This Black Eyed Peas Stew with Ground “Beef” is a bright, delicious, Indian-style chili-like dish with the intoxicating flavor of spices.
But first, isn’t the internet a maddening place. Despite being fairly nimble at navigating this world, partly because I am a blogger and mostly because I am curious about everything, I often wish it didn’t exist.
For one, there would be no social media. Bliss. I mean, did you really miss all those people from third grade you would rather have –and had — forgotten, but are now obligated to friend because otherwise they are going to think you grew up to be a bitch? Do you need to know which coworker went for a jog along the beach in San Diego yesterday? And honestly, does anyone need to know what you ate for breakfast today, or what it looked like?
For another, would we really have this mass explosion of mediocrity around us if it weren’t for the internet? Time was when newspapers– and smart people working there — brought us the news, and they told it (at least most of the time) the way it was. Bestsellers were written by people who knew how to put words together (take heed, E. L. James). And recipes came from cookbooks written by people who had spent years honing their craft.
Now, it’s a free for all. Thanks to the internet, we are finding out that everyone in the world thinks he or she is a writer. And that everyone has an opinion they think everyone else wants to — or should — hear. It’s a world where Buzzfeed outranks the largest newspapers, authors “self-publish” the crap no publisher will buy, and blogs proliferate by the millions because, hey, it’s free and doable so long as you have an internet connection and the ability to type. No talent needed.
So anyway, here I was, having these dark thoughts, when Jay came around inquiring what was for dinner.
I switched gears and, urm, googled up recipes for black-eyed peas, which were on my mind. I love these little darlings because they are not just flavorful and healthy, but they also cook up rather fast compared to other beans. Of everything I saw, the one that stuck was a recipe for Lobhia Keema, which translates to Black Eyed Peas with Ground Beef. It sounded a little strange to combine ground meat with beans — for Indian cooking, that is — but then isn’t that what one does in a Chili? So I pounced on the idea and ran with it.
I set out to make my Black Eyed Peas stew rather like a Rajma, using the same spices and seasonings, but the dish I got at the end was nothing like Rajma— it was just as delicious, but differently so. I packed it with veggies and the meatless beef I used 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 Black Eyed Peas stew was a hit in our home– I served it over some brown rice and Jay asked for seconds, as did Desi.
As for me, I am friends with the Internet again. How did we actually live without it?
Black Eyed Peas with Ground "Beef" (Lobhia Keema)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups dry black-eyed peas. Soak for a few hours and cook until tender.
- 12 oz meatless beef
- 3 potatoes diced small (use sweet potatoes, carrots or zucchini instead)
- 2 cups frozen green peas
- 1 large onion minced
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp cayenne optional
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tomatoes pureed
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- Juice of a small lemon
- Salt to taste
- 1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves
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.
Hi
can we use cooked (minced/ ground )soya granules instead of this” meatless beef” ?
s
Yes, absolutely. Soy granules are a great substitute for keema and I use them all the time in keema recipes.
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.
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.
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……
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.
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?
Crumbled tempeh and/or mushrooms would be amazing here. Hope you try it, Ellen!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
Wow those peas look amazing! Thanks so much for the recipe 🙂