This lip-smacking, quick-to-make Instant Pot Chanya Tonak or Goan Dry Peas Curry or Tondak prepared with fresh ground coconut masala and white peas is best served with roti or naanor pav or even briyani. You will be showered with praises for sure! Check out the instant pot and pressure cooker version of this recipe here.
We are traveling from east to west today. Yes from Manipur to the beautiful Goa.
Goan cuisine is one of the famous Indian cuisines and known for its distinct coconut, coconut oil, and kokum flavors. I read a lot about Goan cuisine when I was exploring the Konkani and coastal Maharashtra cuisines.
When I came across the Alsanyache Tonak which is the black-eyed peas Goan curry, I decided to try it. I duly tried it, and we loved it. Tonak was more like the Tamil Nadu style kurma with coconut. We usually don’t add tamarind but for tonak tamarind which adds that slight tangy flavor to the curry.
As I already prepared olan with black-eyed peas, I decided to go with other peas/beans. I saw dry peas tonak is equally popular as black-eyed peas, so went with white peas that I usually use for kuruma. The internet is loaded with tons of Tonak recipe, and I developed my recipe measure with the base ingredients. The tonak masala is very versatile, and you can use it for any other curries as well. I used frozen coconut for this recipe, as I couldn’t go to my regular Indian grocery store where I buy the fresh coconut. But I would recommend fresh coconut for this recipe.
So without any further ado here comes the Goan Tonak or Tondak recipe,
Recap:
- 2015 | Day 20 – Eggless French Toast
- 2016 | Day 20 – Sambar Vadai
- 2017 | Day 20 – Instant Pot Chanya Tonak | Goan Dry Peas Curry | Tondak
Instant Pot Chanya Tonak | Goan Dry Peas Curry | Tondak
Goan curry prepared with fresh ground coconut masala and white peas
Ingredients:
- Dried White Peas – ½ cup
- Potatoes -2
- To Roast and grind:
- Oil – 2 tsp
- Garlic cloves – 2
- Onion – 1
- Peppercorns – ¼ tsp
- Red Chili – 2
- Coriander Seeds – ¾ tsp
- Cardamom – 1
- Fennel Seeds – ½ tsp
- Cloves – 2
- Cinnamon – ½ in piece
- Coconut Slices (at room temperature) – ⅓ cup
- Tamarind paste – ½ tsp
- Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp
- Sugar – ½ tsp
- Salt – 1.5 tsp
- Water – ¼ cup + 1.5 cups
- Cilantro to garnish
Prep – Work:
- Soak the white peas overnight or for at least 5 hours.
- Wash and peel the potato skin and cut them into small cubes.
- Chop the onion and garlic into small pieces.
Steps:
Instant Pot Method:
- Set the IP in sauté mode and add oil.
- Once the oil is hot, add the onion and garlic and cook until they are translucent.
- Now remove the onion and garlic carefully and add the other dry ingredients, red chili, fennel seeds, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander seeds and peppercorns.
- Dry roast for a minute and then add the coconut slices. Roast along with coconut for one more minutes.
- Remove this mix and allow it to cool.
- Now grind these roasted dry ingredients along with sautéed onion, garlic, and turmeric powder and tamarind paste by adding ¼ cup of water.
- Add this ground paste, soaked white peas, chopped potatoes and 1.5 cups of water to the IP. Stir the ingredients and set the IP in manual mode for 8 minutes and let the pressure release naturally.
- Once the pressure is released, carefully open the lid, mix the ingredients and add the chopped cilantro and set it warm mode or serve it hot with roti.
That’s it. Tonak is ready.
Pressure Cooker Method:
- Heat a pan or kadai mode and add oil.
- Once the oil is hot, add the onion and garlic and cook until they are translucent.
- Now remove the onion and garlic carefully and add the other dry ingredients, red chili, fennel seeds, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander seeds and peppercorns.
- Dry roast for a minute and then add the coconut slices. Roast along with coconut for one more minutes.
- Remove this mix and allow it to cool.
- Now grind these roasted dry ingredients along with sautéed onion, garlic, and turmeric powder and tamarind paste by adding ¼ cup of water.
- Add this ground paste, soaked white peas, chopped potatoes and 1.5 cups of water to the pressure cooker or pan.
- Pressure cook this for two whistles. Once the pressure is all released, open the lid carefully and garnish it with chopped cilantro.
That’s it. Tonak is ready. Serve it hot with roti
Notes:
- You can replace white peas with any of your favorite beans/peas.
- Adjust the water quantity as per your consistency preference.
- The Tonak masala (just the dry ingredients, sans coconut, onion, and garlic) and prepared well ahead.
- Adjust the salt and spices as per your preference.
