Tori Bendi
A traditional Konkani mouthwatering, hot, tangy, spicy and savory pigeon-eyed pea chili curry.
Servings Prep Time
6servings 30minutes
Cook Time
1hour
Servings Prep Time
6servings 30minutes
Cook Time
1hour
Ingredients
  • 250gm black pigeon-eyed peas(red pigeon peas / kali tori in Konkani, karutha thuvara in Malayalam)
  • 100gm tender green mango(or cucumber tree fruit of same weight)
  • 50gm salted tender bamboo shoots pre-soaked in water overnight(see note 1)
  • 10gm hot red chili powder
  • 5gm garlic cloves
  • 15gm salt
  • 30ml cooking oil
  • 1000ml water
Instructions
To prepare:
  1. Wash and drain the pigeon-eyed peas. Put them in your pressure cooker and pour in the water. Secure the lid and set on high heat.
  2. As soon as you hear the first whistle, turn down the heat.
  3. Once you hear the second whistle, switch off the heat and let the cooker cool naturally.
  4. Once the steam has cooled and subsided, open the lid and check to see if the peas are cooked, by pressing one or two between your fingers. If they are still hard (these peas get stubborn with age), put the lid back and set on the stove again. Cook until you hear a whistle and then switch off to cool.
  5. Meanwhile, chop the mangoes into large pieces. Discard the seed (stone) and set the pieces aside.
  6. Crush the garlic cloves lightly and set aside.
  7. Cut the tender bamboo into large pieces and set aside.
  8. Open the lid of the cooker when it is sufficiently cool.
To cook:
  1. Set a curry vessel on high heat. Pour in the cooking oil and tip in the crushed garlic. Stir continuously.
  2. As soon as the garlic is roasted (it will start turning dark brown), lower the heat and tip in the chili powder. Stir well to mix it in and quickly tip in the contents of the cooker.
  3. Add the mango pieces, the bamboo shoot pieces (or the banana pith pieces) and the salt. Turn up the heat.
  4. As soon as it starts boiling, lower the heat and cover partially with a lid. Stir occasionally and let cook for 10 minutes. Switch off the heat and cover with the lid.
  5. Your delicious tori bendi is now ready to serve. For added taste, you can let it rest for an hour or more. I usually make the tori bendi in the morning to let it rest and grow tastier by lunch time.
  6. Serve with a pile of hot rice.
Recipe Notes
  1. Please go through my article, Tender Bamboo in Konkani Cuisine for salting and unsalting instructions. If salted bamboo shoot is unavailable, please use banana pith of the same weight. The pith of yellow or red skinned bananas is excellent for cooking. Please avoid the banana pith of all robusta varieties as these are bitter.
  2. Vegetarians can try pouring a ladle of curd or buttermilk over the rice and tori bendi and enjoy the ensuing gourmet taste!