Vellapayar curry recipe with step by step pics. This Kerala style vellapayar masala curry is a spicy and tasty curry made with black eyed beans. Black eyed beans are also called as ‘vellapayar’ in malayalam language. In hindi language, black eyed peas are known as ‘rongi or lobia’ and in marathi language, ‘chawli’. Instead of black eyed peas, you can also use red cowpeas (vanpayar in malayalam) to make this delicious curry.
This vellapayar curry recipe is from my dad and he usually makes this recipe with mutton or chicken or fish. In fish curry kudampuli or kokum or tamarind is added. I take the same ingredients and make the curry with black eyed beans. This is a simply super tasty curry and goes well with steamed rice.
Whole spices as well as powdered spices are used in this curry. Hence the curry is aromatic and has complex flavors. Its spicy as well. To cut down on the spicy taste, you can reduce the amount of black pepper and red chili powder.
This Kerala style lobia curry recipe is very easy to make. if you like recipes made with black eyed beans then you must give this curry a try.
Though vellapayar curry recipe goes well with steamed rice, you can even serve it with puttu or appam or idiyappam or with soft dosas like aval dosa or sponge dosa or neer dosa.
Few more tasty recipes for you!
- Lobia recipe – Punjabi style black eyed beans curry.
- Kadala curry
- Cabbage kootu
- Drumstick dal
- Mamidikaya pappu
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vellapayar curry
Ingredients
for cooking vellapayar
- 1 cup black eyed beans (vellapayar, lobia or chawli)
- 2.5 cups water for pressure cooking
for making vellapayar curry
- 3 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds (rai)
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 pieces each of 1 inch cinnamon
- 2 green cardamoms
- 4 cloves
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper - slightly crushed
- 1 dried red chili
- ⅓ cup sliced pearl onions shallots or onions
- 8 to 10 curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coconut
- ½ cup chopped tomatoes
- 2 green chilies - slit
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon Garam Masala - optional
- 1.5 cups water or add as required
- salt as required
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil to be added later
- 3 to 4 curry leaves to be added later
Instructions
cooking vellapayar (black eyed beans)
- Rinse 1 cup black eyed beans (vellapayar or lobia) in water for a couple of times. Then add the rinsed beans in a 2 liter pressure cooker.
- Add 2.5 cups water.
- Pressure cook for 10 to 12 whistles. Timing will vary on the quality of vellapayar.
- When the pressure settles down naturally, open the lid and check if the beans are cooked well. The beans have to be completely cooked but not mushy or pasty. If they are under cooked, then add some more water and pressure cook for a few more whistles.
- When the vellapayar is getting cooked, you can prep the other ingredients. Chop pearl onions (shallots or onions), tomatoes, ginger, garlic and green chilies.
making vellapayar curry
- Heat 3 tablespoons coconut oil in a pan.
- Keep heat to low, add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds and let them crackle.
- When the mustard seeds crackle, then add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds. Let cumin seeds splutter.
- Now add 2 pieces each of 1 inch cinnamon, 2 green cardamoms, 4 cloves and 1 dry red chili. Fry for 1 to 2 seconds till the spices are fragrant. The frying of the spices should be done on low heat.
- Add ⅓ cup sliced pearl onions or shallots or onions. Give a stir.
- Add curry leaves, 1 teaspoon chopped ginger and 1 teaspoon chopped garlic.
- Also add chopped fresh coconut and mix well.
- Then add black pepper, slightly crushed.
- Mix and sauté till the onions become translucent.
- Now add chopped tomatoes and slit green chilies, mix well.
- Then add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder (optional).
- Mix again and begin to sauté tomatoes on a low to medium heat till the tomatoes soften. When sautéing the tomatoes, you can add a few tablespoons of water if the tomato mixture dries up or starts sticking to the pan.
- Now add 1.5 cups water or add as required.
- Add the cooked vellapayar.
- Season with salt as per taste, mix again.
- On a low to medium-low heat, simmer the curry for 12 to 15 minutes till the gravy thickens. With a spoon, mash some vellapayar to thicken the gravy.
- Once the Vellapayar Curry is done, then switch off the heat and add 3 to 4 curry leaves. Also drizzle 1 teaspoon coconut oil. Stir and cover the pan. Let the flavors infuse for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Serve Kerala Vellapayar Masala Curry with steamed rice, puttu, appam, idiyappam, Kerala parotta or soft dosas. You can garnish the curry with coriander leaves if you want.
Preparation to make vellapayar curry
A) cooking black eyed beans:
1. Rinse 1 cup vellapayar (black eyed beans, lobia, chawli) in water for a couple of times. Then add the rinsed beans in a 2 litre pressure cooker.
2. Add 2.5 cups water.
3. Pressure cook on medium flame for 10 to 12 whistles. Timing will vary on the quality of vellapayar (lobia or black eyed beans).
4. When the pressure settles down on its own, open the lid and check if the beans are cooked well. The beans have to be completely cooked but not mushy or pasty. If they are under cooked, then add some more water and pressure cook for a few more whistles.
5. When the black eyed beans are getting cooked, you can prep the other ingredients. Chop pearl onions (or shallots or onions), tomatoes, ginger, garlic and green chilies.
Making vellapayar curry
6. Heat 3 tablespoons coconut oil in a pan.
7. Keep flame to a low and add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds and let them crackle.
8. When the mustard seeds crackle, then add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds. Let cumin seeds splutter.
9. Now add 2 pieces each of 1 inch cinnamon, 2 green cardamoms, 4 cloves and 1 dry red chili. Fry for 1 to 2 seconds till the spices become aromatic. the frying of the spices should be done on a low flame.
10. Add ⅓ cup sliced pearl onions or shallots or onions. Give a stir.
11. Add 8 to 10 curry leaves.
12. Then add 1 teaspoon chopped ginger and 1 teaspoon chopped garlic.
13. Add 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coconut.
14. Mix well.
15. Add ¼ teaspoon black pepper, slightly crushed.
16. Mix and sauté till the onions become translucent.
17. Now add ½ cup chopped tomatoes and 2 green chilies (slit).
18. Mix well.
19. Then add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon red chili powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder and ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder (optional).
20. Mix again and begin to sauté tomatoes on a low to medium flame till the tomatoes soften. When sautéing the tomatoes, you could add a few tablespoons of water if the tomato mixture dries up or starts sticking to the pan.
21. Now add 1.5 cups water or add as required.
22. Add the cooked vellapayar or black eyed peas.
23. Season with salt as per taste.
24. Mix again.
25. On a low to medium-low flame simmer vellapayar curry for 12 to 15 minutes till the gravy thickens. With a spoon mash some vellapayar (lobia) to thicken the gravy.
26. Once the vellapayar curry is done, then switch off flame and add 3 to 4 curry leaves. Also drizzle 1 teaspoon coconut oil. Stir and cover the pan. Let the flavors infuse for 4 to 5 minutes.
27. Serve Kerala vellapayar masala curry with steamed rice, puttu or appam or idiayappam or Kerala parotta. You can garnish Kerala lobia curry with coriander leaves if you want.
Very flavorsome curry. The spices are mild and make the dish really aromatic.
Thanks a lot for sharing this positive feedback on the recipe. Glad to know.