Click.....Black Eyed Beans Curry /Lobia Curry...

A TOAST TO THE WORLD OF BEANS..

This is my entry for click...beans Event over Jugalbandhi.I wanted to get the photo in before the deadline.



A lot can be said about beans.. it s a protein powerhouse, the fiber suppliment, nutrition warehouse, the diet vegetable protein etc. We grew up eating beans in some form or the other, with a second thought, just because it tasted so good, without knowing it was such a super duper food. I can have it with rice, with roti, or just a bowl of cooked beans by itself as a snack. I am glad about it now as beans is a regular feature in my house too, and my little one will gladly eat a plate of rice and beans on finicky days than eat any meat.

Now it is listed as one of the Top Ten Superfoods all over the media. These are lists that every magazine is printing nowadays, in an effort to make people eat more healthily.
So what is a super food? Imagine food that is powerful enough to help you lower your cholesterol, reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer and other big time ailments. Not the artery clogging foods that every diet asks you to abandon... No side effects if you eat a bit more than you are required everyday.. These foods are so full of goodness that they are now called superfoods in the light of the current superhero craze. Well, Popeye knew this way back, didn't he?

But when I tried to find a single list that is comprehensive, found that some were contradictory. The criteria varies for each list.. heart healthiness, omega 3 content,fiber, vitamin content, pesticide levels etc. But what was common among them was the undisputed goodness of beans and lentils. The other nine I consider superfoods by heart healthiness (which is my criteria) currently are Berries, Citrus, Salmon/fish, Nuts, Tea, Olive oil, Whole grains, Green leafy vegetables and yogurt.

Back to the beans: Eating just one cup of cooked beans is akin to eating a multivitamin..It is low in Saturated Fat and Sodium, and very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Vitamin B6, Pantothenic Acid, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Potassium, and a very good source of Protein, Vitamin C, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Folate, Copper and Manganese. So have a bowl of rice and beans or beans as a side with rotis and see if you like it.


You Will Need:
Black Eyed Beans/Lobia- 1 1/2 cup
Onion- 1/2 of a medium sized one chopped finely
Tomato- 1 1/2 or 2 plum tomatoes chopped
Ginger Garlic Paste-1 1/2 tablespoon
Coriander Powder- 1 1/2 teaspoon
Red Chili Powder- 3/4 teaspoon
Green Chilies-2 slit vertically.
(Roasted)Cumin Powder- 1 teaspoon
Cilantro leaves- a handful, washed and chopped

Preparation:
Soak the beans for an hour in warm water or you could even leave it soaked overnight. This beans cooks faster than Kidney beans so not much soaking required.
Cook it in a pressure cooker with 3 cups water for one whistle and then on slow heat for about 5 minutes. After the cooker cools down, open and keep aside.
Heat about 1-2 tablespoon oil and fry the onions. When it turns a bit transparent, add the cumin(reduce the heat when you add the powder, it can burn instantly). After a minute, add the ginger garlic paste, the chopped tomatoes and the powdered spices. Let it cook on slow heat till the tomatoes become pulpy, give out the oil and start moving together as a mass. This should take about 6-8 minutes on slow heat with constant stirring. When the spices are all cooked and the whole gravy has come together, add the cooked beans and stir well. Let it simmer for 10-15 minutes on medium heat. Add more water if there is no liquid left. Add salt to taste and when you take it off the flame, add the cilantro leaves.