Soak lobia in enough water over night or for at least 2 hours.
Pressure cook it with a cup of water or it can be cooked in any sauce pan with lid. I cooked them in sauce pan. It took around 20 minutes to cook. Keep it aside.
Place a frying pan on medium heat. Add oil to heat up. Add cumin seeds to crackle up then add grated ginger garlic. Saute for a minute till raw aroma goes off.
Add chopped onions and saute for about 3-4 minutes or till they are cooked and change colour to golden brown.
Add tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes to soften them. Then add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and garam masala.
Cook the masala for 1-2 minutes by stirring continously. Once masala starts to come together and oozes out oil in sides it means it is cooke now.
Add cowpeas in the masala along with water in which it is cooked. Mix it to combine with masala.
Add chopped coriander leaves and mix. Add water if required to adjust consistency.
Let it simmer on low heat for 8- 10 minutes. To thicken it mash the lobia little bit. Then switch off the gas.