor in the liquid they are being prepared in.

Depending on how old the beans are, cooking time may vary.

What does soaking do to the beans: Science behind soaking?

Beans are a type of legume that contains complex indigestible sugars that can be hard on delicate tummies and can cause digestive issues like bloating and flatulence for some.

Therefore, soaking and sprouting the beans is an excellent way to reduce the uneasiness produced by them.

Besides reduced cooking times, soaking helps to break down these sugars making the beans easier on the digestive system.

So to avoid tummy trouble, there are 2 ways to soak the beans:

• The Overnight Soak: Some beans are easy on the tummy, but heartier beans like kidney beans, chickpeas, brown chickpeas, and navy beans will require an overnight soak. For that, rinse the beans and soak them in tap water for 6-8 hours. If the night temperatures are really hot at your place, then store the soaked beans in the refrigerator to avoid fermentation.
• The Quick Soak: Beans like black-eyed peas, pinto beans, whole moong beans, and black beans that are light on the tummy require a quick soak. For this, rinse the beans and soak them in tap water for 3-4 hours. Soaking the beans in hot water will work great too.

After the desired soaking time, drain the beans and cook as directed in the recipe. Some delicate lentils like pigeon peas can be soaked for merely an hour. Instant Pot Lobia masala  

How to make Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas Curry (Punjabi Lobia Curry)?

1. Start by soaking the rinsed black-eyed beans for 3-4 hours.

2. Start the Instant Pot in ‘SAUTE’ mode and heat oil in it. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds. As the cumin seeds start to crackle, add the precooked Instant Pot Boiled Onion tomato masala along with spices to the insert. Mix to combine.

3. Drain and rinse the soaked beans. Add black-eyed peas to the Instant pot insert. 

4. Mix to combine.  Instant Pot Lobia masala  

5. Pour in water and mix. 

6. Seal the lid of the Instant Pot with the vent in the sealing position. Cancel the saute mode. Select the ‘PRESSURE COOK OR MANUAL’ mode. Cook on high pressure for 22 minutes.

After the instant pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally. When the pin drops, carefully open the lid. 

7. If needed, add extra water and adjust the consistency.

8. Do the taste test and serve hot. Instant Pot Lobia masala  

Grab a bowl of rice and some naan and dive into this mouthwatering lobia masala curry, which also makes delicious leftovers for lunch.

How to make Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas Curry (Punjabi Lobia Curry) on Cooktop?

To make this curry on the cooktop, boil the soaked black-eyed peas in a regular pressure cooker for three whistles or until tender.

To the cooked peas, add the boiled onion tomato masala along with spices and boil until everything is well blended. Follow this link to a cooktop recipe.

Instant Pot Lobia Curry in a Slow Cooker

Making this lobia masala in a slow cooker is a breeze. No soaking required.

Simply add all the ingredients to the insert of a slow cooker, set the timer and you are done. Instant Pot Lobia masala  

Let the slow cooker do its job. Follow this link to a slow cooker recipe.

Is Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas Curry (Punjabi Lobia Curry) Vegan?

Yes, my version of Instant Pot Black-eyed peas curry is entirely vegan. To make it non-vegan, substitute oil with ghee and add a tablespoon of curd to the cooked onion-tomato masala.

Cook for a couple of minutes and then add the soaked beans.

The curd will lend a creamy texture to the gravy.

What to Serve with Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas Curry (Punjabi Lobia Curry)?

You can serve this curry with basamti rice, puris, or soft rotis (Indian flatbread). Instant Pot Lobia masala  

Pair it with cucumber raita and a lush green salad on the side for a wholesome dinner tonight.

I encourage you to give this recipe a try and share your feedback! If you have questions related to this recipe, send me an email and I would be happy to answer them. ?

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