A typical mildly spiced Maharashtrian curry made with black eyes beans or lobia, potatoes and spices that goes well with rice, roti or bhakri.
Chowli Batata is a humble, mildly spiced and typical Maharashtrian curry made with black eyed beads also commonly known as lobia, potatoes and spices combined together. This curry is an excellent side dish that can be accompanied with rice, roti or bhakri (jowar ki bhakri or bajre ki bhakri). Lobia along with potato is a wonderful blend of nutrition that is good in protein and carbohydrates. Lobia is high in protein and tastes extremely good when added to a spicy and delicious tomato gravy etc. It gives a nice texture, is soft to eat and gives thickness to the curry. Lobia has a sweet and nutty flavour.
Lobia or the black eyed beans are generally soaked in water overnight and boiled. These are then added to yummy spicy gravies. Potatoes are a very versatile tuber that can be added to any vegetable, lentils or legumes. Potatoes cooked along with lobia gives a little thickness to the curry as the process of cooking potatoes allows the little starch from the potatoes to thicken the gravy. This is a very popular and liked vegetarian curry from the Maharashtrian cuisine. Chowli in Marathi means Lobia and Batata means potatoes. In India, potatoes are known by various names regionally such as aloo, batata, alugadda, Urulai kizhangu etc.
Potato or alu is one of the most sought after vegetable that kids love to eat. In India, there are a variety of popular dishes made with aloo such as aloo paratha, batata vada, samosa, alu tikki, jeera aloo, aloo palak, sukha aloo from the northern Indian and aloo bonda, masala dosa , aloo gobi curry in southern India and many more. Potato is the major ingredient in most fast food dishes such as aloo chaat, bread aloo bonda etc. Vada pav is another popular vegetarian street/ fast food dish popularly sold all over Mumbai and other regions in the Maharashtra state.
Potato is one of the most comforting foods, cooks fast and is extensively used in various ways such as boiled, baked, mashed, chopped etc. The potatoes can be made crispy, fried, soft or stuffed in paratha or kofta recipes. Potato wedges and French fries are the two dishes that are irresistible and kids like to munch on. Apart from its yummy taste, potatoes are excellent and good source of vitamins, manganese, potassium and copper. They also act as good dietary fibre. They contain antioxidant properties and boiled and baked potatoes are extremely healthy and low in calories.
Black eyed pea or lobia or chowli is also known as cowpeas, bobbarlu in Telugu. It is small soft textured oval creamy white bean with a black eye. This bean is available as fresh or dried bean and can be used for preparing soups and many side dishes. It is an excellent source of fiber, folate and a good source of iron and has various health benefits as well as important vitamins and minerals.
Like most beans, black-eyed beans are rich in the best sort of fiber – soluble fiber – which helps to eliminate cholesterol from the body. Adding beans in your diet in the best way to avoid flatulence and indigestion. Lobia or black eyed cow peas are legumes that are responsible for a range of health benefits. They play an important role in reduction of cholesterol thereby protecting the heart.
To prepare this comforting and delicious Chowli Batata, firstly add oil in a hot pan and when the oil gets hot, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, chopped green chillies, garlic, chopped onion and salt. Saute and fry the onions till they turn slightly golden in color.
Add hing, turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder, and garam masala powder (optional). Mix well and add potato pieces. Sauté the mixture and add little water. Cover the pan and cook the potatoes until they are soft. Remove the lid and add chopped tomatoes, boiled black eyed peas and mix them thoroughly.
Add water if required. Cook this for about 2 minutes or until it comes to a boil. Add finely ground fresh coconut and cook for a minute. Switch off the flame. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with roti, chapatti or rice.
Tip - Soak the lobia overnight, boil and then cook. Do try this recipe and enjoy its taste.
Click on the link below to view the making of this dish:
https://www.vahrehvah.com/chowli-batata
Enjoy Cooking!
