Name: Konkani Lobia (Tangy Black-Eyed Peas)
Yield: Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients: 1 Tbsp. oil; 1 tsp. black mustard seeds; 8 to 10 curry leaves; 1 tsp. ground cumin; 1 tsp. ground coriander; 3 tomatoes, chopped; 1 tsp. cayenne powder; ¾ cup dried black-eyed peas, soaked for 30 minutes; 1 tsp. salt; 1 cup cubed butternut squash; 1 cup cubed green zucchini; 1 Tbsp. jarred tamarind paste; ½ cup coconut milk

Blackeyed peas with zucchini and squash in a blue bowl.

Black-eyed peas are a favorite in the Indian pulse arsenal. This variation is from the coastal cuisine of the Konkan region of southwestern India. The tangy black-eyed peas in Konkani lobia are often accentuated with pieces of squash or elephant yams. It is difficult to find elephant yams in U.S. markets, so I use a medley of zucchini and butternut squash in this Instant Pot recipe instead. This simple, delicate dish with its flavors of sweet and tart is one of our favorite meals.

This recipe was excerpted from 'Instant Indian' by Rinku Bhattacharya. Buy the full book on Amazon. Click through for more Instant Pot recipes →

What you’ll need

Instant Pot
$110 At Amazon
Tamarind Paste
$16 At Amazon
Black-Eyed Peas
$2 At Amazon
Black Mustard Seeds
$6 At Amazon

Recipe information

Yield
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. oil

1 tsp. black mustard seeds

8 to 10 curry leaves

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground coriander

3 tomatoes, chopped

1 tsp. cayenne powder

¾ cup dried black-eyed peas, soaked for 30 minutes

1 tsp. salt

1 cup cubed butternut squash

1 cup cubed green zucchini

1 Tbsp. jarred tamarind paste

½ cup coconut milk

Preparation

Step 1
Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and heat the oil until the pot registers hot. Add the mustard seeds, wait until they crackle, and then add the curry leaves, cumin, coriander, and tomatoes, and cook until the tomatoes have softened, this takes about 3 minutes.
Step 2
Stir in the cayenne pepper powder, black-eyed peas, salt, and 1 cup water.
Step 3
Press Cancel to turn off Sauté mode. Close the lid and set Instant Pot on Manual Pressure mode for 9 minutes. When the cooking time is complete, do a Quick Pressure Release.
Step 4
Once the pressure is released, open the lid, and stir in the butternut squash, zucchini, and tamarind paste. Close the lid and set on Manual Pressure mode for 1 minute. When cooking time is complete, do Quick Pressure Release. Stir in the coconut milk. Enjoy with rice or flatbreads.