Green Peas Masala

GREEN PEAS MASALA

THINGS NEEDED:

Mustard seeds
Ginger Garlic - 2 tbsp
Curry leaves - 2 strand
Onion finely chopped  - 1 big
Tomato - 2 finely chopped / pureed

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Coriander - 1 1/2 tsp
Meat / Chicken masala - 1 tsp
Coconut milk cream - 2 tbsp

Green peas - 2 cup


PREPARATION METHOD:

Heat oil. Splutter mustard seeds in it.

Saute ginger garlic in it till light brown.

Add curry leaves & finely chopped onions & some salt. Saute n cook. It should almost turn brown for a better taste.

Add all the masalas in the following order sauting & mixing in between.
First turmeric then chilly powder, coriander & meat masala.

After all masalas are mixed add chopped tomato & cook till it becomes a mushy gravy and oil turns up.

Add peas, some water, salt & cook covered for 5 min.

Stirr in 2 tbsp coconut milk in between & cook till its done.

You can serve this with rice, Chappathi, naan etc.

Mixed vegetable koottu curry

POTATO -CARROT - PEAS Koottu CURRY

This curry is an all rounder . It goes well with rice, appam , chappathi , idiyappam or whatever you have.I learned it from my mom. I used to make it when I dont have many vegetables .Its rich in gravy so you don't need lots of side dishes with this.

So here goes ,
Things needed :
4 medim sized potatoes , cubed
2 carrots , cubed
1 handful peas frozen or fresh
1 green chilly
Curry leaves 1 spring

Grated Coconut or dessicated coconut- 70 gms
Chilly powder -3/4 tbsp
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Meat masala - 1 tsp

1/2 Onion , sliced
Oil - 3 sp

Preparation method :
Peel the potatoes and carrots cut into chunks .Slice the chilly . Add enough water in a pan and cook all vegetables along with the Peas.

While its cooking prepare the coconut curry paste. Roast the coconut until brown & when it is done remove the pan from the heat .add chilly powder and saute for 5 seconds. Grind with coriander powder to make an oily curry paste. Add this to the vegetables , cook until oil separates to the top.
Add meat masala , mix well and let the curry stay in heat for further 3 min.

Heat oil in a pan fry the onions until brown and curry leaves, add these to the curry.
Serve this curry with rice. You can refriegerate the left over for later use .Tastes great even the 2nd or 3rd day.

Peas Capsicum Pulao

PEAS CAPSICUM RICE
It was a usual weekend day, when brother called in short notice that he is coming home . I was bit confused what to make for lunch cuz we were running short of veggies. Then found an almost finished packet of peas in the freezer and 2 capsicums. An idea blinked on mind and thus happened this pulao.Also made a Beef Potato curry to go with it .

This is my entry to Chaitra's Rice feast event . Check out !

Things needed :
Basmati Rice - 1 kg
Peas - 1 big cup
Red Capsicum - 2
Onion - 2 big , sliced
Green chillies - 2 or 3 slit
Ginger - Garlic paste - 2 tbsp
Bay leaves - 3 , broken
Cardamom - 3 , seeds crushed
Cloves - 10
Cinnamon - 4 - 5 small pieces
Mint leaves - 2 spring

Cashew nuts
Raisins
Ghee , vegetable oil
Salt - 3 + 1/2 tsp for rice , 1/2 tsp for capsicum

Preparation method :
Wash & drain the rice.
Heat some Ghee in a deep vessel in which you want to make fried rice.
Fry the nuts , raisins ( ready to take when looks plum) , slit green chillies & Onions in order.
Onion should be well fried and brown . Keep the fried things aside.

Add the Cloves,Cardamom ,Cinnamon sticks in the Ghee.
When the cloves starts to splutter , add the Ginger - Garlic paste and saute.
Now add the peas and drained rice. Add enough water , 3 + 1/2 tsp salt and allow to cook .
Note : Usually the water added is double the measure of rice. But it would be perfect if you add a little bit less than the double measure.
When there is enough steam in the vessel ( water starts dropping from the lid) , lower down the heat and cook the rice in very low temperature . ( I usually turn offs the heat) .

