Saturday, May 19, 2007

Black-Eyed Peas with Methi leaves

Young Author's Day and a Blog
It was Young Author's Day in DD's class yesterday and really glad was able to make it, it was great fun listening to the stories that these kids had made up. There is a great number of future authors for popular fiction, no doubt about that. Visiting activities at her class have always been fun and relaxing. The only thing they are during weekdays mornings and extreme planning has to go into being able to go. What amazed me most was the patience and respect that they gave to each author who was reading the story. Nobody made a sound or talked to their friends sitting next to them. It is little wonder that there are so many authors in the US and the book stores are filled with so many titles.

Well the downside (or is it upside?) of blogging is that everyone in the house wants to do it too. DD has been bugging me for a while now about starting her own blog. We made a deal that she has to come up with reasons to start her own blog and a name for the blog. The reason was made up in no time, the blog was going to house her poetry and fiction collection and she had a name ready "Cherry Blossoms". After much debate and going back and forth decided it was ok for her to have her own blog but I control the password but the typing and posting will be done by her.


I hit the last batch of Methi leaves that I had planted some time ago and wanted a special dish. NPR Kitchen Window had an article on Crete: Ancient Diet with Modern Message caught my eye, about how they eat the food produced from their land and sharing it with others a little like home. The recipe for Black-Eyed Peas with Fennel sounded like something I could try, but with Methi leaves in place of fennel. Guess any leafy green would work fine. Very few ingredients but very very tasty.


Recipe Source: NPR's Kitchen Window




Black Eyed Peas with Methi
1. 1/2 cup of Methi leaves (chopped both the leaves and stem)
2. 1 Medium Red onion Chopped fine
3. 1 1/2 Black-Eyed Peas soaked overnight
4. 3 garlic cloves chopped
5. 3 green chillies slit lengthwise
6. 1 tsp sambhar powder
7. 3 Red tomatoes chopped
8. 2 tbsps Tomato sauce
9. seasonings (cumin and curry leaves)
10. 1 tsp oil and salt

Method
1. Cook the Black-Eyed Peas on the stove pot till soft.
2. In a pan heat the oil and add the seasonings and the green chillies.
3. Add the onion and saute till translucent
4. Add the garlic and saute for a few minutes.
5. Add the chopped methi leaves and saute till they wilt.
6. Now add the tomatoes and saute till they turn soft and mushy.
7. Add the sambhar powder,salt and the tomato sauce mix.
8. Add the BE peas and cook till the liquid evaporates.

Serve with rice or chappathis.

17 comments:

  1. BE peas with methi sure makes one healthy dish, i make BE in a similar way replacing smbr pwd with garam masala. BTW why do you soak it overnite? this is one bean that does fine with just an hr of soaking, my experience.

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  2. I love both black-eyed peas and methi leaves. Shall try this recipe!

    I have a suggestion reg. DD's blog, Indosungod.
    why dont you make it a private blog?

    -Mathy
    http://mathy.kandasamy.net/virundhu

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  3. Thanks for one more Beans recipe. For you we have started eating more variety of beans, I haven't gotten to posting any bean recipe is another thing

    Shall check out DD's blog. Way to go little girl. Hugs

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  4. Looks delicious.I didn't know NPR has Recipes too! I will check that out.
    My daughter writes beautiful stories but hides it everywhere,will not show it to anybody!!;D
    I love Lobia or any beans for that matter,will tri it.

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  5. I try to have beans a couple of nights in the week if I don't have dal. This looks delicious.

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  6. nice combo beans with methi.... i

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  7. I am bowled over by ur gardening skills..literally fell flat on the ground..i have been struggling to get some green patch in my patio with little success..thanks for ur tips on how to grow mint ..iam hell bent on trying it out ..keep posting more gardening ideas for newbies like me ..

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  8. Black eyed peas and methi sounds fantastic, ISG. I love DDs blog -- she has quite the gift for writing!! Thanks for sharing both :)

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  9. Hi ISG,
    Methi and black eye peas looks yummy. Thanks for sharing.

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  10. black eye beans , have to try them out soon...this looks delicious

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  11. never tried this combo. looks great. blogging has taught me so many new combos :)

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  12. Richa, I soaked it the previous night, did not know that an hour is sufficient.

    Mathi, I did make DD's blog private, it is not an invite only blog because I want folks back home to get to it alriight(tech limitations)

    Sandeepa, you should post a few recipes. I will write a post on how beans are helping me with my diet. DD was thrilled to see your comments. By the way how are you surviving without a week of internet. You should write about the experience.

    Asha, some of those NPR articles are really informative and they have some delicious recipes too.
    DD was so adamant about starting her own blog this seemed like a good way to encourage her interest.

    Mandira you should give this a try.

    Roopa yes do give it a try. Did blogger eat a part of your comment?

    Deena that was really nice of you.
    Sunny spot and a flowerpot is all you need for a Mint Plant. Let me know how your garden grows.

    Linda, thankyou dear. DD is mighty pleased about having her own.

    MT thanks

    Deepa thanks do try it.

    Reena the fun of blogging. So many combinations. so much inspiration

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  13. that surely is one delicious meal... i see that u r using ur methi leaves at right place:) thanks to u that now i have one small pot of happlily growing methi plants. i am so much enjoying looking at them growing happily:)

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  14. Hi Indo,
    I had one quick question. I followed your methi growing instructions and I have a pot full of methi plants. My question is when you want to use the methi do you just pluck the leaves or the entire plant? I usually just pluck the leaves. please let me know thanks!

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  15. Aarthi, I am happy to hear that. I usually take out the whole plant. Once you remove the leaves, the rest of the plant dies. HTH

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  16. Kay got it, I have sent an email

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  17. i was looking for lobia recipe as i had soaked them ......'ll try today ..thanks.
    www.sofeminine.blogspot.com

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