Cowpeas Dal

I always wondered why are these called cowpeas; for those of you who do not know, the piece of info is that the leaves of this cowpea plant was popular as cattle fodder even before the consumption of its lentils by humans started which could possibly be a reason for the name. I've shared another basic recipe that I tried with the protein rich, fiber rich, calcium rich lentil, cowpeas .

Ingredients:

1. Cowpeas – 1 cup
2. Onion – 1 big
3. Tomato – 1 big
4. Ginger – 2 “
5. Garlic – 4 cloves
6. Green chillies – 2
7. Cumin – 1/3 spoon
8. Turmeric powder – ¼ spoon
9. Chilli powder – ¼ spoon
10. Salt
11. Oil
12. Cloves - 3
13. Bay leaf
14. Cinnamon
15. Coriander leaves
16. Lemon – ½

Method:

• Soak the cowpeas overnight and pressure cook with salt
• Grind onion, tomato, ginger, garlic and green chillies into smooth paste
• Heat oil in a pan and add cumin, cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon to it
• Add the masala paste and sauté until raw smell goes and add turmeric, chilli powder to it
• Slightly mash the cooked cowpeas and mix well and switch of heat

• Squeeze half a lemon and garnish with coriander leaves before serving