Black-eyed pea masala

Ingredients

0 of 17 out on the counter

• 1¼ cups dried black-eyed peas, sorted and rinsed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp whole cumin seeds
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 2 jalapeños, seeded and minced
• 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp paprika
• ¼ tsp ground red chile (cayenne)
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 medium tomatoes (about 2 cups), finely chopped
• ¾ tsp salt, added at the end
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 5 cups water, for simmering the peas

All set! Everything is out. Time to bake.

Method

1. 1Pick through the peas for stones and rinse them in a colander. There is no soaking. Tip them into a pot, pour over the 5 cups of water and heat until it boils, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer with the lid cracked. No tomato, lemon or salt goes in yet.
2. 2Simmer until a pea mashes easily between your fingers. Start checking at 45 minutes and every 10 minutes after. At 5,430 ft water boils near 203 °F, so the peas can take longer; the house extends the simmering rule to dried peas (our kitchen practice), so go by the finger test, not the clock.
3. 3Drain the peas over a bowl and keep 1 cup of the cooking water. Wipe the pot out and put it back over medium heat.
4. 4Heat the oil in the pot. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 30 seconds, until they smell nutty and darken a shade.
5. 5Add the onions, jalapeños and ginger. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the onions are soft and golden.
6. 6Stir in the garlic powder, turmeric, coriander, paprika, cayenne and cinnamon. Keep stirring for 30 seconds, until the pan smells warm.
7. 7Add the tomatoes. Cook uncovered over medium heat, stirring often and pressing the pieces against the pot, for 10 to 12 minutes, until the masala is thick and jammy and a little oil shows at its edges.
8. 8Tip in the drained peas and the cup of cooking water. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes and pressing a few peas against the side of the pot, until the gravy coats a spoon. If it gets too thick, add water a splash at a time.
9. 9Off the heat, stir in the salt, the lemon juice and the cilantro. Taste, and add a little more lemon before more salt.
10. 10Serve in bowls. Cool leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours (1 hour if it is above 90 °F out), then refrigerate. Reheat to a boil, stirring, or to 165 °F. Keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge and freezes 1 to 2 months (USDA FSIS FoodKeeper, “Leftovers without meat, fish, poultry, or egg”: Refrigerate 3-4 Days, Freeze 1-2 Months); thaw overnight in the fridge.