Totha Pigeon Pea Beans Curry Food

TOTHA - PIGEON PEA BEANS CURRY

Steps:

• Wash and soak 1 cups of whole dry pigeon pea beans in warm water over night or at-least 8-10 hours.
• If using instant pot for boiling, cook with 4 cups of water, 1 tbsp of oil and 1 tsp of salt on high pressure for 25 minutes and let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Release rest of the pressure manually. The beans should not get mushy or it should not be too hard either.
• If using Indian style pressure cooker, cook with 4 cups of water, 1 tbsp of oil and 1 tsp of salt. Do 5 whistles on high heat and 5 whistles on medium heat. Let the pressure release naturally. The beans should not get mushy or it should not be too hard either.
• Heat ¼ cup of oil in a deep wide pan. Add cumin seeds and 2 whole dry red chilis to the oil and let it cook for a minute or 2 until the seed colors turns little brown.
• Once cumin seeds are cooked enough, sauté chopped ginger garlic green chilis until the raw smell of garlic goes away, making sure it does not burn.
• Add chopped onions 1 tsp of salt to the pan. Saute onions until they are translucent.
• Add chopped green garlic to the pan and saute on medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
• Add chopped tomatoes to the pan and saute until they start to loose water.
• Add red chili powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder. Mix well and cook for another couple of minutes.
• Add boiled pigeon pea beans with the water it was boiled in. Mix well and bring it to boil. Crush some beans with back of the spoon and mix again to make the gravy a little thicker if the gravy seems to watery. Add more water if it gets too dry and bring to boil again. It should be like ragda (stew) consistency.
• Taste the salt and fix it as needed. Add chopped cilantro and mix well.
• Serve it hot with garnishing like fresh green garlic, fresh chopped cilnatro, sev (crispy thin chickpea noodles), pomegranate and wedge of lime! It can be eaten as chaat or like curry with any type of bread or flatbread and also rice!

CHICKEN PELAU

Steps:

• If using dried peas, soak them overnight in 3 cups of water. Drain. Bring 3 fresh cups of water to a boil in a saucepan and add the peas. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until cooked almost completely through. Drain and set aside. If using canned beans, drain, rinse with cold water, drain again, and set aside. Wash the rice by placing it in a colander or fine-mesh sieve and running cold water over it until the water runs clear, about 1 minute. Drain well and set aside.
• Heat the oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven or other heavy, deep pot. Add the sugar and swirl in the pot, stirring constantly; allow it to caramelize to a dark brown color. Add the chicken and stir well to coat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Stir in 2 cups of water, the coconut milk, bay leaf, Green Seasoning, parsley, thyme, carrots, and scallions. Season with salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Stir the rice, squash, peas, hot pepper, ketchup, and butter into the chicken. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until the peas and vegetables are tender. Remove lid and fluff the rice. The rice should be moist but not sticky. Remove bay leaf, thyme sprig, and hot pepper.
• Note: Pigeon peas are traditional in this dish, but pinto beans or black-eyes peas also work well because, like pigeon peas, they hold their shape well after cooking. Brown sugar is preferable for deeper flavor and color. Chicken is the most common meat in pelau, but cuts of stew beef or lamb work just as well. If using meat, up the cooking time before adding the rice to 40 minutes to allow the meat to get tender. In Tobago, pelau is often made with crab. West Indian pumpkin (also called calabaza) is ideal for this recipe, although the pie or "cheese" pumpkin common in the U.S., if in season, makes a very good substitute. Butternut squash will also work, although it will be slightly less sweet.