Meantime we can prepare Capsicum . Heat Ghee ( you can also use vege. oil) in a nonstick pan. Add Capsicum and saute until it is slightly soft . Season with salt and keep aside.

When the rice is done check with a fork to see if the water has been absorbed .
Then toss in the Capsicum , Fried onions, nuts , raisins and chopped Mint leaves . Mix with the fork. Close the lid and keep for 5 min. Peas - Capsicum pulao is ready now .
Serve with a Yogurt- onion- tomato salad and papad.
I served it with salad and Beef Potato curry.

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Paneer Mattar Masala

Paneer Mattar Masala Recipe

PANEER MATTAR MASALA

Things needed :

Peas 1 cup - 200 gm
Cottage Cheese or Paneer - 1 pack , 200 gm
Onion 1 - 180 gm , chopped
Tomato 2 - 180 gm , chopped
Green chillies - 3 , chopped
Ginger chopped - 1/2 tbsp
Garlic chopped - 1 tbsp
Cashew nuts - 2 tbsp

Red chilly powder - 1 tbsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tbsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt - 2 1/2 tsp
Oil.

Preparation method :

Allow the Cashews to soak in water , to make a paste later.

Heat oil. Add ginger garlic chopped , allow to be light brown.
Add chopped onions & 1 tsp salt . Saute until transparent and soft.
Add chopped tomatoes. Saute and cook until mashed.
Allow to cool the mixture for a while. Then blend to a smooth paste .
Pour the paste back to the pan. Make a paste of the cashews and add to this.
Add Chilly powder, Coriander powder,Turmeric & cumin powder now. Add 1 cup water and let it boil for 5 min.
Tip: Use a pot with a closing lid. When the gravy boils it spatters outside, so better cook with closing lid.
Add the Peas now. Allow it to cook well and the oil separates to the top. Check for salt.
Add garam masala , keep for further 1 min.
Then add finally cut Cottage Cheese pieces.

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Carrot Peas pulao

Carrot Peas pulao Recipe

CARROT - PEAS PULAO

Things needed :

Basmati rice - 500 gm
Peas - 2 cups (225 gm)
Carrot -2 (200 gm)
Ginger Garlic chopped - 2sp (1sp from each)
Green chillies - 3 slit
Spices - Cinnamon 3 small sticks , Cloves 7 , Cardamom 3 crushed , Bay leaves 2 broken
Nuts & Raisins

for topping,
Onion - 1 thinly sliced (about 175 gm)
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Ghee (clarified butter)
Salt


Preparation method :

Soak the basmati rice & keep aside.

Heat Ghee in a deep vessel . Roast nuts . Keep aside.
Fry sliced Onions. Keep aside.

Add cinnamon,cloves,cardamom , bay leaves into the Ghee .
When the cloves stars to splutter, add the ginger-garlic chopped & green chillies. Fry till the rawness goes.

Add the cut carrots & saute for 2 min. ...so that it wont mash after cooked
( Adding the carrots earlier with the rice will give a slight color to the rice .Thats why I prefer to add now.You can also cook the carrots later with Peas & add all with the rice.)

Add the soaked , drained clean rice to the vessel.

Add water double the quantity of the rice. For me it was 4 glasses.

Add salt. Allow to cook , closing the lid.

Cook the Peas separately adding small quantity of water and a pinch of salt. Peas only need some water to cook .
(The Peas are not cooked with rice in order to avoid spreading the taste of peas into the rice.So its added only in the last mixing time.)

After the rice has finished cooking , take a handful of rice from it.
In an empty pan or vessel ( i used the one in which i used for cooking Peas ) pour 1 sp oil or ghee add 1/2 levelled tsp turmeric & fry it in oil until the rawness goes . Then add the rice into it . Mix well. The colorful rice is ready.

Now add the cooked Peas, colored rice , fried onions, roasted nuts & raisins to the cooked rice and mix using a fork.

Serve with a salad , pappad whatever you like to have with it.

I made it on a holiday so got enough time to make a Beef fry to go with it :)