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Tuver totha
તુવેર ટોઠા (tuver totha): North Gujarat green pigeon peas in a garlicky onion-tomato masala
Tuver totha is a winter street-stall and wedding favourite from Mehsana and the villages of North Gujarat, eaten hot on cold evenings when fresh green tuver is in season. The peas are boiled soft, then simmered in a fiery, garlicky gravy of onion, tomato and green chilli and finished with chopped onion, coriander and lemon. In Gujarat it is mopped up with bread; for a lower-GI plate serve it with a bajra rotla or a small bowl of brown rice. It is suitable as part of a balanced diet. About 260 kcal and 30 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is undercooking the peas, which then stay chalky in the gravy. Out of season, use frozen green pigeon peas, or dried green tuver soaked overnight and pressure-cooked. Chef's tip: mash a ladle of the cooked peas and stir them back in so the gravy thickens without any flour.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp groundnut oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 pinch gluten-free asafoetida (hing)
- 2 onionsfinely chopped
- 8 cloves garliccrushed
- 3 green chilliescrushed
- 1 tbsp fresh gingergrated
- 2 tomatoesfinely chopped
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 ½ tsp red chilli powder
- 2 tsp ground coriander-cumin
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 3 tbsp fresh corianderchopped
- ½ lemonjuiced
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Boil 14 oz fresh or frozen green pigeon peas (lilva tuver) in 2 ½ cups water with half the ½ tsp salt for 12–15 minutes until soft enough to crush against the pan. Keep the cooking water.
15 minStep 2: Heat 2 tbsp groundnut oil in another pan over a medium heat. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds and 1 pinch gluten-free asafoetida (hing), then most of the 2 onions (save 2 tbsp for topping) and fry for 7 minutes until golden.
8 minStep 3: Add 8 cloves garlic, 3 green chillies and 1 tbsp fresh ginger and fry for 2 minutes until fragrant, then add 2 tomatoes, ½ tsp ground turmeric, 1 ½ tsp red chilli powder and 2 tsp ground coriander-cumin and cook for 5 minutes until the oil separates.
7 minStep 4: Add the peas with their water and the rest of the ½ tsp salt. Mash one ladle of peas and stir it back in. Simmer for 6–8 minutes until the gravy is thick but pourable.
8 minStep 5: Stir in 1 tsp garam masala. Serve topped with the reserved raw onion, 3 tbsp fresh coriander and a squeeze of ½ lemon.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 10 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tuver totha take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of cumin seeds?
- Ground cumin, three quarters of the amount (add it with the other ground spices, not to hot oil first).
- What can I use instead of gluten-free asafoetida (hing)?
- A pinch each of garlic powder and onion powder (asafoetida stands in for onion and garlic).
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