KHOA MAKHANA MATAR

Sweet green peas get to star in another show here other than the regular Matar Paneer! My talented friend Mita Saxena made this vegetable once and it has been one of my favorites ever since! I had never eaten lotus seeds (fox nuts) before and was bowled over by its unique texture and taste. I find excuses to use it in different preparations periodically.

INGREDIENTS

Fresh/frozen green peas, Lotus seeds, Khoa (mava, kova, khoya), Ghee, Cumin seeds, Bay leaves, Green cardamoms, Onions, Fresh ginger, Garlic, Tomatoes, Turmeric, Red chili powder, Coriander-Cumin  powder, Garam masala.

RECIPE

1. Thaw 1 cup of frozen peas. If using fresh peas, cook till they are soft but firm. Drain off all the water and keep aside.
2. Grate/crumble 3/4 cup of khoa.
3. Grind 1 big onion + 2″ piece of ginger +2 garlic pods to a fine paste with very little water.
4. Blend 4 medium size tomatoes.
5.  Heat 1 tsp of ghee in a pan and add 1 cup of lotus seeds and lightly saute on low  heat for 2 minutes, remove from heat and keep aside.
6. Heat 1 tsp of ghee again in the pan and add 3/4 cup of grated khoa. Ensure that the heat is very low so that the khoa does not burn. Saute quickly for a minute, remove from the pan and keep aside.
7. Heat 3 tbsp of oil in the pan and add 2 tsp of cumin seeds.
8. When the seeds begin to splutter, add 3 bay leaves, 3 crushed green cardamom pods and saute lightly.
9. Add the ground onion/ginger/garlic to the pan, reduce the heat and saute quickly for about 4-5 minutes till the paste turns a golden brown. Cover the pan and allow to cook for a minute.
10. Add the blended tomatoes to the mix.
11. Add 1 tsp of turmeric powder + 2 tbsp of red chili powder + 3 tsp of coriander-cumin powder and salt to taste. Mix everything well, cover the pan and cook for 7-8 minutes till the oil separates from the masalas.
12. Add the khoa and the green peas, mix well, and allow to cook for another couple of minutes.
13. Add the lotus seeds and 1 cup of water. Adjust the consistency, and allow the vegetables to all meld together for about 5 minutes.
14. Add 2 tsp of garam masala and mix well.
15. Garnish with generous amount of finely chopped fresh coriander.
16. Serve piping hot with pooris or naans or paratha!