Aloo-matar (potato-peas) kurma

It's been over two months since I tasted the best kurma I've ever had. It was at a dear friend's house and I unfortunately neglected to get the recipe from her mother who had made the dish. I've never been over-keen on kurma, really, but that day at my friend's house changed my mind. It's a wonderful dish if made right - so very nice that I decided I'd give it a go at home.

As always, there are dozens of recipes for kurma lurking on the Internet and as always, I reduced those down to the most basic and simple instructions. The kurma I made was, in my opinion, allright - kind of like the stuff you get in hotels. But not a patch on aunty's as I remember it. I hope to get the original recipe from her (or her daughter!) one of these days! Till then, this will do.

Recipe for: Potato-peas kurma



Ingredients:

1/4 kg baby red potatoes, boiled in their skin and halved
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 large onion - sliced thin
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp poppy seeds, soaked in 1 tbsp hot water for 10 minutes
1/4 cup fresh grated coconut
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 cloves
seeds of one cardamom pod
2 green chillies (or to taste), split
Curry leaves - about 10
large pinch safoetida powder (optional)
2 tsp oil
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnish

Method:

1. Grind the soaked poppy seeds, garlic, 1/2 fennel seeds, cardamom seeds, cloves and coconut to a smooth paste with 2-3 tbsp warm water.

2. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the remaining 1/2 tsp fennel seeds, asafoetida powder if using, the split green chillies and curry leaves, and fry for 30 seconds.

3. Then add the sliced onions and fry for 5 minutes or till the onion starts browning nicely.



4. Add the tomatoes now and let them cook till mushy.





5. Now pour in the ground paste and 1-1/2 cups water and mix well. Bring this mixture to a boil.



6. Add the potatoes and frozen peas to the sauce, as well as salt to taste.



7. Simmer the kurma until it thickens (add a tsp rice flour mixed with 2 tbsp hot water to help this process along). Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with chapaties or rice.