Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas Curry - Lobia

Lobia is a hearty north Indian Black Eyed Peas curry, in which the beans are cooked in a spiced onion tomato sauce. Here's an easy Instant pot recipe for this humble and healthy curry that's best served with roti or cumin rice.

Growing up, Lobia or black eyed peas curry, was on rotation in my home. And now, since my kids and hubby enjoy it too, I continue to make it often. We enjoy it with fresh roti or cumin rice, along with a side of boondi raita (yogurt dip).

These healthy beans are naturally vegan and gluten-free. This recipe is an easy weeknight-friendly and mostly hands-off way of making Punjabi Lobia Masala in the electric pressure cooker, using soaked or unsoaked beans.

This Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas Curry cooks faster than most other beans and legumes. It not only tastes delicious, but is full of fiber, plant-based protein and other nutrients.

Enjoy Beans? You may also like these Instant Pot Beans recipes

What is Lobia? What is Lobia called in English?

Contrary to their name, Lobia, or Black-eyed peas, are actually a bean from the legume family. They taste hearty and creamy, very similar to cannelloni beans.  

Lobia is called called Black Eyed Peas or Cow Peas in English, Rongi or Lobia in Punjabi, and Chawli in Marathi.

These nutritious beans are native to Africa, where they have been a popular food since the Middle Ages. It is believed that Black-eyed peas were first domesticated near Africa's Lake Chad in what is now northeastern Nigeria and northern Cameroon. 

Fun Fact: Did you know that eating black-eyed peas on New Year's Day has been considered good luck for at least 1,500 years. 

Nutrition Information & Health Benefits of Black Eyed Peas

Black Eyed Peas are rich in nutrients, and a great source of fiber and plant based protein. One serving of this Lobia Masala contains 101 Calories, 11g Carbohydrates, 3g Fiber, 3g Protein and 5g Fat. Here are some of their health benefits:

• These beans are naturally vegan and gluten-free.
• Black Eyed Peas are rich in micronutrients such as iron, folate, copper, thiamine, phosphorus and magnesium.
• Due to their high content of soluble fiber, you end up feeling full for longer. Soluble fiber is also known to promote gut health.
• Black-eyed peas are high in polyphenols, which acts as antioxidants in the body to prevent cell damage and protect against disease

Ingredients- Notes & Substitutions

It takes only a handful of easily available ingredients to make this nutritious Instant Pot Black Eyes Peas Curry. Let's take a look at some ingredient notes and substitutions:

• Lobia (Black Eyed Peas): I prefer to soak the beans for at least 2 hours. I rinse and soak them in 2 cups water. Then, I drain and rinse them again before using. However, if you don't have the time to soak them, you can still make this curry by adjusting the pressure cooking time to 35 minutes.
• Aromatics: Chopped onion (red or white), ginger and garlic are flavor builders in this curry. I peel and chop onions in big chunks, then pulse it in my mini food chopper to get a fine dice. As for ginger and garlic, you can mince fresh, or use 1½- 2 tablespoons of homemade ginger garlic paste here.
• Tomatoes: I prefer pureeing fresh Roma tomatoes for this curry. Alternatively, you can puree a cup of canned diced tomatoes. Pureeing the tomatoes gives this curry a creamy finish.
• Spices: This is a mildly spiced Indian curry in which I use a combination of salt, turmeric, garam masala, coriander and ground cumin. To add a touch of heat, I use red chili powder. However, you can reduce or skip that to customize the heat level. Alternatively, substitute it with an equal quantity of paprika. All these spices are easily available at big supermarkets, Indian grocery stores or online.

How to Make Instant Pot Lobia- Step by Step Suggestions

Here are step by step instructions for this creamy and delicious Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas curry:

1. Rinse lobia (black eyed peas) 2 to 3 times. Drain and soak in fresh water for 2 hours.
2. Turn on Saute and pre-heat the Instant pot. Add oil, cumin seeds and wait for them to sizzle. (pic 1)
3. Now add chopped onion, minced ginger and garlic. Saute for 3 minutes, until the onions begin to soften. (pic 2)
4. Add chopped tomato followed by salt, turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala, coriander and cumin powder. Add a few tablespoons of water and stir everything. Cook for 2 minutes. (pic 3 & 4)
5. Add drained lobia and water, and give it a good stir. Deglaze the pot and scrape off any brown bits that may have stuck to the bottom. (pic 5)
6. Cancel Saute and set pressure cook or Manual for 18 minutes, high pressure, on sealing mode. After that, wait for the pressure to release naturally for at least 10 minutes, followed by a manual release (quick release). If not in a rush, let it release naturally all the way. Open the lid when the pin drops. (pic 6)
7. Check for seasoning. Using the back of your ladle, mash a few beans against the sides of the pot, this makes the curry creamy. To thicken more, turn on saute and simmer for a few minutes. (pic 7)
8. Lightly squeeze in lime or lemon to your liking, garnish with cilantro and serve with rice or roti! (pic 8)

Serving Suggestion- How to Eat Lobia

This creamy black eyed peas curry pairs best with freshly made roti, or cumin rice.

To add a veggie side dish to your meal, pair with any of these- Aloo Gobi, Carrots & Beans or Bhindi Masala.

A side of Boondi raita or Avocado Raita completes this healthy and satisfying Indian meal.

Recipe Tips & Notes

1. Use dry or canned beans: These recipe instructions for soaking are for dry beans. If using canned, skip the soaking process and adjust the pressure cooking time to 5 minutes at high pressure, followed by a natural release of pressure.
2. Soaking time Adjustment & No-Soak Method: If planning ahead, you can also soak Lobia (black eyed peas) overnight. If doing that, reduce the pressure cook time to 10 minutes, followed by a natural pressure release for 10 minutes. Adjust the pressure cooking time based on this chart below:
   1. 1 hour soak time = 20 minutes,
   2. 2 hours soak time (like in this recipe) = 18 minutes,
   3. 4 hours soak time = 15 minutes;
   4. Overnight or 8 hours soak time = 10 minutes
   5. No Soak = 35 minutes
3. Texture Preference: My family loves a typical punjabi-style creamy lobia, so the above mentioned times work great for us. If you prefer a slightly firm texture, reduce 1 to 2 minutes from the pressure cooking times listed above.
4. Gravy Consistency: If you prefer a thicker curry, reduce the water to 1½ cups.

More Instant Pot Beans Recipes

• Chana Masala- Creamy chickpeas (or garbanzo beans) curry made with an onion-tomato gravy.
• Chole: One of my favorites, this tangy and dark colored Punjabi-style chickpeas curry that is often served with Bhatura, an Indian fry bread.
• Rajma: Heart and filling kidney beans curry often paired with rice (Rajma Chawal).
• Kala Chana: Nutritious black chickpeas curry cooked with an onion-tomato gravy.
• Creamy Black Beans: Black beans cooked until creamy, with Mexican seasonings.
• Moroccan Chickpeas Soup: This hearty chickpeas soup is flavored with warm cumin and cinnamon.
• More Beans Recipes on the blog

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