¾cupblack eyed beans(cow peas or lobia or chawli or alasande or karamani)
3cupswater
other ingredients:
200 or 250gramspumpkin(kaddu) - diced
1medium to large tomato- diced
salt as required
waterif required to be added later
to be ground:
3teaspooncoriander seeds(sabut dhania)
2teaspooncumin seeds(jeera)
¼teaspoonmethi seeds(fenugreek seeds)
2 to 3dry red chilies(sookhi lal mirch)
½cupfresh grated coconut
2 to 3shallotsor 1 small onion, chopped
2 to 3garlic(lahsun) - chopped
for tempering:
1.5 to 2tablespoonoil
1teaspoonmustard seeds(rai)
2 to 3dry red chilies(sookhi lal mirch)
1pinchasafoetida(hing)
1sprig curry leaves(kadi patta)
garnish:
1 to 2tablespooncoriander leave for garnish(dhania patta)
Instructions
Rinse and soak 3/4 cup black eyed beans/lobia/chawli beans for a hour or two or overnight. Drain the beans and then pressure cook with 3 cups water for 4 to 5 whistles or till they are cooked and softened. Make sure that they do not become too mushy. Keep aside. You can also cook the beans directly without soaking them. Depending on the quality of the beans, it may take less or more time for them to cook. So you can cook for 3 to 4 whistles first. Check the beans once the pressure settles down on its own. If they are not cooked and softened, then pressure cook for a few more whistles.
In a pan dry roast 3 tsp coriander seeds, 2 tsp cumin seeds, 1/4 tsp methi seeds and 2-3 dry red chilies till fragrant.
Grind the roasted spices with 1/2 cup grated coconut, 2-3 shallots or 1 small onion and 2-3 garlic to a smooth paste with some water. Keep aside.
Then add 200 or 250 grams diced pumpkin to the cooked chawli beans. Stir very well.
Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
Then add the ground coconut paste along with diced tomatoes. You can also add more water, if the sambar looks thick.
Stir very well.
Season with salt and simmer the sambar on a low to medium flame, till the pumpkin cubes are cooked.
Heat 1.5 to 2 tbsp oil in a small pan. Crackle 1 tsp mustard seeds first. Then add 2-3 dry red chilies, pinch of asafoetida and 1 sprig curry leaves. Saute till the red chilies change their color. Immediately add this tempering to the sambar. Cover for 5 minutes and let the tempering flavors infuse with the sambar.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve cowpea pumpkin sambar hot with steamed rice.
Notes
Substitutes: 1. Tomato - 1/2 tbsp tightly packed tamarind soaked in 1/4 cup water for 20 to 30 mins and later squeezed and extracted in to a pulp. 2. Cowpeas - moong beans 3. Pumpkin - bottle gourd, brinjals, drumsticks