Today I am sharing my amma signature recipe of Green Peas Korma which is very close to my heart. My mom makes this pattani kurma at least once a month as side dish for chapathi, phulka and also it tastes good with dosa. I prefer to use frozen peas, you can also substitute it with fresh or dries peas along with potato or any other vegetable of your choice. Coconut, cashews, yogurt along with other aromatic spices are used for this kurma. Addition of mint gives a nice flavor to the dish. You can also make kurma as a side dish for pulao. Try this green peas curry and let me know how it turned out.


   Ingredients

          3/4 Cup of Green Peas, Frozen or Fresh
          1 Big Red Onion, Finely Chopped
          2 Medium Size Tomatoes, Finely Chopped
          1/2 Tsp of Garam Masala
          1/2 Tsp of Turmeric Powder
          1 Tbsp of Yogurt(Curd)
          1/4 Cup of Milk (2%)
          Salt to taste
          Water as needed

   To Grind

          1 Tbsp of Dry Dessicated Coconut or Fresh Grated Coconut
          1 Inch Size of Ginger
          3 Big Garlic Cloves
          1/4 Tsp of Cumin Seeds
          3 Green Chilies
          6 Cashew Nuts
          7 Mint Leaves
          1 Small Size Cinnamon Stick

    To Temper

           2 Tsp of Cooking Oil
           1 Medium Size Cinnamon Stick
           1/4 Tsp of Fennel Seeds
           1 Sprig of Curry Leaves
           
           
    Method

• In a blender(mixie), add all the ingredients listed under “To Grind” List, grind it to a smooth mixture.
• Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add fennel seeds, cinnamon stick and curry leaves, after they sizzle, add chopped onion and little salt, fry this for few mins until they turn golden color.
• Add chopped tomatoes, fry this until they turn soft and mushy. 
• Add garam masala, turmeric powder and ground paste, fry this for few mins until raw smell vanishes. 
• Add little yogurt and green peas, mix well with the masala. Add enough water and milk, check the salt, close the lid and cook it for 2 whistles. Turn off the flame.
• Finally garnish it with chopped cilantro. Flavorful green peas korma is ready to serve with hot chapathi or phulka.

   
   Tips

• If you are using fresh green peas, steam it or pressure cook it for 3 whistles until they turn soft, then follow the recipe.
• You can also add few drops of lemon juice after pressure cooking for more tangy taste.
• If you don’t like fennel seeds, just do the tempering with cinnamon and curry leaves.
• Addition of cashews gives a nice taste to the korma.
• Mint adds a flavor to the kurma.
• If you don’t have green peas, use any vegetables of your choice by following the same recipe.

   Health Benefits of Peas

• They are low in fat.
• Prevents stomach cancer.
• Anti-aging, strong immune system and energy.
• Prevention of wrinkles.
• Regulates blood sugar levels.

     Tags : Greenpeas Korma, Greenpeas Kurma, Pattani Kurma, Pachai Pattani korma, how to make kurma, greenpeas recipe, greenpeas sidedish, sidedishforchapathi, kurmarecipe

Basundi recipe is an Indian dessert popular in Maharashtra and Gujarat. It is a calorie rich, scrumptious dessert prepared by simmering the milk for a long time until it reduced to half of its volume, finally flavored with saffron, almonds and pistachios. This is one of my top favorite sweet. I used to eat a lot in my college days as my father used to get me kesar basundi every week from Agarwal sweets. My husband has not tasted it before so I made this easy and tasty basundi recipe  for diwali. Addition of almonds and pistachios to basundi recipe adds a nice crunch to this creamy dessert. Saffron imparts color and flavor to the dish. When you make basundi , always scrap the sides of vessel while cooking, as that will make the basundi thick and imparts creamy texture. It is served as a dessert or sweet accompaniment in lunch or during any Indian festivals like diwali. Also it tastes great with gulab jamun or hot malpuas.

Ingredients

3 Cups of Milk (2 % or Full Fat)
3-4 Tbsp of White Sugar
20 Saffron Strands
10 Almonds, Chopped
10 Cashews, Chopped
10 Pistachios, Chopped
Pinch Of Nutmeg Powder
3 Cardamom, Powdered
1 Tsp of Ghee (Melted Butter), Optional

    To Garnish

Method   

• Chop the almonds, cashews and pistachios . Powder the cardamom with mortar and pestle.
• Soak the saffron in 2 tsp of warm milk and keep this aside.
• Take a heavy bottomed vessel, add the milk, bring the milk to boil and reduce the flame, cook on the slow flame, till the volume is reduced to half of its volume. Keep on stirring and continuously scrap the sides and bottom of the pan, otherwise the milk would get stick to the bottom.
• Once the milk reduced to half of its volume, this would take 30 mins,  add all the chopped nuts(almonds, cashews and pistachios), nutmeg powder, cardamom powder and saffron cook this for another 15-20 mins in a slow flame, keep on stirring, otherwise you would get burnt flavor.
• After the milk thickened and got a nice flaky layer of cream on top, add sugar and mix well, cook for another 10 mins and turn off the flame.
• Serve warm or chilled garnished with almonds and pistachios .
• I love chilled basundi as it tastes divine and it thickens more when it is chilled.

Tips

• Adjust the amount of sugar according to your taste.
• You can also use evaporated or condensed milk in place of full cream or 2% milk.
• You can also make flavored basundi by the addition of strawberry or oranges after step 3, to make strawberry basundi or orange basundi respectively.
• Addition of nutmeg powder is for easy digestion.
• If you use condensed milk or evaporated milk, do not add sugar to it.
• Addition of saffron gives a nice color and flavor.
• Always use heavy bottomed pan to make it otherwise milk will burn and stick to the pan.
• When you keep basundi in fridge, make sure the consistency is thin and otherwise it would turn thick on next day.