Green Peas Curry
Total cooking time | 45 minutes |
Level | Intermediate |
Green peas curry is a delectable and nutritious dish that holds a special place in the culinary world. Bursting with flavors, this vibrant curry offers a delightful blend of aromatic spices, tender green peas, and a rich, creamy gravy. As a home maker, learning how to prepare this mouthwatering curry will not only add a new dimension to your culinary skills but also bring joy to your loved ones’ palates. This comprehensive guide aims to walk you through the step-by-step process of preparing green peas curry, exploring various recipes, variations, and serving suggestions.
Green peas, like many other dried legumes, can benefit from soaking before cooking for several reasons. Soaking green peas in water helps soften their texture and rehydrate them. This process reduces the cooking time and ensures that the peas cook evenly. When dried, peas lose moisture, and soaking them helps restore the moisture content, resulting in tender and plump peas. Soaking green peas can also improve the bioavailability of certain nutrients. Legumes contain phytic acid, which can bind to minerals like iron, zinc, and calcium, inhibiting their absorption by the body. Soaking helps to neutralize phytic acid, making these nutrients more accessible for absorption during digestion.
Methods of Soaking Green Peas: There are two common methods for soaking green peas:
Overnight Soaking: Place the green peas in a bowl or container and cover them with enough water. Allow them to soak overnight, ideally for 8 to 12 hours. This method ensures thorough hydration and softening of the peas.
Quick Soaking: If you don’t have enough time for overnight soaking, you can use the quick soaking method. Place the green peas in a pot, cover them with water, and bring it to a boil. Let it boil for 2 minutes, then remove the pot from heat and let the peas soak for about 1 hour. Drain and rinse the peas before cooking.
Before diving into the recipe, it’s important to understand the essence of green peas curry. Green peas, known for their natural sweetness and vibrant color, serve as the star ingredient in this dish. They are often combined with a medley of spices and herbs to create a harmonious balance of flavors. The base of the curry is typically made with onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and spices such as cumin, coriander, turmeric, and garam masala.
Serving Suggestions : Green peas curry pairs well with various accompaniments, allowing you to create a complete and satisfying meal. Here are some serving suggestions:
Rice: Serve the curry with steamed basmati rice or jeera rice for a classic and comforting combination.
Roti/Naan: Enjoy the curry with soft and fluffy Indian bread like roti or naan.
Paratha: Serve the curry with flaky and layered parathas for a delightful treat.
Bread: Make a green peas curry sandwich by spreading the curry between slices of toasted bread.
Now, let’s explore a classic green peas curry recipe that you can easily prepare at home:
Ingredients
Green peas, soaked overnight in water – 1 cup
Cumin seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
Sliced onions, medium sized – 2
Chopped tomato – 1
Chopped ginger – 1 inch piece
Chopped garlic – 6 pods
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Green chilli – 1
Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon
Coriander powder – 1 tablespoon
Kashmiri chilli powder – 1 teaspoon
Garam masala – 1 teaspoon
Salt – 1.5 teaspoon
Oil – 2 teaspoon
Hot water – 2 cups
Coriander leaves chopped, to garnish – 2 tablespoon
Method of preparation
Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add cumin seeds.
Then add chopped ginger, garlic and green chilli.
As the raw smell goes off, add chopped onions to the pressure cooker.
Add salt and sauté till the color of onion changes to golden brown.
Now add chopped tomatoes and cook till they becomes soft and mushy.
Add turmeric powder, Kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala.
Keep the stove in low flame, to avoid the powders getting burnt.
Add 2 cup of hot water and allow the water to boil.
When the water starts boiling, add soaked green peas to the pressure cooker.
Adjust the salt and add 1/2 teaspoon more, based on your taste preference.
Add soaked green peas to the pressure cooker.
Close with lid, put on whistle. Pressure cook for 2 whistles in medium flame.(Number of whistles may vary based on the green peas and pressure cooker size)
Allow the pressure to release naturally.
Open the lid and allow the curry to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes,
Garnish the green peas curry with coriander leaves.
Tasty green peas curry is ready to serve along with kallappam, roti, naan, chapati, rice, etc.