Cook's Hideout: Sprouted Cowpeas Stew (Chawli Kokum Chi Dal)

July 28, 2011

Sprouted Cowpeas Stew (Chawli Kokum Chi Dal)

When I started buying cookbooks (with my money), I didn't think too much about the content. It didn't even matter if the book had only 3 vegetarian recipes and once I was done making those, I was practically done using that book. But soon I realized that it's not just buying books, I should also use them to make them worth the buy. Since then almost all the books I bought are vegetarian oriented except for "660 Curries" by Raghavan Iyer.

I borrowed this book from the library and after seeing the vast selection of recipes, I bought my own copy from Amazon. I made a ton of recipes and except for one disastrous recipe with broccoli, everything turned out excellent. So for Day 6 of our BM#7, I made Sprouted cow peas (chawli) stewed in coconut milk and kokum. Recipe turned out to be another keeper, slightly sweet from the coconut milk and tangy from the kokum. 

Red Cow Peas-Kokum curry1

Ingredients:
Red Cowpeas (Chawli) - 3 cups, sprouted
Red onion - 1 medium, finely chopped
Garlic - 4 cloves, finely minced
Green chilies - 4, finely chopped
Turmeric - ½tsp
Coconut milk - 1 13.5 can
Black kokum* - 6 pieces (roughly 2" x 1" piece)
Boiling water - ¼ cup
Ground cumin & coriander - ½tsp
Cilantro - 2tbsp, finely chopped
Salt - to taste

Method:
  • Heat 2tbsp oil in a medium-size saucepan. Add onions, garlic and chilies,sauté until the mixture is light borwn, 5 - 7 minutes.
  • Add the cowpeas and turmeric, gently mix to coat sprouts with the onion mixture. 
  • Next pour in the coconut milk and add the salt, let the mixture come to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low and cook covered until the sprouts are firm-tender and the sauce is thick, about 15 - 20 minutes.
  • While the cowpeas are cooking, add hot water to kokum and let it steep until the water turns darker, about 15 minutes. Discard kokum pieces.
  • Fold the kokum water and the ground spices into the curry, cook for another 2 minutes.
  • Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve hot with rice or roti.
Red Cow Peas-Kokum curry2

* If you don't have Kokum, use tamarind extract instead.

Lets check out what my fellow marathoners have been cooking for Day 6 of our BM#7.
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14 comments:

  1. Looks awesome! I also eyed this recipe when I read through the book. Since I did't have kokum, I left it out!

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  2. Looks delicious !!Healthy recipe..

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  3. What a fab looking curry ~ love the wonderful flavors in there :) Very new n interesting recipe.
    US Masala

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  4. interesting ....new to me but sounds delicious...

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  5. Looks tempting, creamy n yummy curry

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  6. Wonderful and delicious dish!!!!

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  7. That bowl looks so pretty Pavani..will surely want to try this as I have a huge batch of kokum with me..it's been the same with me too..I used to buy left and right, whenever a book fancies me..It's become more than what I can store..so stopped buying books these days..

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  8. Looks new - tangy and proteinicious .. this book must be really popular - saw 4 - 5 bloggers from this BM referencing this..

    Kalyani
    Indian Mithai Mela ending 8th Aug
    Dish it out- Mushroom and Onions – ending 31st July

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  9. That's nice recipe ...looks very gud

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  10. Interesting recipe. The combo of sweetness from coconut milk and slight tang from kokum must be good.

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  11. Pavani
    Looks great and yummy
    This is a new recipe for me..so thanks for sharing it :)
    Happy Blogging
    Rujuta
    http://theworldaccordingtorujuta.blogspot.com/

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  12. Something new and different.Never heard of.I have never used kokum.Looks delicious.

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  13. What a beautiful stew/curry! I am still waiting to get my hands on that wonderful book..

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