Chori Ane Sengdana nu Dal (Cowpea-Peanut Dal)

I was in the mood for beans tonight. I felt like some sort of small whole legume would go well: mung beans, mapte beans, cowpeas, moth beans, etc. In the end I settled on this cowpea dal. It takes a while to cook but is quite straightforward to make. And I enjoyed the sweet, sour, and spicy aspects of it. It doesn't need much to round it out to a full meal. I served it with a simple carrot curry and some rice and paratha. If you wanted to dress it up a bit, I think sonth (tamarind-date chutney) would complement and accentuate the flavours. But I really liked it just as it was honestly.

Chori Ane Sengdana nu Dal

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1 c. red cowpeas (chori/sabud chowli/adzuki beans)
• 4 c. water
• 6 pieces dried black kokum
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted roasted peanuts
• 1 Tbsp. jaggery
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1/4 tsp. ground asafetia
• 2-3 Tbsp. ghee
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 Tbsp. ginger paste
• 12-15 fresh or frozen curry leaves
• 2-4 fresh green Thai chilies, halved lengthwise

Directions

1. Rinse the beans thoroughly, then add hot water to cover and set aside for 1-2 hours.
2. Drain the beans, return to pot, add water, and bring to a boil.
3. Skim off any foam, add kokum, reduce heat to medium, partially cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for ~20 minutes.
4. Add peanuts, jaggery, salt, turmeric, and asafetida, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for another 20 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, melt 2 Tbsp. of ghee over medium-high heat.
6. Add cumin seeds and sizzle for ~10 seconds.
7. Stir in ginger paste and cook for ~1 minute.
8. Toss in curry leaves and chilies, stir once or twice, remove from heat, and set aside.
9. Once beans have finished their second 20-minute cooking period, stir in the ghee and spices.
10. Cover and simmer for another 20-25 minutes.
11. If desired, stir in 1 additional Tbsp. of ghee.
12. Serve with rice.

Chowli nu Dal (Cowpeas with Bishop's Weed and Toasted Chickpea Flour)

I spent ages looking for "red cowpeas" or "sabud chowli" at the various supermarkets and Indian grocery stores in town. I finally found them labeled as "chori". And, after some research, found out that they're the same thing as "adzuki" beans, which I was familiar with from several Japanese desserts and seem reasonably easy to come by in many Asian supermarkets.

Chowli nu Dal

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 3/4 c. red cowpeas (sabud chowli/chori/adzuki beans)
• 3 c. water
• 2 Tbsp. canola (or other neutral) oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp. bishop's weed
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1 tsp. coriander seeds, ground
• 1 tsp. ground Deggi chilies¹
• 1/4 c. Toasted Chickpea Flour
• 12-15 fresh or frozen curry leaves
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. ghee

Directions

1. Thoroughly rinse the cowpeas, then add hot water to cover and set aside for 1-2 hours.
2. Drain the cowpeas.
3. Add water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
4. Skim and discard any foam, lower the heat to medium, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, heat oil over medium-high heat.
6. Add cumin and bishop's weed and sizzle for ~10 seconds.
7. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro, salt, coriander, and ground chilies.
8. Pour the oil-spice mixture into the cooked cowpeas.
9. Add the toasted chickpea flour and continue to simmer over medium heat, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for ~15 minutes.
10. Stir in the sugar and ghee and serve.

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¹ If you can't find Deggi chilies, then a 1:1 mix of cayenne and sweet paprika makes a good substitute. This is what I use. ^Back