Black-eyed Pea Curry

Full of nourishment, black-eyed peas make a filling and flavorful curry.

Ingredients:

1 cup (23oz) dried black-eyed peas

5 tablespoons sunflower oil

generous 1/2 cuo (70g) finely chopped onions

generous 1/2 cup (70g) finely chopped tomatoes

1 teaspoon ginger paste

1 teaspoon garlic paste

1 teaspoon tumeric

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon garam masala*

salt to taste

cilantro leaves, freshly chopped to garnish

Directions:

1. Soak the beans overnight, then drain and rinse them.

2. In a skillet, heat two tablespoons of oil. When hot, add onions and fry gently until translucent. Add ginger, garlic paste, and tomatoes. Fry well over low heat until it all forms a paste.

3. Mash the paste coarsely, then add the soaked peas. Sprinkle in the tumeric, chili powder, ground coriander, gram masala and salt. Stir thoroughly. Add 4 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil.

4. Lower heat and simmer, adding more water as necessary, until peas are tender. You should have a thick , fragrant curry. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot.

*Garam Masala is a blend of ground spices used extensively in Indian cuisine. The spices for garam masala are usually toasted to bring out more flavor and then ground. There are different variations of it but you can also make your own.

• 3 Tbsp coriander seeds
• 2 Tbsp cumin seeds
• 2 Tbsp cardamom seeds
• 2 Tbsp black peppercorns
• 1 tsp whole cloves
• 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 whole cinnamon stick

Place everything but the nutmeg in a dry skillet and toast for about ten minutes over medium-high heat, stirring from time to time to keep everything cooking evenly. When the ingredients have darkened slightly and give off a rich, toasty aroma, remove them from the pan and let them cool. Grind in a spice grinder or coffee grinder, and mix in the freshly grated nutmeg. Store in an airtight container away from heat.