Restaurant style green peas masala (Serves 4)

An all time favorite dish which goes so well with any North and South Indian main course..We enjoy this best with rotis and appams and idiyappams. Here is our take on this simple yet delicious restaurant style green peas masala...

Dried green peas/pacha pattani 1 cup, soaked for atleast 6 hours
Red onions 1 medium, finely sliced,1 medium, finely chopped
Green chilly 2 nos
Ginger 1’ piece
Garlic 2 pods
Tomato puree from 1 medium tomato
Red chilly powder 1 tsp
Garam masala 1 tsp
Sugar a pinch
Salt as needed
Water ½ cup to 1 cup
Curry leaves a few
Oil 2 tsp + 1 tsp
Butter ½ tsp
Almond paste 1 TBSP (soak almonds for 30 minutes and grind to a smooth paste)

Preparation

In a pressure cooker, cook the soaked green peas to 2 whistles, allow the pressure to release itself. Open and drain the cooked peas and set aside.

Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan and sauté the onions till golden brown in color. Allow to cool. Grind this to a smooth paste. Mix this paste with 1 TBSP almond paste and set aside.

Grind the ginger, garlic and green chilly to a fine paste. Puree the tomato.

In another pan, heat 1 tsp oil, add the garam masala and cook for 30 seconds. Follow up with chopped onions and fry until they turn brown. Add ginger-garlic-green chilly paste and sauté till the raw smell goes off. Pour the tomato puree and cook for 4-5 minutes at medium heat. Now add the ground onion paste, mix well and cook until oil starts to separate. Next add the red chilly powder, salt and sugar. Give a good mix and add water. Mix well and add the cooked green peas. Cook this for 5-10 minutes. Throw in curry leaves and butter, remove from fire.

Cheers!!!
Suji