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Heavy-bottomed cooking pot
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Vegan Masala Recipe
Vegan blackeye bean curry
Black-eyed beans simmer with roasted spices, tomato and fresh herbs in this west-coast Indian-inspired curry. The beans stay creamy inside while the gravy remains lively and aromatic.
Recipe by Craig LogueHow our recipes are created
90 minPrep: 60 minCook: 30 minServes 4IndianVegan
indian vegetarianvegan and gluten-freevegan curryvegan indiandiwalistudent food
From the kitchen
What to expect
The toasted spice blend gives this curry a deeper, rounder base, while the beans simmer into a soft, saucy finish. It is the sort of pot that settles well with rice and a sharp side on the table.
Serving idea
Best served simply
Serve with basmati rice, rotis or plain naan, plus a simple kachumber or sliced onions on the side.
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Pressure cooker or Instant Pot
Useful for getting chickpeas, beans and lentils tender without a long stovetop simmer.
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Cook the recipe
Method
- 1
If using tinned beans, drain and rinse the 2 x 410g/14oz tins of black-eyed beans. Mash a few beans lightly with a fork so the curry has a little body.
- 2
Set a small heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp cumin seeds, 1 tbsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp fennel seeds, ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds and 1cm/½in stick cinnamon. Toast for a few minutes, stirring often, until the spices smell nutty and the coriander darkens slightly.
- 3
Tip the toasted spices into a grinder or mortar, then blend to a fine powder. Stir in ½ - 2 tsp crushed chilli flakes and set aside.
- 4
Heat 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add 1 tsp black mustard seeds and 10 curry leaves, then remove the pot from the heat, cover straight away and let them crackle.
- 5
Return the pot to the heat and add 1 medium onion, finely chopped. Cook until soft and golden at the edges, stirring so it colours evenly.
- 6
Add 2 garlic cloves, crushed, and 5cm/2in piece fresh ginger, grated. Cook for about 30 seconds, just until the raw smell eases off.
- 7
Add the beans, the ground spice mixture, salt to taste and 550ml/1 pint water. Stir well and bring to a boil.
- 8
Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the beans are well seasoned and the gravy has a little thickness.
- 9
Stir through 2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped, and 2 tbsp fresh coconut, grated, if using. Taste and adjust the salt before serving.
Gather everything first
Ingredients
- •2 x 410g/14oz tins black-eyed beans, drained and rinsed (or 225g/8oz dried beans, soaked overnight and cooked)
- •1 tbsp cumin seeds
- •1 tbsp coriander seeds
- •1 tsp fennel seeds
- •¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
- •1cm/½in stick cinnamon
- •½ - 2 tsp crushed chilli flakes
- •4 tbsp vegetable oil
- •1 tsp black mustard seeds
- •10 curry leaves (fresh or dried)
- •1 medium onion, finely chopped
- •2 garlic cloves, crushed
- •5cm/2in piece fresh ginger, grated
- •salt to taste
- •550ml/1 pint water
- •2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
- •2 tbsp fresh coconut, grated (optional, but do not use desiccated)
A few useful notes
Notes
- •If you want a thicker curry, uncover the pot for the last few minutes so the gravy reduces a little more. The beans should stay intact but soft enough to give the sauce a creamy feel.
- •Dried beans need to be fully cooked before they go into the pan; otherwise they will stay firm and the curry will taste underdone. Salt at the end if the beans were cooked with salt already.
- •Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days and usually taste better the next day. Reheat gently with a splash of water if the sauce tightens too much.
- •Fresh coconut gives a clean finish, but the curry is still complete without it. Use dried curry leaves only if fresh are not available, and add a little extra if the leaves are mild.
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