Preparations:

Take cowpeas into a bowl and add water. Wash the cow peas thoroughly and add fresh water. Soak the cow peas overnight. Take the soaked cow peas into a bowl and place this bowl in a pressure cooker and cook. After first whistle, lower the flame and cook the cow peas for 10 minutes. When the pressure cooker cools down remove the bowl and check for doneness by pressing a cow pea between fingers.

Peel onions and chop them finely.

Wash and make a paste of tomatoes and keep it aside. Peel the garlic and onion. Make a fine paste of garlic, onion and ginger adding some water.

Make a fine powder of big cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Store this powder in a close container to retain the aroma till use.

Method:

Heat a pan and add oil to it. When oil is hot add the cumin seeds and fry well. Then add asafoetida and mix well. Now add the chopped onions and fry till they turn translucent. Then add the onion-ginger-garlic paste and mix well. Fry well till the mixture is dry. Then add the tomato paste and mix well. Cook the curry covering the pan with a lid on medium flame for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and mix with a ladle. Then add coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt. Mix all well and add the cooked cow peas. Mix again and cook covered on medium flame for three minutes. Meanwhile heat a small pan and add the dried fenugreek leaves. Fry the leaves stirring till they become crisp. Take the fried leaves into a plate and crush with fingers to make powder.

Remove the lid and mix the curry well with a ladle. Add the spice powder and crushed fenugreek leaves powder and mix well. Cook stirring for few seconds and transfer the curry to a serving bowl. Add some chopped coriander and mix well. Garnish with onions and tomatoes and serve hot.

Points to Notice:

Soak the cowpeas overnight for best results.

Fry the onion-ginger-garlic paste well to remove the raw smell of onions.

When there is shortage of vegetables at home, these pulses like cowpeas, chickpeas, kidney beans come handy. They are rich in proteins and hence are good for health.

Cow peas cooked in tomato gravy tastes good when served hot with flat breads.

Dried fenugreek leaves powder gives an added taste to this dish.