Tuvar Lilva with Paneer (Fresh Pigeon Peas with Paneer)

For the vegetarian in my family I combine their love for paneer with a high protein fresh pigeon peas to make a delicious spicy soup- it is a savory, healthy, and refreshing broth that is family favorite not just for him but also for the non vegetarians in the family. Call it Daal or soup, it is equally nutritious as a heartwarming comfort food @sarchakra

PREP TIME: 10 mins

COOK TIME: 20 mins

YIELDS: Serves 4

Ingredients

• Paneer 1 cup, cut into cubes
• Tuvar lilva (shelled pigeon peas) 1 cup
• Salt to taste
• Turmeric 4 tsp, divided
• Oil 2 tbsp
• Ghee 2 tbsp
• Asafetida a pinch
• Tomato 1, large, chopped
• Cumin seeds 2 tsp
• Cumin powder 1 tbsp
• Red chili powder 2 tsp
• Garam masala powder 2 tsp
• Mint chutney 2 cubes

Method

• Rinse lilva with water. Add 3 cups of water, salt and 2 tsp turmeric to the beans. Cook in the pressure cooker for 2 whistles. Let the pressure release by itself.
• Add 2 tbsp oil to the pan. Add the cubed pieces of paneer. Fry them on both sides. Soak them in a bowl of warm water as you finish the next steps.
• To the rest of the oil on the pan, add the ghee. Add the cumin seeds and asafetida. Cook for a couple of seconds. Then add the chopped tomato. Cook on high till the tomato starts to cook down. Use a masher to press the tomato pieces onto the oil and ghee mixture.
• Add the cooked lilva. Add in cumin powder, red chili powder, the rest of the 2 tsp turmeric and garam masala powder. Simmer and cook the lilva for 10 mins. Use a masher to gently mash half of the lilva into the mixture.
• Add in the fried paneer. Add the mint chutney. Let it cook for 5-6 mins.
• Tuvar Lilva with paneer is ready to be served with rice or roti.

Notes

Tuvar Lilva is available in Indian groceries in the frozen section. You can cook it directly from frozen.

Almost any kind of beans work for this recipe so feel free to experiment with other beans too.

I use a really old pressure cooker I bought from India years ago. If using Instant Pot or Ninja Foodie, your time will shorten considerably.

Interesting Facts

Did you know, one serving of Lilva (110g) has 4 g of protein?

Pigeon peas are called by that name because historically, they were used as pigeon fodder in Barbados.

In Chinese folk medicine, the leaves of the pigeon peas are used as an analgesic as well as to kill parasites.

Pigeon peas are native to Africa. Remains discovered in tombs suggest pigeon peas was also used in Egypt between 2200 and 2400 B.C. Later they were carried by traders to India and Ceylon.

In some parts of Tamil Nadu, India the leaf, seeds and the young stems are used to cure gingivitis, stomatitis and as a toothbrush.

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