Temple Style Tori Gashi Pigeon Peas Curry

About the Recipe

Tori Gashi is a popular temple-style Konkani dish where whole pigeon peas are first pressure cooked along with yam (surnu or suvarnagadde). The cooked peas and yam are simmered in a simple coconut paste, and a basic tempering is added. You can substitute yam with potatoes, raw jackfruit (kadgi), venti (yam stem), or gabbo (banana plant stem). This South Indian Style Pigeon peas recipe is one of the best protein-rich side dishes for your vegetarian and vegan, gluten-free lunch or dinner. In Gujarat, pigeon peas curry or tuvar totha is prepared using whole pigeon peas. Each region has its own special dish using pigeon peas.

Ingredients

1 cup White or Black Pigeon Peas1 cup Yam (Suvarnagadde or surnu), you can also use potatoes1 cup Yam stem (venti, optional)1 teaspoon Salt For the coconut masala 1 Coconut grated (approx. 2 cups, loosely packed)4 Dry red chilies6 to 8 Curry leaves (optional)½ teaspoon Tamarind (small ball) For the tempering 1 tablespoon Coconut oil1 teaspoon Mustard seeds1 Dry red chile8 to 10 Curry leaves

How to make Konkani Tori Gashi or Pigeon Peas Curry

How to cook whole pigeon peas

Wash and soak pigeon peas in water for 6 hours or overnight. Soaking the peas helps in faster cooking. In a pressure cooker, add soaked and drained pigeon peas (tori) along with yam (surnu), venti (yam stem, optional) with enough water, and pressure cook for 2 to 3 whistles. Check out the video. Let the pressure release naturally.

Making of coconut paste

In a mixie jar or blender, add coconut, dry red chilies, curry leaves, and tamarind with little water and blend it to smooth paste.

Making of Tori Gashi (Thori Gashi)

Open the pressure cooker, add the coconut masala paste, and salt to taste, and bring it to a nice boil. Simmer it for 5 to 10 minutes. Add water only if required. Do not add too much water.

Prepare the tempering

In a pan, heat oil. Add mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds splutter, add red chilies and curry leaves and saute for a few more seconds. Add this tempering to the gravy and mix. Easy Tori Gashi is ready. Serve hot with steamed rice, and enjoy.

Substitutes

Pigeon Peas, whole - I have used white pigeon peas. You can use black pigeon peas (kali tori), fresh or dry green peas, or even canned beans. Another good part is you can prepare this dish with any beans like kidney beans (rajma), great northern beans, navy beans (tingalavare), black-eyed peas (alsande bee), etc. Suvarnagadde (Yam) & Venti (Yam stem) - the best and most readily available substitute is potatoes (aloo). Traditionally you can use any one of the following as a pair with pigeon peas in this gravy, i.e., raw jackfruit (kadgi), suvarnagadde (surnu or yam), venti (yam stem), gabbo (banana plant stem), kirlu (raw bamboo shoots), etc. Dry red chilies - While making the paste, you can use red chile powder instead of dry red chilies. Fresh grated Coconut - You can even use dry or frozen coconut to make this recipe.