Black-eyed Peas Dumpling in Tangy Gravy/Kaaramani Urundai Kuzhambu

Black-eyed peas, which i fondly call as Kaaramani is one of the protein rich legumes aka beans which have loads of nutritious content in it. Do you know just a cup of Black eyed peas have 20% of daily value of magnesium, calcium and iron. Yes if you are vegetarian, dont forget to add this beans quite often in your diet. Also a cup of cooked black-eyed peas have 160 calories with interesting fiber in it. Black eyed peas is one of my most favourite legumes after Red kidney beans,obviously my pantry will always have this. South Indians makes a lipsmacking tangy dish with steamed dal dumplings dunked in a spicy tamarind gravy. Its quite a popular dish and we call it as Paruppu urundai kuzhambu. Highly rich in protein, this dish is often prepared at home whenever we feel like having something tangy and protein rich food for our meal. Since i want to give a twist to the usual Paruppu Urundai kuzhambu, i replaced the toordal dumplings with steam cooked black-eyed peas dumplings.. Trust me this dish is just prefect to enjoy with hot steaming rice and papads.

Am running this Month’s A-Z Recipe Challenge with the Alphabet ‘B’. This Facebook challenge group is started with a new concept, yes we are going to cook with two different themes. For this month’s challenge, we are cooking a dish name starts with alphabets and next month’s theme is going to be Recipe swap, and vice versa. Since i like challenges, i couldnt stop myself to join this group. Hence am here with my Black eyed peas gravy for this month’s challenge, if you want to join in this group do let me know. Give a try to this fingerlicking tangy gravy and enjoy the goodness of black-eyed peas without any guilt.

For Dumplings:
2cup Black-eyed peas (soaked overnite)
3nos Garlic cloves
1/4tsp Asafoetida powder
1no Onion (chopped)
1/2tsp Grated ginger
4nos Dry red chillies
Salt
Few coriander leaves (chopped)

Grind the soaked black-eyed peas,garlic cloves, asafoetida powder,dry red chillies as a coarse paste, finally add the chopped onions,chopped coriander leaves,grated ginger and salt, mix everything well..

Make small lemon sized balls from the grounded paste and steam cook them for 10-15minutes in an idly cooker and keep aside.

For Gravy:
1+1/2cups Tamarind extract
1tsp Red chilly powder
1tsp Coriander powder
1no Onion (cubed)
1no Tomato (big & juicy)
5nos Garlic cloves (crushed)
1tsp Mustardseeds, fenugreek seed & cumin seeds
Few curry leaves
2 Dry red chillies
Sesame oil
Salt

To grind:
1/4cup Grated coconut
1tsp Peppercorns
1tbsp Poppy seeds
5nos Shallots

Dry roast the poppy seeds and peppercorns until the aroma comes out, take these dry roasted seeds with grated coconut shallots and grind as fine paste along with water, keep aside..

Heat enough sesame oil, let splutters the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds,curry leaves, dry red chillies and cumin seeds.

Add immediately the cubed onions, crushed garlic cloves and chopped tomatoes,sauté everything until the onions turns transculent.

Add the grounded paste and cook in low flame until the oil gets separates, now add the tamarind extract, red chilly powder and coriander powder along with salt.

Cook the gravy with lid closed until the oil gets separates.

Finally add the already prepared dumplings cook in simmer for 5minutes and put off the stove..

Serve along with rice and papads..