Aloo Lilva Subji: Tuver/Pegion Peas Potatoes Curry

Lilva, tuar, tuver,toovar, or lilva papadi whatever else you call it. Lilva is a type of beans commonly known Pigeon Peas. I would say it’s like green peas but flat like beans. If you just put lilva in Google, the top most recipe it will give you will be Lilva Kachori. Yes Lilva kachori is very famous and its native lies in Gujarat.

Today, I have another recipe, a simple one- Aloo Lilva Subji. Potatoes and Lilva curry. Just like aloo matar (peas and potatoes) this combination is also highly addictive. You can make this curry in pressure cooker just like pressure cooker aloo matar recipe (just replace peas to lilva). Today I am sharing a Gujarat way, restaurant style version.

Most of the thali in Gujarat will have this subji. It will be bit sweet, spicy and garlicy. So this is that version- rich tomato gravy with garlic, spices and jaggery. Serve it with plain chapati or phulka or paratha.

Ingredients:

2 medium size potatoes/aloo

1 cup pigeon peas/lilva

1 large tomato/Tamatar

4 cloves garlic/lehsun

2 tablespoon tamarind pulp/imli

1 tablespoons jaggery/gud

2 tablespoons oil

Pinch asafoetida/hing

1 bay leaf/tej patta

1 teaspoon cumin seeds/jeera

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder/haldi

1 teaspoon red chilli powder/lal mirch

1 teaspoon coriander powder/dhaniya

1/2 teaspoon garam massala

1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves/Kasturi methi

Salt to taste

Method:

Boil potatoes in pressure cooker. Let it cool. Chop and keep aside.

Boil lilva and keep aside.

In a blender, blend tomatoes, garlic, garam massala, red chilli powder, turmeric and coriander powder.

Heat oil in a pan. Add heeng.

Add jeera and let it crackle. Add bay leaf.

Turn the flame/heat to low. Add blended tomato mixture. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Cook till oil separates and starts to float over.

Add 1 cup water and salt. Throw in potatoes and lilva. Cover and cook again for 5 minutes.

Add in imli pulp and gud. Mix and cover again. Cook for 2 minutes.

Garnish with kasuri methi and serve.

Notes:

I used frozen lilva. You can use fresh if you get. In the UK we get frozen lilva easily, some popular brands are cofresh, shana, ashoka and taj.

You can use lemon juice instead of tamarind/imli paste.

Feel free to substitute jaggery/gud from sugar.