BABYCORN N PEAS IN CAPSICUM CURRY

                                        BABYCORN N PEAS IN CAPSICUM CURRY

I love CAPSICUM..(how many of u does?)..capsicum whatsoever holds a special place in ma kitchen..they go well with any dishes..be it a WESTERN FOOD OR INDIAN..they can be eaten in salads,sanwiches,currys,gravys and so on.Well, this time i wanted the capsicum to lose its crunch and go behind the scenes..yes i wanted it to go hidden in the gravy..So i developed this recipe with a slight north and south indian flavours.Try it, u will love it..

INGREDIENTS:

• Dried or fresh peas                     -          1cup

                                                                       if using dried peas,soak them overnight.but fresh peas                                                                           always tastes better..

• Babycorns                                -          6 nos (peeled and cut into circles)
• capsicum                                  -          1 large
• onion                                        -          1 large
• tomato                                      -          1 large
• cardamom                                -           1
• cinnamon                                 -           an inch piece
• fennel seeds                             -           1 teaspoon
• cloves                                      -           2 nos
• oil                                            -           2 tablespoons
• jeera                                        -            1 tablespoon
• red chilli powder                    -             1 teaspoon
• turmeric powder                    -              half teaspoon
• garam masala powder           -              half teaspoon
• coriander powder                   -             2 teaspoons
• Salt                                         -             to taste

kasuri methi/dried fenugreek            -            1 tablespoon crushed

 leaves 

water                                                 -            1 n a half cups

METHOD

• Soak the dried peas overnight.If using fresh peas ,soaking not required.
• boil the peas and babycorns in a pressure cooker with 1 n a half cups of water.Cokok till one whistle.Turn off flame .Drain and keep aside.Do not discard the water.i have used dried peas here as i made this dish out of season..else i would opt only for fresh peas.

• IN a pan ,heat oil and temper fennel seeds,cloves,cinnamon,cardamom.
• Add the onions and tomatoes and fry till the raw smell leaves.

• Turn off and let it cool.
• In the mean time, show the capsicum over direct flame as shown in the pic below.

• Keep rotating the capsicum till it produces black spots like the below pics..am using hands here.But i warn u to use thongs to hold the capsicum over direct flame..obviously it is dangerous to hold with bare hands :P

• let it cool.start to peel the skin of the capsicum as shown below..it should be still warm for the skin to peel off easily.

• When the onion tomato mix has cooled, blend them in a mixer to a fine paste

• Now heat a tablespoon of oil in the same pan.Splutter jeera and add the ground paste to it.
• saute it for a minute.
• now add all the spice powders.Mis well.Saute for another minute.
• Add the boiled peas and babycorns.
• Add the reserved water from boiling peas and babycorns.
• add the required salt.let it become thick .

• Crush the kasuri methi leaves with your fingers roughly.Add it to the thickened gravy and mix well..switch of the flame .
• this gravy can be served with rotis,chapathis,pooris