Aloo Boda Tarkari (Potato And Cow Peas Curry) – Guest Post For Aahaaram

I have been honoured to do a a guest blog post once again and today that special person is Aruna Panangipally of Aahaaram who I fondly call Ms Gorgeous Smile (she doesn’t know that…..yet😉). I have known Aruna since I first started blogging and have had lots of support and encouragement from her. She has given the kind of support a friend gives to another holding your hand and welcoming you in this blogging world with open arms. Yep! That’s Aruna for you an absolute sweetheart. 😘Recently we took a step further and chatted a little and got to know each other better. Aruna then asked me if I would be willing to do a guest blog post for her and I literally jumped at the chance. I mean how could I not? My fellow bloggers and readers when an experienced Masterchef level blogger requests a lazy blogger like me for a guest post you know you’re good hehehe. 😬

Thank you so much Aruna for giving me this chance, you rock!!! I hope your readers have enjoyed my recipe. While you (my special readers) are peeking in here please do check out Arunas awesome blog http://aahaaram.wordpress.com where you will find a delicious smorgasboard of vegetarian cuisines from regional India.

Today my recipe is all about the humble fresh cow peas or black eyed beans or Boda as we call it in Fiji. Although not an authentic native Fijian dish (as Aruna had requested) this dish is commonly cooked in the Fiji-Indian households. For many years this has also been favored by the natives who love their curries as much as we love their super delicious native dishes like Lovo and Pulsami. Hopefully I will master the art of cooking those as well one day (I’m working on it).

There are many colors and varieties of these peas which also happens to totally differ in taste. Put a few together and you feel like you’re being ogled at by beautiful kajal/kohl adorned eyes (me and my crazy imagination 😬hehe). Combine this with potatoes, eggplant and tomatoes and you get a delicious curry which goes hand in hand with roti or chapati. The variety I have used in todays recipe is light brown in color and my preferred choice. Alternatively I use the creamy colored ones which are also known as Lobia beans in India.

photo credit: IITA Image Library via photopin cc

Ingredients
1 Cup Boda/Cow Peas/Black Eyed Beans
1-2 Medium Sized Potatoes (cubed into bite size)
1 Onion (sliced)
1/2 Eggplant (I have used the large dark purple variety)
1 Medium Sized Tomato
A Tiny Pinch Of Sarso/Mustard and Jeera/Cumin Seeds.
2-4 Methi/Fenugreek Seeds
2-3 Garlic Cloves (crushed)
1/4 Tspn Haldi/Tumeric
1 Tspn Garam Masala
1/4 Tspn Chilli Powder or Fresh Chillies (optional)
4-6 Curry Leaves
1-2 Tbspn Oil
Salt To Taste

Method
• Wash and soak the beans in water and set aside.
• Cut the eggplant into long and medium-thin slices, wash and soak.
• Peel, wash and cut potatoes into bite sized cubes and soak in water. Set aside.
• Meanwhile cut tomato in 4 pieces.
• Slice onions thinly and crush the garlic.
• Now heat oil in a pan and add sarso, jeera and methi. Allow it to splutter a little then add onions and garlic along with curry leaves.
• Saute the onions and garlic until its translucent and the raw smell of garlic has gone.
• Now add the dry spices – chillies, haldi and garam masala and stir for couple of minutes. Add a little warm water to get it paste like.
• Discard the water in which the eggplants, cow peas and potatoes were soaked and add them to the pan. Dry fry for 5 mins on low heat then add about a cup of warm water and cover.
• Let the curry simmer until the potatoes are half cooked (spoon break test required) then throw in your tomato pieces.
• Cover and cook until the potatoes are done. If you find the gravy is thin cook uncovered until the medium thick gravy consistency is reached.
• Finally garnish with chopped coriander/cilantro leaves.

This dish is best served with Roti/Chapati.