This Vegan Black Eyed Peas Curry with Ground "Beef" is a bright, delicious, Indian-style chili-like dish with the intoxicating flavor of spices.

I already have a fabulous black-eyed curry recipe on the blog, but I wanted to do something different this time. So I set out to make a curry that used black-eyed peas and the same spices and seasonings as a Rajma -- with vegan "meat" added for a boost of protein.
I packed it with veggies and the meatless beef added a ton of texture and bite, both very welcome. This recipe also provides a protein blast, in case you are in need of one. And who isn't?
The curry, called a Lobia Keema, was a hit in our home-- I served it over some brown rice and Jay asked for seconds, as did Desi.
More tasty vegan curry recipes
- My Dad's Nut Mutton Mushroom Curry
- Mushroom Spinach Curry
- Creamy Vegan Peas Potato Curry
- Easy Vegetable Curry with Chickpeas and Coconut Milk
- Instant Pot Vegan Butter Chicken with Tofu
Black Eyed Peas with Ground "Beef" (Lobia Keema)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups cooked black-eyed peas (Can use canned.)
- 12 oz vegan beef (like Beyond or Impossible or any vegan beef of your choice)
- 3 potatoes (diced small, Use sweet potatoes, carrots or zucchini instead)
- 2 cups green peas (frozen)
- 1 large onion (minced)
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne optional
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 2 tomatoes pureed
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- Juice of a small lemon
- Salt to taste
- ¼ cup cilantro (finely chopped)
Instructions
- Heat the oil. Add the cumin seeds and let them cook for about 30 seconds or until they start to change color. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and ground black pepper. Saute, stirring frequently, until the onion starts to brown.
- Add the ginger-garlic paste, stir-fry for 30 seconds, then add the meatless beef. Cook, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent it from sticking, about three to four minutes.
- Add the potatoes and stir fry for a minute or two.
- Add the tomato puree and the powdered spices, including the paprika, cayenne if using, turmeric, and coriander powder.
- Let the tomatoes cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and bubbles form at the edges of the tomato paste mixture.
- Add the black-eyed peas and bring the mixture to a boil. Add water if too thick.
- Add green peas and garam masala and stir them in. Let the stew return to a boil and cook for two more minutes.
- Add the lemon juice.
- Check salt and add more if needed.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the coriander leaves.
- Serve hot with brown rice or quinoa or crusty bread.
low carb desserts
Wow those peas look amazing! Thanks so much for the recipe 🙂
Dianne Smith
I have been a regular to your blog posts. I love the stories, and the recipes. And I eagerly wait for your new post. I however disagree with "authors authors “self-publish” the crap no publisher will buy". A lot of times authors go through a lot. As a writer yourself, am sure you will agree. Sometimes authors have a lot to tell, with poignant issues to share, and they have to go the extra mile if they are first-time book writers. And God-forbid, if they write on sensitive issues, they have to struggle even more. I am all for self-publishing, if it gives the word out, if it lends knowledge, if it helps people, and helps the author with future publications. They have something tangible to show, and the numbers sold, for their next publication. That may not have been possible if they waited forever for a publisher (renowned or not) to publish their books.
Vaishali Honawar
Hi Dianne, thanks for your message. I agree that there surely must be good writers out there who don't have success publishing the traditional way, and we'd all benefit from reading their works. But my remarks were targeted to some writers who make it big after self-publishing -- like E. L. James -- without a smidgen of talent.
margriet van haren
Dear Vaishali,
you are a woman to my heart. Today I only read up to your recipe ( will continue tomorrow).
I totally agree with you!! where is the distinction between what we would need ( or like) to know and what we deem important in maintaining our relations, and all rest ( the overload of not-important info).
If people would spend more time on actual human interaction in stead of looking at their phone.......
Always looking forward to you recipes as well as your opinion!!!
Margriet
Athanasia
I'm with those who would leave out the MEATLESS meat. Adding in extra vegetables in its place is what I'd do. I have all the ingredients! Just have to soak the peas while I'm at work tomorrow. For my extra vegetables I will use eggplant , zucchini and rutabaga from my garden.
Ellen Lederman
Love this recipe. Would like to make it on Saturday. How do you think crumbled tempeh or mushrooms would be instead of the fake beef?
Vaishali Honawar
Crumbled tempeh and/or mushrooms would be amazing here. Hope you try it, Ellen!
Ellen Lederman
Just made this---am going to let it sit overnight in the fridge since I am going out tonight. I think it's going to be great. But in putting it in the fridge, I then saw the container of BE peas I had cooked yesterday. When were they supposed to go in? It doesn't say in the recipe. Guess I better add them when I heat it up to eat. Or just save them for something else since this seems good already. I didn't miss the BE peas in the actual instructions, did I? Please tell me my eyesight isn't that bad!
Vaishali Honawar
Eeeks, so sorry Ellen. You add it after the tomatoes have cooked. I can't believe I left it out. You can still add the peas to the stew, since they are already cooked. Let it all come back to a boil and turn off the heat.
Ellen Lederman
Made it. Fantastic! As good as anything I've had in a restaurant, not that I would eat actual keema made with meat. My tweaks were chopped up mushrooms for the "beef." And I just added about a cup of the BE peas since there was so much stuff already. Next time may add whole cashews just for some crunch. I could see where both your guys would like this---it's almost like a sloppy Joe, just twenty times more flavorful and healthy! Thanks so much.
Jay
Interesting recipe. I am sure it will turn out delicious. I normally avoid mixing soya chunks/tofu and beans because it becomes almost like a protein overload. What I do to add texture to beans is chunks of plantain or Indian sweet potato not the orange stuff you get here in the US. I avoid using beans in my regular day-to-day cooking because my wife detests the flatulence.
I normally cook black-eyed peas the traditional way, in a coconut gravy which has triphal(sichuan pepper) as a vital ingredient. I grew up on this gravy and somehow I have not found another way of making black-eyed peas that I like as much as the traditional one. The thing with triphal is that for some it can be an acquired taste.
Vaishali Honawar
Hi Jay, this recipe would be good without the meatless beef or soy chunks. Have you tried soaking your beans and discarding the water, and washing the beans several times before cooking. This usually helps remove a lot of the bad gases from the beans.
Triphal was a well-loved ingredient in my parents' konkani kitchen, and I certainly had acquired the taste. I can imagine it will taste great with black-eyed peas. For some reason, Indian stores in the U.S. never seem to stock triphal and I haven't had it in years.
Jay
Hey Vaishali, try the Chinese stores, there has been a recent resurgence in different Chinese cuisine including from Sichuan. That should increase your chances of getting Triphal AKA as sichuan pepper.
And yes, I do all that you suggest, soak them for almost 12 hours, drain the water etc, seems to help, but all these measures only mitigate the issue, not eliminate it, unfortunately......
Wendy
If all the rinsing and soaking aren't working, you might try adding 2 T. apple cider vinegar while cooking beans, or about a 2" square piece of Kombu seaweed. Also, sprouting them before cooking can make a big difference. Beans and legumes are so wonderful, it's worth it to find a way to eat them comfortably and deliciously! Hope this helps.
s
Hi
can we use cooked (minced/ ground )soya granules instead of this" meatless beef" ?
s
Vaishali Honawar
Yes, absolutely. Soy granules are a great substitute for keema and I use them all the time in keema recipes.