Peas in a pot: Get creative with these humble green winter legumes in the kitchen

It's that time of the year when vegetable markets in the city sports many shades of green. Among winter produce easily available in India, spinach may be the most popular but the humble green peas can hardly be ignored. While frozen peas have been stealing their thunder for a while, they are unable to match the tender, crisp juiciness of fresh peas, as cooking enthusiasts would attest. While the cumbersome task of shelling peas keeps the ingredient from being a crowd favourite, getting past that layer of cooking is certainly worth it, say three city chefs who explore the ingredient differently in traditional Indian dishes as well as western dishes. They include peas and truffle korma, the evergreen Indian favourite chaat and a delicious risotto too.

Matar and truffle korma by Chef Sarfaraz Ahmed. Photo Courtesy: Tresind Mumbai

Matar and truffle korma by Chef Sarfaraz Ahmed at Trèsind Mumbai, Bandra Kurla Complex
Matar korma tends to dominate Indian dining tables at least once during the winter season, if not throughout the year. City-based chef Ahmed says peas are particularly one of his favourite winter ingredients, and he is experimenting with them along with others such as turnip, colocasia root, baby carrots, beetroot, mushrooms and spinach. Dairy also forms an important part of this seasonal menu. Adding a unique twist to the traditional dish with truffle, he says, "Truffle tastes best when paired with fats that is why we stuff our galette with cheese to compliment and combine the overall flavour of the dish." The fact that green peas have both sweet and savoury notes, says Ahmed, means that cheese blends well with both of them. For those who have time on their hands and want to try something innovative, here is something you should definitely attempt.

Ingredients:

Green peas galette
Green peas - 200 gms, Amul ghee - 20 ml, cumin seeds - 1 tsp, turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp, salt to taste, garam masala - 1/2 tsp, chaat masala - 1 tsp, yellow chilli powder - 1/2 tsp, kitchen king masala - 1 tsp, kasturi methi - 1/2 tsp, coriander powder - 1 tsp, potato (boiled) - 1 small, coriander (fresh) - 20 gms, fresh green chillies - 10 gms, ginger (chopped) - 10 gms, roasted Lijjat papad for coating - 5 pieces, Amul cheese (grated) - 30 gms, flour - 50 gms, oil (refined) - 500 ml.

Korma
Oil - 200 ml, onion (chopped) - 100 gms, tomato (chopped) - 125 gms, ginger garlic paste - 25 gms, cashew nut paste - 80 gms, turmeric - 1 tsp, deggi mirch - 1/2 tsp, yellow chilli powder - 1/2 tsp, salt to taste, cream - 25 ml, butter - 20 gm, coriander powder - 1 tsp, green cardamom powder - a pinch, garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp, truffle oil - 1 tsp

Method:

Green peas galette:
1. In a bowl, remove all peas and wash thoroughly.
2. In a pan, add ghee and bring to heat.
3. Add cumin seeds, ginger and sauté well.
4. Once it gets sauteed, add the green peas and sauté till cooked.
5. In a mixer, add peas, boiled potato and blend to rough paste.
6. In the grated cheese add freshly chopped coriander to it.
7. Shape the green pea potato mixture into balls and keep aside.
8. Take a little bit of the grated cheese mixture and stuff the balls.
9. Make a thin batter of flour and water and coat each ball with batter. Crush the papad to almost a fine powder and coat the balls evenly.
10. Take each green pea ball and shape it to a flatten disc.
11. Keep aside for frying.

Korma
1. Heat oil in a skillet. Add the chopped onions and sauté till light brown in colour.
2. Add ginger garlic paste, chopped tomato and cook till tomatoes are well cooked.
3. Add turmeric powder, yellow chilli powder, deggi mirch, salt and coriander powder. Cook till the oil separates.
4. Add cashew paste and cook well until it thickens to a coating consistency.
5. Cool down and blend the gravy to a smooth finish.
6. Reheat the blended gravy and add a pinch of cardamom powder, cream, butter and truffle oil.

