Red cowpeas stir fry with coconut

 Cowpeas were frequently called poor man's food because it was grown mainly as fodder for cows. That's how the name was acquired. Red cowpeas, also called red lobia is reddish to brown in hue. In malayalam, it is called vanpayar. Oftentimes, it is fixed as a thoran, a coconut preparation which is customary as a side dish to rice. The thoran alongside pickle and papad is well-liked with kanji or rice porridge. We coupled it with quinoa. 

The contents..

red cowpeas - 1 and 1/2 cup

Olive oil, extra virgin - 2 tsp

Carom seeds - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves - a sprig

Garlic - 3 cloves

Coconut, grated - 1/4 cup

Small onions - 5 or 6

Green chili - 1

Turmeric powder - a speck

Kashmiri chili powder - 1/4 tsp

The strategem to dish up the stir fry..

Drench the cowpeas overnight, or for 8 hours. Strain water.

Pressure cook the cowpeas with water and a pinch of salt. Clear out excess water.

Mince garlic, chili and shallots. Grind coconut together with chili, shallots, salt, turmeric powder and chili powder to a very rough mixture.

Heat up a saucepan and drizzle oil. Add in carom seeds, curry leaves and garlic. After a minute, add boiled cowpeas. Make a small well of space in the center and put in the coconut blend. Cover the blend with the rest of the cowpeas so that it steam cooks. After 5 minutes, stir well. Enjoy the nutty taste of the red cowpeas.