Today I’m sharing a simple, healthy Instant Pot recipe from Indian Instant Pot Cookbook by Urvashi Pitre. This Black-Eyed Pea Curry with Spinach is flavorful, easy to prepare, and perfect for weeknight dinners.
I love Urvashi’s cookbook because she includes spice blend recipes and practical recommendations—spices make all the difference in Indian cooking. The recipe below is adapted from her book and is naturally vegetarian; it can be enjoyed as-is or easily veganized by using nondairy yogurt, plant-based milk, or vegan butter where needed.
Black-Eyed Pea Curry with Spinach
4
10 minutes
10 minutes
20 minutes
Printed from Indian Instant Pot® Cookbook by Urvashi Pitre (with permission). “Whenever I was feeling particularly lazy, I would make Punjabi lobia. I would use canned beans, and the taste would be okay. Then I realized that you could make perfectly cooked black-eyed peas in 10 minutes in a pressure cooker. Now we have this much more often, and it is so much better. Chop one tomato, and everything else is pour and cook. The end result is a creamy, full-bodied bean and spinach dish that makes an excellent weeknight supper. As always, adjust the cayenne to your heat preference.” —Urvashi Pitre
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil
- 1/8 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/8 teaspoon black mustard seeds (optional; if omitted, double the cumin seeds)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 cup diced tomato
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup dried black-eyed peas
- 2 cups water
- 4 cups raw spinach
Instructions
- Preheat the Instant Pot by selecting Sauté and setting to More (high heat). When the inner pot is hot, add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the cumin seeds and mustard seeds (if using); they will sputter like popcorn. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add the tomato and cook 1–2 minutes until softened.
- Stir in the turmeric, cayenne, ground cumin, ground coriander, and salt.
- Add the dried black-eyed peas and water, stirring to combine. Place the raw spinach on top.
- Lock the lid and select Manual (High pressure). Cook for 10 minutes. Allow 10 minutes of natural pressure release, then quick-release any remaining pressure.
- Open the lid, stir, and taste; adjust salt or cayenne as needed. Serve with rice, chapattis, or naan.
Nutrition Information
Amount Per Serving
Calories 197
Sodium 625mg
Carbohydrates 30g
Fiber 5g
Sugar 4g
Protein 11g
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More Recipes to Try
- Sloppy Black-Eyed Peas
- Vegan Hot White Chocolate
- Vegan Thanksgiving Casserole and Gravy
