Black eyed peas also known as Lobhiya in Hindi or Karamani in Tamil. This is very easy to make side dish for roti. I really love the combination of black eyed peas and mushroom, as both are rich in protein and fiber and makes a satisfying meal with rice. You can cook the black eyed peas either in pressure cooker or crock pot.  Addition of spice powder to the black eyed peas makes it more flavorful and tasty. Try this Karamani Kalan Masala with rice or chapathi and let me know how it turned out. Also check my other recipe of black eyed peas curry in south Indian style




     Ingredients

           3/4 Cup of Black Eyed Peas / Karamani
           3/4 Cup of  White Mushroom, Sliced
           3 Cups of Water plus 1/2 tsp of Salt for cooking dried peas
           2 Tbsp of Vegetable Oil
           1 Tsp of Cumin Seeds
           2 Red Chilly
           1 Inch of Cinnamon Stick
           1 Big Red/White Onion, Finely Chopped
           2 Big Garlic Cloves, Finely Chopped
           2 Big Tomatoes, Finely Chopped
           2 Tsp of Coriander Powder
           1 Tsp of Cumin Powder
           1/2 Tsp of Turmeric Powder
           1/2 Tsp of Red Chilly Powder
           Salt to taste
           2 Tbsp of Chopped Fresh Coriander (Cilantro) Leaves

    Method

• Soak the black eyed peas in water for 8 hrs. Drain the water,wash it in tap water for 2 times. 
• In a pressure cooker, add black eyed peas, salt and water, cover and pressure cook for 2 whistles and simmer it for 25 mins. Once it done, turn off the flame.
• Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat, add cumin seeds, red chilly and cinnamon stick and let them sizzle for 10 secs. Add the onion, salt, garlic and cook, by stirring frequently until it turns soft and golden brown, for 2-3 mins. Add mushroom and fry for 2 mins. Add coriander powder, red chilly powder, cumin powder and turmeric powder, fry for a min. Add little water and chopped tomato, fry for a min. Cover and cook for 8-10 mins until it turns soft and mushy.
• Add the cooked black eyed peas to the tomato – mushroom mixture and simmer, cook it uncovered for 10 mins. Stir in the fresh coriander leaves. Serve hot with roti. 

   Tips

• You can use dried beans or frozen or canned beans to make this curry.
• If you don’t have red chilly powder, replace it with cayenne pepper.      
• Add salt while frying onion, so it helps to cook onion faster.
• If you don’t want mushroom in your curry, try with some other vegetables like brinjal or potato.

    Health Benefits of Black Eyed Peas

• They are a source of good protein (23-32%) and dietary fiber.
• They have low glycemic index
• Rich source of lysine and tryptophan
• It has minerals like K, Mg, Ca, P and Fe
• The protein isolates are known to lower plasma cholesterol
• Light brown, red and black – eyed varieties are rich in antioxidants.
• The flavonoids in beans may help reduce heart disease and cancer risk.
• Phytosterols present in the beans help reduce blood cholesterol levels.

           

       Cauliflower fry is a simple, quick to make side dish. This simple vegetable stir fry can be made with less ingredients in a very less time. It tastes so good with sambar rice or rasam rice or curd rice or any variety rice dishes like coconut rice. 



    Ingredients

         1 Small Cauliflower, about 1 and 1/4 Cup of Florets
         1.5 Tsp of Sambhar Powder
         Salt to Taste
         Water as needed

    To Temper

          2 Tsp of Cooking Oil
          1 Tsp of Mustard Seeds
          1 Tsp of Urad Dal
          1 Sprig of Curry Leaves
         

    Method

• Separate the florets from cauliflower and wash it in tap water.
• Heat oil in a cast iron pan, when it is hot, add mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves, after it splutters, add cauliflower florets and salt, fry this for few mins, sprinkle some water, mix it, cover and cook this for 5 mins until it turns soft and cooked.
• Add sambhar powder to the cauliflower florets, fry this for a min, in a medium flame, cover and cook this for 5 mins until you get brown spots. Once it done, turn off the flame.
• Serve with coconut rice or sambar rice or rasam rice.

    Tips

• Adjust spiciness according to your taste.
• If you don’t have sambhar powder, add 2 tsp of coriander powder, 1 tsp of red chily powder and 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder.

        
    Healthy Benefits of Cauliflower

• Excellent source of antioxidants.
• Anti-inflammatory properties.
• Protect against cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease.
• Clean your digestive system.
• Good source of vitamin B and minerals.

In this kala chana masala recipe, I have used kala chana or Black chickpeas to make this gravy. Black Chickpeas are darker in color and nuttier in texture. They are very high in protein, fiber and low in glycemic index.  This kala channa masala is easy to make and very flavorful because of the addition of spice powders. This chana masala  gravy is also little sour in taste because of tomatoes which blends very well with kala chana. This kala channa masala goes well with roomali roti or chapathi or rice.

Ingredients

1/2 Cup and 2 Tbsp of Black Chickpeas / Kala Channa
1 Big Red Onion, Finely Chopped
1.5 Tsp of Ginger Garlic Paste
3 Medium Size Tomatoes, Finely Chopped
2 Tsp of Coriander Powder
2 Green Chilies
1 Tsp of Red Chilly Powder
1 Tsp of Cumin Powder
2 Tsp of Channa Masala
2 Sprigs of Cilantro (Coriander Leaves)
1 Tsp of Lemon Juice
Pinch of Black salt
Salt to taste
3 Tsp of Oil

Method

• Soak the black chickpeas in water for 8 hrs or overnight. Drain the water and wash it tap water. Pressure cook the chick peas for 2 whistles (once the pressure builds ), simmer it for 30 mins and turn off the stove.
• Heat oil in a pan, when it is hot, add chopped onion and salt, fry this until it turns golden brown.
• Add green chillies and ginger garlic paste, fry this for few mins until raw smell goes off, take off the pan from heat, add coriander powder, red chilly powder, cumin powder and channa masala, keep the pan back to the stove, in a medium flame, fry this for a min. Add chopped tomatoes, sauté this until it turns soft and mushy.
• Now add black chickpeas, mix well with all the masala, add enough water, turn on the heat to high, let it come to a rolling boil, then cover the pan and simmer it for 10 mins. Add the chopped coriander leaves and black salt. Turn off the flame. Finally add lemon juice and mix well.
• Hot, flavorful kala chana masala is ready to serve with roti.

   Tips 

• You can use white chick peas in place of black chickpeas.
• This masala tastes so good after few hours after all masala blends together.If you want to eat for dinner, try to prepare 2 hrs before you eat.
• You can give cumin tadka (Tempering) in oil, if you want.
• If you got amchur powder(Dry mango powder), you can add it at the end.
• You can add chaat masala in place of black salt.

    Health Benefits of Kala Chana / Black Chickpeas

• Rich in vitamins, protein, anti-oxidants, dietary fiber and minerals.
• Decrease cardiovascular risk.
• Supports digestive tract
• Better regulation of blood sugar.
• Good for weight loss because of high in fiber.