Alasande Beeye Kolombo/Black-eyed Beans Sambar is another variation of the south Indian lentil delight, sambar! Spiced with homemade sambar powder and some tamarind for the tang, it is a perfect side dish to enjoy with rice or parathas!
The word “sambar” or "kolombo" as we call it in Konkani language, conjures up an image of idlis or dosas which you dunk in and have for a typical south Indian breakfast. Don’t get me wrong, I love the traditional lentil based sambar and on many days, have enjoyed it with idlis and dosas along with rice on the same day!
But today, when I was trying to decide what protein curry to make for lunch along with rice and fresh asparagus upkari/stir fry, my eyes scanned the array of bottles in which we store dals, legumes and beans in the pantry.
Black-eyed beans or what we call alasande bee ("alsande bee" is "black-eyed beans" in Konkani!) is one of my favorite protein based beans with which I normally make a saaru upkari with a tempering of garlic and dried red chilies. But today, to make the legume more tasty and interesting, I decided to make a sambar out of it.
If you are following my blog, I had made something similar with rajma or red kidney beans some time back; rajma sambar. All you need to do is cook the beans in a pressure cooker until soft and tender, add sambar powder (homemade or store bought) and tamarind extract or paste along with the required salt to taste and temper with mustard seeds and curry leaves with some hing like you would do a regular sambar.
With a sprinkling of fresh coriander leaves, it is a lovely high-protein side dish curry to mix your rice in for lunch or dinner! Make it a little thick and you have a curry for parathas too!
Have an Instant Pot (electric pressure cooker)? Then, all you need to do is pressure cook with sambar powder, tamarind and salt for just 15 minutes (no soaking needed!) and then temper! That is it; easy peasy!
So, head on to the kitchen and make this south Indian black-eyed beans sambar the next time you need a lovely curry to enjoy with rice or parathas!
Step-by-step method to make Black-eyed Beans Sambar:
PRESSURE COOKER METHOD (STOVE TOP):
Wash the black-eyed beans in plenty of water and drain.
Place them in a pressure pan, add 2 ½ cups of water, close the pressure pan. Once the pressure builds up and after one whistle, reduce heat and simmer on low to medium low for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the peas are fully cooked and soft.
Transfer the cooked peas along with the broth to a saucepan.
Squeeze the soaked tamarind into a bowl to get the tamarind extract (or use tamarind paste). Keep the tamarind pulp aside.
Add sambar powder to the tamarind extract and mix well until there are no lumps.
Stir in the tamarind-sambar slurry along with salt to taste into the cooked peas and bring to a boil. If you are using tamarind paste, you can add it at this stage.
Adjust the amount of water in the curry according to your preference; slightly thick to enjoy with parathas or diluted to mix with hot steaming rice!
Simmer on medium low for 3 to 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the seasoning:
Heat coconut oil/ghee in a small saucepan and once hot, add the mustard seeds. If you are vegan, use only coconut oil or any other cooking oil.
Once the seeds start to crackle and pop, add the hing and curry leaves, stir for a few seconds and add this tempering to the simmering alsasande beeye kolombo/black-eyed peas/beans sambar.
Garnish with finely chopped cilantro and serve hot with rice and a side dish of salad or vegetable stir fry like Duddhe Upkari/Red Pumpkin Stir Fry or Fresh green peas upkari.
INSTANT POT METHOD:
Wash, drain and place black eyed peas in the inner pot. Add water (about 3 cups), sambar powder, salt and tamarind water or extract/paste. Mix well.
Close the pot, turn the lid to sealing and pressure cook on high for 15 minutes, then NPR (naturally release pressure).
Open the pot and adjust seasonings, tamarind and water to the taste and consistency you like.
Temper as mentioned above and enjoy!
Happy Cooking!
Black-eyed Beans Sambar is another variation of the south Indian lentil delight, sambar! Spiced with homemade sambar powder and some tamarind for the tang, it is a perfect side dish to enjoy with rice or parathas!
Ingredients
- 1 cup black-eyed peas , soaked overnight
- 2 ½ cups water
- 2 tsp sambar powder (homemade or store bought)
- 1 tsp tamarind paste /small lemon-sized tamarind, soaked in water
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil /ghee
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- ¼ tsp hing /asafetida powder
- Few Curry leaves
- Finely chopped coriander leaves/cilantro for garnishing
Instructions
- Wash the black-eyed beans in plenty of water and drain.
- Place them in a pressure pan, add 2 ½ cups of water, close the pressure pan. Once the pressure builds up and after one whistle, reduce heat and simmer on low to medium low for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the peas are fully cooked and soft.
- Transfer the cooked peas along with the broth to a saucepan.
- Squeeze the soaked tamarind into a bowl to get the tamarind extract. Keep the tamarind pulp aside.
- Add sambar powder to the tamarind extract and mix well until there are no lumps. If you are using tamarind paste, you can add it at this stage.
- Stir in the tamarind-sambar slurry along with salt to taste into the cooked peas and bring to a boil.
- Adjust the amount of water in the curry according to your preference; slightly thick to enjoy with parathas or diluted to mix with hot steaming rice!
- Simmer on medium low for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Heat coconut oil/ghee in a small saucepan and once hot, add the mustard seeds. Use only oil if vegan.
- Once the seeds start to crackle and pop, add the hing and curry leaves, stir for a few seconds and add this tempering to the simmering alsasande beeye kolmbo/black-eyed peas/beans sambar.
- Garnish with finely chopped cilantro and serve hot with rice and a side dish of salad or vegetable stir fry like [Green Peas Upkari https://curryandvanilla.com/green-peas-upkarigreen-peas-stir-fry/] or [Duddhe Upkari https://curryandvanilla.com/duddhe-upkarisouth-indian-pumpkin-stir-fry/].
- Wash, drain and place black eyed peas in the inner pot. Add water (about 3 cups), sambar powder, salt and tamarind water or extract/paste. Mix well.
- Close the pot, turn the lid to sealing and pressure cook on high for 15 minutes, then NPR (naturally release pressure).
- Open the pot and adjust seasonings, tamarind and water to the taste and consistency you like.
- Temper as mentioned above and enjoy!
- Enjoy and Happy Cooking!
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Yes, indeed its a good variation of sambhar & also sounds good. It can also b made with canelini beans.
Absolutely dear! Thanks so much! We make it with red kidney beans too 🙂
Awesum ..New variant of sambar .lovely recipe
Thanks dear Sangeeta 🙂