Indian cooking
Indian cooking / Dishes / Parsi Chora
Parsi Chora (Slow-Cooked Black-Eyed Beans with Cardamom, Chilli and Coriander)

Parsi Chora

Slow-Cooked Black-Eyed Beans with Cardamom, Chilli and Coriander
VegetarianOrigin West

A slow-cooked black-eyed bean curry with a tomato-onion base and a warm cardamom, clove, pepper and cumin spice mix. It is gently spicy, aromatic and savoury, with a gravy thickened by crushing some of the beans.

Ground spices for the sauce

6 gAdded with the tomatoes (step 5)
Keep ground; add them with the tomatoes.

Crushed spice mix

5 gStirred in with the beans and coriander (step 6)
01
1.4 g8 pods
spice
02
0.1 g2 cloves
spice
03
1.4 g½ teaspoon
spice
04
2.1 g1 teaspoon
spice
Crush to a fine powder.

Everything else

01
Black-eyed pea · Lobiyasoaked overnight
250 g
legume
02
26 g2 tablespoons
oil/fat
03
Onion · Pyazfinely chopped
190 g
vegetable
04
Garlic · Lehsuncrushed to a paste
12 g4 cloves
aromatic
05
Fresh ginger · Adrakground to a paste
10 g2½ cm
aromatic
06
Tomato · Tamatarfinely chopped
180 g
vegetable
07
3 g3 tablespoons
herb
08
795 g800 ml
liquid
09
to taste
salt

Method

  1. Crush 1.4 g green cardamom seeds, 0.1 g clove, 1.4 g black peppercorn and 2.1 g cumin seed to a fine powder and set aside.
  2. Heat 26.4 g ghee in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat.
  3. Add 190 g onion and fry for 15 minutes, until it begins to soften.
  4. Add 12 g garlic paste and 10 g ginger paste and fry for 1 minute.
  5. Add the ground spices for the sauce (2.6 g kashmiri chilli powder and 3.6 g ground coriander) and 180 g tomato, then fry for 5–6 minutes, until the tomato softens.
  6. Drain 250 g black-eyed beans.
  7. Add the drained beans to the pan with half the 3 g coriander leaf, the crushed spice mix and salt to taste.
  8. Pour in 795 g water and stir well.
  9. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
  10. Press some of the beans against the side of the pan with a spoon to thicken the gravy.
  11. Stir in the rest of the coriander leaf.

Don't have something?

Black-eyed pea
  • Red cowpea

    Use the same weight; it is closely related and cooks in a similar time. Soak as directed.

  • Dried chickpea

    Use the same weight, but soak overnight and cook much longer; the texture will be firmer and nuttier.

Ghee
  • Unsalted butter

    Use 120% of the weight; melt gently over low heat to avoid burning the milk solids, which will yield a softer, creamier richness rather than a nutty aroma.

  • Vegetable oil

    Use 85% of the weight; holds high cooking temperatures without smoking, but the final dish will lack traditional dairy depth.

  • Mustard oil

    Use equal weight; heat to smoking point and cool slightly before cooking, bearing in mind it introduces an assertive, pungent edge.

Onion
  • Shallot

    Use equal weight, finely sliced. Shallots soften and brown faster, giving a slightly sweeter and more delicate base to curries.

  • Cabbage

    Use 80% of the weight, finely shredded and browned slowly with a pinch of asafoetida. Replicates the bulk and natural sweetness in gravies without allium.

Garlic
  • Garlic paste

    Use equal weight. Fry gently in oil or ghee with the ginger; incorporates smoothly into curries without visible minced bits.

  • Garlic powder

    Use 15% to 20% of the weight (about 1 g for every 5 to 6 g fresh cloves). Whisk into sauces; gives a savoury, toasted garlic flavour without raw pungency.

  • Shallot

    Use 1.5 times the weight, very finely minced. Sauté until golden; provides savoury allium sweetness, though it lacks garlic's pungent sulphur bite.

Fresh ginger
  • Ginger paste

    Use equal weight. Sauté in hot fat until the raw allium smell disappears; slightly wetter, but provides identical warmth and pungency.

  • Ground ginger

    Use 20% to 25% of the weight (1 g for every 4 to 5 g fresh). Stir into the gravy; adds peppery heat and warmth, though it misses the crisp, zesty kick of raw root.

Kashmiri chilli powder
  • Dried kashmiri chilli

    Grind deseeded dried pods to an equal weight of powder; gives identical vivid red colour and gentle warmth.

  • Red chilli powder

    Use 25% of the weight mixed with sweet paprika for colour; straight red chilli powder is substantially hotter and will make the dish fiery.

  • Chilli powder

    Use one-third of the weight; the sauce will be less intensely red and notably sharper in heat.

Ground coriander
  • Coriander seeds

    Dry-roast lightly in a pan and grind to a fine powder; use equal weight (1:1). Offers a noticeably fresher, brighter citrus note.

  • Ground cumin

    Use 50% to 75% of the weight. Lacks the floral, citrusy profile of coriander and turns the gravy heavier, earthier, and darker.

  • Garam masala

    Use 50% of the weight and stir in near the end of cooking. Adds warmth and depth since it contains ground coriander, but introduces stronger spices like clove and cinnamon.

