Fresh green pigeon peas cooked with potato in a spiced tomato-jaggery gravy — a seasonal Gujarati vegetable preparation made only in winter when fresh tuvar (pigeon peas) are in the pod. A prized seasonal dish.
Ingredients
2 cups fresh tuvar lilva (fresh green pigeon peas, shelled — buy in pods at Indian markets in winter, or substitute with frozen)
2 medium potato — peeled and cubed
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp asafoetida
10 curry leaves
2 green chilli — finely chopped
1 tsp ginger paste
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
2 tomatoes — finely chopped
2 tsp jaggery
1 tsp lemon juice
salt to taste
coriander leaves and fresh grated coconut for garnish
Method
Shell the fresh tuvar: Fresh tuvar comes in long flat pale green pods. To shell: pinch off both ends of the pod, pull the string running along the seam and the pod will open easily. Pop out all the seeds — these pale green round seeds are the tuvar lilva. One pod typically holds 5 to 7 seeds. Shell all the pods. You need 2 cups of shelled seeds.
Cook the tuvar and potato briefly: Place the shelled tuvar seeds and cubed potato in a pot with 1 cup water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil. Cook for 8 minutes — both should be partially tender but not fully cooked. They will finish cooking in the gravy. Drain.
Heat oil and temper: Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wide pan on medium. Add mustard seeds — wait to pop. Add asafoetida and curry leaves. Stir 10 seconds.
Add green chilli and ginger: Add finely chopped green chilli and ginger paste. Stir for 1 minute.
Add tomatoes and cook down: Add chopped tomatoes. Cook stirring for 6 minutes until fully broken down and oil separates.
Add spice powders on low heat: Turn to low. Add turmeric, red chilli powder and coriander powder. Stir 2 minutes.
Add the partially cooked tuvar and potato: Add the drained tuvar seeds and potato cubes. Stir to coat with the spiced tomato masala.
Add jaggery, lemon and salt: Add jaggery, lemon juice and salt. Stir. Add 1/4 cup water. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 8 minutes until both the tuvar and potato are fully tender and the gravy has thickened.
Check the balance: Open the lid and taste. The shaak should have the Gujarati mithu-khatu balance — the jaggery provides sweetness and the lemon provides sourness. Adjust if needed.
Garnish and serve: Scatter fresh coriander leaves and fresh grated coconut on top. Serve with chapati or rice.
Note: Tuvar Lilva (fresh pigeon peas) are available from November to January in Gujarat and parts of Maharashtra. They are eagerly awaited each winter — the fresh seeds have a unique flavour that frozen pigeon peas cannot replicate. This dish is made as a special winter preparation. In Gujarat, this shaak is sometimes cooked into undhiyu as one of the components.