For plating:
1. Fry the discs to a golden color on medium heat.
2. Put the gravy in a serving bowl.
3. Place the fried galette or disc on top, garnished with edible flowers and red chillies-spiced onions.

Hare Matar ki Tikki Chaat by chef Ranveer Brar. Photo Courtesy: Ranveer Brar

Hare Matar ki Tikki Chaat by Chef Ranveer Brar
It is a given that Indians can eat street food such as chaat throughout the year. The crunch along with the sweet, salty and sour taste from the different ingredients produce a burst of flavours that lingers long enough for it to be savoured in the right manner. Celebrity chef Ranveer Brar gives a seasonal twist to the classic varieties of chaat by adding green peas to them. If you don't want to spend too much time making an elaborate dish, this may just help reignite the essence of eating at the roadside stall--a precious experience in the pandemic times when the virus discourages many from the street-side indulgence.

Ingredients:

For Hare matar ki tikki:
Ghee - 3-4 tbsp, ginger (chopped) - 1-inch, fresh green chillies (chopped) - 3 nos, fresh green peas - 2 1/2 cups, asafoetida - 1/2 tsp, chaat masala -1/2 tsp, dried mango powder - 1/2 tsp, coriander and mint leaves - 2 tbsp, ghee for frying.

For chaat masala
Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp, cumin seeds - 2 tbsp, fennel seeds - 1 tbsp, black pepper corns - 2 tbsp, dry red chillies - 2 nos, salt - 1 tsp, Curd (beaten) - 1 cup, tamarind chutney, green chutney, red chillies (sliced) - depends on spice tolerance, sev for garnishing.

Method:

For chaat masala
1. In a pan, add coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, black peppercorns, dry red chillies and salt to taste.
2. Dry roast the spices on medium flame. Once it cools down, transfer it into a grinder and grind it coarsely. Keep it aside for future use.

For Hare matar ki tikki:
1. In a kadai or handi, add ghee. Once it's hot, add ginger, green chillies, green peas, asafoetida and sauté on medium flame.
2. Cover it with the lid and cook for 10 minutes.
3. Once the green peas are cooked with the help of a back of a spoon, mash it properly.
4. Transfer it into a bowl and let it cool down.
5. Add prepared chaat masala, dry mango powder, coriander mint leaves and mix everything well.
6. Take some portion from the mixture and shape it like a tikki. Repeat this process for all others.
7. In a pan, heat ghee and fry the tikkis in hot ghee on medium heat until golden brown and crispy on both sides.
8. Remove it in absorbent paper.
9. Garnish it with curd, tamarind chutney, green chutney, red chilli, sev, coriander sprig.
10. Serve hot.

Green peas risotto by Chef Rajesh Malik, Out of the Blue, Khar (West)
City-based executive chef Malik believes it is important to use seasonal produce before the season ends but if used beyond, it needs to be stored well for future use. While using green peas in dishes, Malik says the challenge is in maintaining the bright green colour and the sweet taste. "The pods need to be crisp to ensure you get best quality peas in the pod," he says. Experimenting with green peas in Indian food is still familiar territory but those who want to go beyond the usual suspects, the classic Italian risotto can be a good place to start.

Ingredients:
Butter - 2 tbsp, onions (chopped) - 1 tbsp, garlic (chopped) - 1 tsp, cooked half-done risotto (rice) - 1/2 cup, veg stock - 2 tbsp, white wine - 1/4 cup, green pea puree - 1/4 cup, salt and pepper to taste, parmesan cheese - 2 tbsp, cooking cream - 1 tbsp, basil leaf chiffon - 1 pinch, crispy green peas for garnish.

Method:
1. In a thick bottom pan on low flame, melt butter followed by chopped garlic and onion and sauté.
2. Add half cooked risotto rice followed by veg stock and wine to it.
3. Cook for 10 minutes and then add green peas puree to it.
4. Cook further for 7 minutes and then add cream to adjust the seasoning.
5. Switch off the gas and remove the pan from the cooking range and garnish with crispy green peas and basil leaves.

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