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Chanya Tonak | Goan Dry Peas Curry | Tondak
Ingredients
- ½ cup Dried White Peas
- 2 Potatoes
To Roast and grind
- 2 tsp Oil
- 2 Garlic cloves
- 1 Onion
- ¼ tsp Peppercorns
- 2 Red Chili
- ¾ tsp Coriander Seeds
- 1 Cardamom
- ½ tsp Fennel Seeds
- ½ Cinnamon in piece
- Coconut Slices at room temperature – ⅓ cup
- ½ tsp Tamarind paste
- ¼ tsp Turmeric Powder
- ½ tsp Sugar
- 1.5 tsp Salt –
- ¼ cup Water + 1.5 cups
- Cilantro to garnish
Instructions
Prep – Work
- Soak the white peas overnight or for at least 5 hours.
- Wash and peel the potato skin and cut them into small cubes.
- Chop the onion and garlic into small pieces.
Steps
Instant Pot Method
- Set the IP in sauté mode and add oil.
- Once the oil is hot, add the onion and garlic and cook until they are translucent.
- Now remove the onion and garlic carefully and add the other dry ingredients, red chili, fennel seeds, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander seeds and peppercorns.
- Dry roast for a minute and then add the coconut slices. Roast along with coconut for one more minutes.
- Remove this mix and allow it to cool.
- Now grind these roasted dry ingredients along with sautéed onion, garlic, and turmeric powder and tamarind paste by adding ¼ cup of water.
- Add this ground paste, soaked white peas, chopped potatoes and 1.5 cups of water to the IP. Stir the ingredients and set the IP in manual mode for 8 minutes and let the pressure release naturally.
- Once the pressure is released, carefully open the lid, mix the ingredients and add the chopped cilantro and set it warm mode or serve it hot with roti.
- That’s it. Tonak is ready.
Pressure Cooker Method
- Heat a pan or kadai mode and add oil.
- Once the oil is hot, add the onion and garlic and cook until they are translucent.
- Now remove the onion and garlic carefully and add the other dry ingredients, red chili, fennel seeds, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander seeds and peppercorns.
- Dry roast for a minute and then add the coconut slices. Roast along with coconut for one more minutes.
- Remove this mix and allow it to cool.
- Now grind these roasted dry ingredients along with sautéed onion, garlic, and turmeric powder and tamarind paste by adding ¼ cup of water.
- Add this ground paste, soaked white peas, chopped potatoes and 1.5 cups of water to the pressure cooker or pan.
- Pressure cook this for two whistles. Once the pressure is all released, open the lid carefully and garnish it with chopped cilantro.
- That’s it. Tonak is ready. Serve it hot with roti
Notes
- You can replace white peas with any of your favorite beans/peas.
- Adjust the water quantity as per your consistency preference.
- The Tonak masala (just the dry ingredients, sans coconut, onion, and garlic) and prepared well ahead.
- Adjust the salt and spices as per your preference.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.
P.S. Make sure to follow me on my Pinterest for more healthy and delicious ideas!
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- Instant Pot Sultani Dal
AMY says
?was not dat tasty… aroma n look was good
Srividhya G says
oh so sorry… May be salt and spice measure that I used might be less for you. Or was it bitter? At times overroasting fennel seeds will add that bitter taste.
ruchi indu says
Delicious tonak recipe. Would be an ideal pair with all Indian breads I guess.
Srividhya G says
Thanks Ruchi. Yes very true.
themadscientistskitchen says
Deliciously done tonak Srividhya and yes fresh coconut makes it more awesome.
Srividhya G says
Yes. Thanks
Sowmya:) says
This tonak looks fabulous Vidhya! With so many spices, it would have been so aromatic and flavourful. Bookmarked!
Srividhya G says
Thanks Sowmya.
Srivalli Jetti says
I loved it when I had made a tonak..the masala is so aromatic…very nice one..
Srividhya G says
Oh yeah Valli. Very true.
Gayathri says
This is an absolutely delicious dish and I guess it goes so well with pav.
Srividhya G says
Yes very true.
Sharmila - The Happie Friends Potpourri Corner says
I love the use of white peas and that is one of my favorite . I can happily have this with some puris :)
Srividhya G says
Same here. Thanks Sharmila.
Mayuri Patel says
This pea curry looks so delicious. Just a change of a few ingredients and a whole new dish is created. India has so much to offer cuisine wise.
Srividhya G says
oh yeah.Very true. Thanks Mayuri.
Priya Suresh says
Omg, cant say how much i like dry peas curry, this Chanya tonak will definitely please my tastebuds. Feel like having this goan curry with some rotis.
Srividhya G says
:-) Thanks Priya
Sapana says
I was wondering when you would post tonal recipe. This one looks so delicious with dried white peas.
Srividhya G says
:-) Here it is. Thanks Sapana.