Tomato
  • Tomato purée

    Use 40% to 50% of the fresh tomato weight mixed with a splash of water. Imparts a deeper red colour, thicker sauce, and slightly sweeter cooked flavour.

  • Plain yogurt

    Use 60% of the weight, whisked smooth and added on low heat. Provides rich body and sourness, though the gravy becomes paler and creamier.

Coriander leaf
  • Coriander

    Use equal weight finely chopped; this is the exact same fresh herb.

  • Mint

    Use half the weight finely chopped; provides vibrant green freshness, though the flavour profile becomes noticeably cooler and sharper.

Water
  • Stock

    Use the same weight in savoury dishes; it adds body, so adjust salt.

  • Milk

    Use the same weight only in doughs or creamy dishes; it makes the result richer.

  • Coconut water

    Use the same weight in curries or rice; it adds sweetness and a faint coconut taste.

Green cardamom pod
  • Green cardamom seed

    Use 35 to 40% of the total pod weight; lightly bruise the seeds before frying in oil to release their essential oils.

  • Ground green cardamom

    Use 20 to 25% of the pod weight (about 1 generous pinch per pod); stir in toward the end of cooking so the delicate floral notes do not dissipate.

  • White cardamom pod

    Use 1:1 by pod count or weight; crack gently before using, though it is slightly less intensely floral.

Clove
  • Ground cloves

    Use 1 g ground for 4 g whole (or 1 small pinch per 2 to 3 whole cloves). Add with spice powders; disperses intense warmth quickly, so use with restraint.

  • Allspice berries

    Use 100% of the weight whole in tempering. Imparts a warm, clove-like aromatic profile combined with hints of nutmeg and cinnamon.

  • Black cardamom pod

    Use 1 pod for 3 to 4 cloves in whole tempering. Shares a camphor-like warmth and medicinal depth, though it introduces a distinct smoky undertone.

Black peppercorn
  • Coarsely ground black pepper

    Use 75% of the weight. Add midway through simmering; spreads heat evenly through the dish instead of delivering isolated bursts.

  • Ground black pepper

    Use 50% of the weight. Stir in near the end of cooking; significantly darkens light gravies and provides an immediate, sharp bite.

Cumin seed
  • Ground cumin

    Use 70% of the weight; add with ground spices or sauce bases rather than hot oil tempering, where it scorches quickly and turns bitter.

  • Black cumin seeds

    Use equal weight for oil tempering. Delivers an earthy profile with an additional musky, smoky, and slightly bitter edge.

  • Fennel seed

    Use 60% of the weight for tempering; offers comparable warm aroma, but leans sweet and liquorice-like rather than savoury and earthy.

Similar dishes

Punjabi Channa Masala
Spiced Chickpea Curry with Cumin, Tomato and Dried Mango Powder
It tastes tangier and moderately hot from dried mango powder and chilli, while this dish is gently spicy and savoury without that souring agent.
  • Same: Punjabi Channa Masala shares ghee, onion, garlic, ginger, tomato, Kashmiri chilli, ground coriander, green cardamom and coriander leaf with this dish.
  • Different: It uses tinned chickpeas instead of black-eyed beans, adds dried mango powder, tomato purée and sugar, and omits clove, black peppercorn and cumin seed.
Tamil Black Pepper Lamb Chops
Spicy Lamb Chop Curry with Ghee, Garlic, Chilli and Black Pepper
Tamil Black Pepper Lamb Chops is pepperier and more chilli-hot with a rich lamb gravy, while this dish is gently spicy, cardamom-aromatic and savoury.
  • Same: Tamil Black Pepper Lamb Chops shares ghee, onion, garlic, ginger, Kashmiri chilli powder, ground coriander, green cardamom, black peppercorn and salt with this dish.
  • Different: Tamil Black Pepper Lamb Chops uses lamb chops instead of black-eyed beans, adds turmeric, cinnamon, green bird’s eye chilli and dried Kashmiri chilli, has much more black peppercorn and no tomato, cumin seed or coriander leaf, and builds a thick ghee-rich gravy rather than a bean-thickened one.
Balchao
Prawn (Shrimp) Balchao
Balchao tastes sharper, fierier and more vinegar-forward with a touch of sweetness, while this dish is gently spicy, aromatic and savoury with a bean-thickened gravy.
  • Same: Balchao shares an onion-tomato base and the spices cardamom, clove, black peppercorn and cumin with this dish, and both use garlic, ginger and salt.
  • Different: Balchao uses prawns instead of black-eyed beans, groundnut oil instead of ghee, malt vinegar as its souring agent, and dried red chilli, sugar, cinnamon and curry leaf, with no ground coriander or coriander leaf.
Velankanni Mutton Masala
Lamb Curry with Curry Leaves, Ginger, Green Chillies and Cashews
Velankanni Mutton Masala tastes meatier and richer from lamb and coconut oil, while this dish tastes bean-based and savoury with ghee and cumin.
  • Same: Velankanni Mutton Masala shares this dish’s onion-tomato base, cardamom-clove warmth, Kashmiri chilli, ground coriander and coriander-leaf finish.
  • Different: Velankanni Mutton Masala uses bone-in lamb, vegetable and coconut oil, green bird’s eye chillies, bay leaf, turmeric, tomato purée, cashews and curry leaves, and lacks this dish’s black-eyed beans, ghee, cumin seed and crushed-bean thickening.