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Chavali chi amti / Black-eyed bean curry is a simple flavourful coconut-based spicy curry that is vegan and gluten-free. Chavali is also known as Black-eyed bean or Lobia. This curry makes a nice accompaniment to roti, nan, phulka and plain steamed rice. This is a diabetic-friendly recipe.
Black-eyed bean is such a popular legume that is made almost all around the world. The healthy legume is rich in iron and fiber. In India, the recipe varies from state to state. In the north this bean curry is made in onion tomato-based gravy and in the south, you will find it made in coconut-based gravy. Whatever may be the variation, it is one of the most loved legumes all across India.
Chavali chi amti / black-eyed bean curry is a staple at my house. This curry makes a perfect weekday dinner option that is healthy, nutritious and delicious at the same time. We serve this with chapati or phulka. The dry version of this curry makes a perfect tiffin option for kids and adults.
Rich in protein, magnesium, potassium, calcium this makes a great healthy option for perfect meals. This flavorful chavali chi amti / black eyed bean curry recipe was passed down to me by my grandmother. This one-pot dish is easy to make and loved by everyone.
For a perfect Maharashtrian style recipe, the use of goda masala is involved along with jaggery (gul). But there is no hard and fast rule here. In case you do not get goda masala and jaggery you can add just garam masala and sugar instead.
The nutty flavour of chavali / black eye bean blends very well with the roasted coconut and onion tomato gravy along with some basic spices. This is one of those curries that I tend to make often as it comes together quickly.
In Maharashtrian cuisine, you will find legumes such as green mung beans (hirvi mug dal), moth beans (matki), lima beans (kadve vaal), kala vatana are used extensively. I always make sure to stock up these legumes which come very handy when not in a mood to prepare vegetables or dal.
Including legumes in everyday meals is a great way to get your daily intake of necessary nutrients. In Maharashtrian cuisine, we also make chavali masala (a dry version of this curry) and chavali chi amti (dal made using black-eyed beans) without coconut. This goes well with plain steamed rice along with some popadums and Indian pickles.
To make any pluses or legumes the main step is to soak them in water overnight or at least for 4-5 hours before cooking them. This helps in getting rid of bloating when consumed and helps legumes cook faster.
To make Maharashtrian style chavali chi amti / black eyed bean dry coconut is used which is roasted along with finely chopped onion and tomato along with some garlic pods and an inch of ginger. Once this mixture gets nicely roasted it is cooled down and blended in a mixer grinder. This is called Vatan. Vatan is a paste made using roasting spices or vegetables and blending them into a fine paste.
Apart from using this coconut paste (vatan) in this chavali amti / black eye bean curry, you can use this vatan in making other vegetables too. You can make this curry without onion garlic too and still it tastes delicious.
Quick, easy-to-make tasty curry is what I look out for my weekday dinners and this chavli chi amti tops my chart!
Dry Coconut: I have used a tablespoon of dry grated coconut here. You can also use desiccated coconut for this recipe or even fresh scrapped coconut.
Onion – Tomato: Indian curries are incomplete without an onion tomato base. Not only do they impart a nice flavour to the dish but also give a nice texture to the dish.
Cumin Seeds: The nice nutty spice adds depth to this flavourful coconut paste.
Ginger – Garlic: These spices enhance the flavour of this dish.
Spices: Spices such as goda massala (a staple in Maharashtrian cuisine), garam masala, coriander powder and added to this curry. Many times Malvani masala is added to this curry, especially in the Konkan region.
Chavali / Lobia / Black-eyed bean: The main ingredient of this curry. I have soaked the beans in water overnight for approx 8-9 hours. It helps in cooking these legumes faster and avoids unnecessary bloating too.
Chavali Chi usal / Black Eyed Bean Curry With Onion Tomatoes
Maharashtrian Recipes
Vegan Recipes
Curry Recipes
Food FAQ’s
Let’s see how to make this protein-rich healthy Chavali chi amti / Black-eyed bean curry with staple basic ingredients in your home kitchen.
Serves: 4 Persons
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Cooking level: Moderate
Taste: Spicy
- 150 gms chavali / black eyed beans
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds or cumin seeds
- 1/4th teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon goda masala
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves
- Salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon Jaggery or 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoon oil
- Water for cooking
- 1 Medium-sized onion cut into slices
- 1 small tomato cut into slices
- 3 teaspoon dry grated coconut or desiccated coconut or you can use fresh coconut also
- 2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 4-5 pods of galric
- 1 inch ginger
- 1 tablespoon oil
- Now before we start making this chavli amti / black eyed bean curry, we need to do some beforehand preparation of soaking this black-eyed beans / chavali in water overnight or at least for 4-5 hours.
- Once soaked overnight, drain the water and wash the beans / chavali under running tap water. Drain the water and keep the beans / chavali aside.
- In a thick bottom pan, heat a tablespoon of oil. Add sliced onions and saute on medium flame for 2 minutes.
- Add roughly cut ginger, garlic pods, and cumin seeds along with dry grated coconut and saute for another 2 minutes. Fry this till onions starts turning golden in colour.
- Now add sliced tomatoes and cook till tomatoes are softened. Do not add water to this masala.
- Let this masala cool to room temperature.
- Now in a blender add this above sauteed masala along with fresh coriander / cliantro leaves. Add 1/4th cup of water and blend to a fine paste.
- Our coconut masala is ready.
- In a pan heat 2 tablespoon of oil. Once the oil is hot add mustard seeds and let them crackle.
- Lower the flame and add turmeric powder and coconut masala. Add red chilli powder, goda masala, garam masala, coriander powder and mix well.
- Cook this masala till the oil starts leaving the edges of the pan.
- Now add the soaked chavali / black eyed beans and mix well.
- Add water according to the gravy consistency that you need. Normally I add 2 cups of water.
- Add salt and jaggery (or sugar) and mix well.
- Cover and cook till the beans are softened.
- Chavali chi amti / black-eyed bean curry is ready.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve with roti, nan, phulka or plain steamed rice.
Note:
I normally make this amti / curry in a pan directly on the stove. But you can make it in a pressure cooker or instant pot as well.
For the pressure cooker, cook until 4-5 whistle.
Recipe seems so simple n delicious. Going to make it today. Thank you.