ALOO MATAR

 ALOO MATAR

Every family has its particular liking for one vegetable or another. These feature fairly often in dishes cooked at home. In our case, potatoes and green peas are universally liked by all my family. I therefore use them quite often in my cooking.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for dishes made with Potatoes, and dishes made with Green Peas, such as:-

• Aloo Parantha
• Dahiwale Aloo
• Peas Masala
• Peas Pulao

Today's recipe is for a dish that is very common all over North India- it is called Aloo Matar after the two main ingredients Potatoes ("Aloo" in Hindi) and Green Peas ("Matar" in Hindi).  I have adapted this from the YouTube video by Chef Anupa  for "Aloo Matar" in Sanjeev Kapoor Khazana.

This yummy easy to make dish goes great with both rice and rotis! 

Ingredients:-

• Potatoes (Aloo), 2-3
• Green Peas, (Matar), 1/2 cup
• Cumin Seeds, (Jeera), 1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp + 1/4 tsp
• Cloves, (Laung) 2
• Green Cardamom, 1
• Cinnamon, 1/2 "
• Black Peppercorns, 4-5
• Onion, medium-sized, 1
• Ginger Garlic Paste, 2 tsp
• Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder, 1 tsp or to taste
• Tomato, medium-sized, 1
• Salt, to taste 
• Oil, 2 tbsp

Method:-

Wash and peel the potatoes and cube them  and keep them immersed in water so that they don't get discoloured

Chop the tomato

Finely chop the onion

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a thick-bottomed kadhai  and on medium heat add 1/2 tsp cumin seeds and when they sizzle add 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder and saute

To this add the cubed potatoes and a little salt and saute

Add water as required and cook covered till the potatoes get done

Heat another pan with 1 tbsp of oil and on medium heat add 1/2 tsp of cumin seeds, cloves, green cardamom, cinnamon, and black peppercorns 

Saute for a few seconds till the spices become aromatic

Now add the finely chopped onion and saute till they become golden brown in colour

Next add the ginger garlic paste and 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, chilli powder, and saute for 1 minute

Add the chopped tomatoes, a little salt and 1/4 cup of water

Mix well

Cover and cook on medium heat till the tomato becomes soft and mushy

Then allow this to cool 

Transfer the tomato-onion mixture to a mixer jar and grind to a smooth paste

Add the ground paste and water from the mixer jar to the cooked potatoes

Mix well and bring to a boil

Add the green peas, cover and cook on medium heat stirring from time to time till the green peas are fully cooked

Check for salt and add if requiredTransfer to a serving bowl

Serve hot with rotis or jeera rice