Thattapayar Suraikai Kulambu | Cow peas and Bottle gourd Curry

                      Karamani or Thattai payar (Tamil), Barbati (Bengali), Lobia (Hindi), Alasande (Kannada), Payar (Malayalam), Chavli (Marathi), Chani (Oriya),  Bobbarlu (Telugu). This tasty and healthy payar takes more time to cook. So you can soak the cowpeas overnight or just before 4 hours to cook (hot water preferably if you soak only for 4 hrs). As usual, I like the way my Amma cooks. Let’s see the ingredients list and the method to cook.

Ingredients:

Karamani|Cowpeas – 1 cup

Bottle gourd – 1 cup (peeled and chopped)

Tamarind – 1 gooseberry size (soak it in water to take juice)

Small onion – 20 (or 1 big onion)

Tomato – 2 (optional)

Sambar powder – 2 tsp

Salt as per your taste

To grind paste

Coconut – ½ cup grated

Fennel seeds/Sombu – 1 tbsp

Cooked cow peas – ¼ cup

For seasoning:

Coconut oil – 1 tsp

Mustard – 1 tsp

Red chilly – 2

Curry leaves

Method:

Wash twice and soak the cowpeas overnight or soak it in hot water for 4 hrs just before you start cooking.

Now take the soaked cow peas along with the water to the pressure cookware.

Cook it for 4 to 5 whistles. No problem if the goes to 6 also.

Meanwhile peel the bottle gourd and chop it. You just need a cup of chopped gourd.

If your bottle gourd is big one, then don’t put the entire vegetable into this. You can reserve half of the gourd for chutney.

Chop the onion and tomatoes.

Take a cup of tamarind juice from the soaked tamarind

Once the pressure subsides open the cookware lid.

Take ¼ cup of cooked peas and keep aside.

Add the chopped bottle gourd, onion, and tomato to the cooked cowpeas.

Add in sambar powder, Tamarind juice and water if required and cook for some time. Pressure cooking may change the taste so avoid pressure cook after adding vegetables.

One the vegetable is half boiled, add salt and cook for 5 more minutes.

Now take the grated coconut, reserved cowpeas (cooked) and 1 tbsp. fennel seeds to mixer jar and grind to a coarse paste by adding little water.

Add the ground paste to the cooking cowpeas and bottle gourd. Cook for 2 more minutes. Check the salt and if required.

Now for seasoning, take a pan, add coconut oil and when the oil is hot add the items mentioned under the seasoning one by one.

Add to the cooked cowpeas and bottle gourd.

Have this traditional Kulambu with rice.

Note:

Grinding the cooked cowpeas is to bring thickness to the Kulambu

You can replace coconut oil with any other cooking oil you usually use. But coconut oil gives nice flavor

Health benefits of Cowpeas

1.       Subordinates cholesterol level

2.       Rich anti-oxidants

3.       Component of weight loss diets

4.       Great for diabetic conditions

5.       Best for the stomach

6.       Low in Fat and Calories

7.       Removes Free Radicals

8.       Treats Cardiovascular Ailments

9.       Lignin Content Keeps Fatal Diseases Away

10.   Protect from infections

Benefits of Cowpea for Skin

·         Delays Signs of Aging

·         Keeps Skin Healthy

Benefits of Cowpea for Hair

·         Fights Hair Loss

·         Boosts Hair Growth

Nutritional value of cowpeas

The nutritional values of about one half cup of black eyed peas (approx. 83.5 grams) of raw black eyed peas are:

Nutrients	Amount
Calcium	71 mg
Calories	286 g
Carbohydrates	49.80
Fiber	8.9 g
Folate	534 mcg
Iron	8.31 mg
Magnesium	278 mg
Niacin	2.334 mg
Pantothenic Acid	1.262 mg
Phosphorus	366 mg
Potassium	1148 mg
Protein	19.91 g
Riboflavin	0.142 mg
Sodium	48 mg
Thiamin	0.568 mg
Total Fat	1.73 g
Vitamin A	28 IU
Vitamin B12	0 mcg
Vitamin B6	0.301 mg
Vitamin C	1.3 mg
Water	9.23 g
Zinc	5.10 mg