Green Pea Green Kurma

Green Pea is a favourite at home: be it in curries, biryani or the roasted ones as a snack. I used dried peas for this kurma but wanted to give a green colour by adding some green bell peppers. The addition of coconut however has given a lighter colour to the kurma. Tastes good with chapati or hoppers.

Usually dried green peas turn mushy when pressure cooked. This time I adjusted the soaking time (6 hours)

and reduced the pressure cooking time to just half the usual one (three whistle) and boiled the peas with salt. The peas were cooked but still hard. The rest of the cooking was done along with the masala and then it turned to have a soft texture while not losing its shape.

the recipe

Boiled green peas - 1 1/2 cup

ingredients to be ground to a paste

Onion - 1

Green Bell Pepper - 1 medium sized

Green chilly - 1 or 2

Garlic - 6 cloves

Ginger - 1/4 tsp

Cloves - 3 or 4  small

Cinnamon - 1/2 inch piece

ingredients for the coconut mixture

Coconut, grated - 5 tbsp

Fennel seeds - 1/2 - 3/4 tsp (soak for 5 minutes)

Cumin - two pinch
Poppy seeds - 1/2 tsp (soak for 10 tminutes)

other ingredients 

Salt to taste

Oil - 1 tsp + 1 tbsp

Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp

the method

Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan and saute the ingredients to be ground to a paste for one minute. Grind it to a paste.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add the cooked peas without water. Saute for two minutes. Add the onion mixture and cook for another two minutes. Pour the water from the cooked peas. Grind the coconut with fennel, cumin and poppy seeds to a smooth paste. Add it to the peas. Add pepper powder. Cook till the kurma gains preferred consistency.