1/2 lb. dried black-eyed beans, picked over, washed and drained
4 c. water
1/2 lb. mushrooms
6 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. whole cumin seeds
1 stick cinnamon (1 inch in length)
1 whole onion, peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and very finely chopped
2 med. tomatoes, peeled and chopped
2 tsp. ground coriander seeds
1 tsp. ground cumin seeds
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro (fresh parsley may be substituted)

Put the beans and water into a heavy pot and bring to a boil. Cover, turn heat to low and simmer gently for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the pot sit, covered, for 1 hour.

While the pot is resting, cut the mushrooms through their stems into 1/8-inch thick slices.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium high flame. When hot, add the whole cumin seeds and the cinnamon stick. Let them sizzle for 5-6 seconds. Now add the onions and the garlic. Stir and fry until the onion pieces turn brown at the edges. Put in the mushrooms. Stir and fry until the mushrooms wilt. Now put in the tomatoes, ground coriander, ground cumin, turmeric, and cayenne. Stir and cook for a minute. Cover, turn heat to low and let this mixture cook in its own juices for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat under the frying pan.

Bring the beans to a boil again. Cover, turn heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the beans are tender. To this bean and water mixture, add the mushroom mixture, salt, black pepper, and fresh coriander. Stir to mix and bring to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, on medium-low heat for another 30 minutes. Stir occasionally. Remove cinnamon stick before serving. Serves 6.