Description
Kovalam Matar is a flavorful North Indian dish featuring tender green peas cooked in a spiced tomato-onion gravy. This simple yet delicious recipe combines aromatic spices like cumin, turmeric, and garam masala to create a comforting vegetarian meal perfect for serving with rice or Indian breads.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 2 cups green peas
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
Spices & Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- Salt to taste
Others
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Heat oil and cumin seeds: In a pan, warm the oil over medium heat and add the cumin seeds. Allow them to sputter, releasing their aroma for about 30 seconds.
- Sauté onions: Add the chopped onion to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and translucent, which should take about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add ginger-garlic paste: Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for 1 minute to enhance the fragrance and flavor.
- Cook tomatoes with spices: Add chopped tomatoes along with turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt. Cook this mixture until the tomatoes become soft and blend well with the spices, approximately 5 to 6 minutes.
- Add green peas: Stir in the green peas and mix everything thoroughly so the peas are coated with the spiced tomato mixture.
- Simmer with water: Pour in one cup of water, bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, and cook until the peas are tender but not mushy, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Finish with garam masala and serve: Sprinkle garam masala over the dish, stir well, and cook for an additional minute. Serve hot alongside rice or Indian bread.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, you can add a splash of cream or butter at the end of cooking.
- Frozen peas can be used as a substitute for fresh peas if fresh are not available.
- Adjust red chili powder to control the spice level according to your preference.
- This dish pairs wonderfully with plain basmati rice or chapati.
