Making ‘No Onions, No Garlic’ recipes used to be a nightmare earlier, but these days I am finding them a lot easier to cook recipes without onions. When Thinking of making a subzi under the theme of gourmet subzi with smooth gravy, I came across this Shahi Aloo Matar recipe from Valli’s space. She had made this with just potatoes, but I had some peas in the freezer, so thought of making it with peas.
Why Potatoes and Peas -
Aloo Matar / Potatoes and Peas is a classic combination when comes to subzi. One of our ever-favorite Aloo matar is the ‘Benarasi Aloo Matar’ which also happens to be a ‘no onion, no garlic’ recipe. Making more and more dishes without onions is working out great for fasting days or Navarathri time when I try to avoid onions and garlic. Earlier I used to resort to making just South Indian recipes, but after getting to know many similar recipes without onion, I have the ease of making rotis as well. This recipe is quite rich and creamy as it has cashews and milk. The acidity from the tomatoes is well balanced by the cashews and milk. It was super quick to make and we can use the same recipe to make cauliflower, paneer, bell pepper, and many similar vegetables. We can also use a bit of all the vegetables and make it into a mixed vegetable dish. Preparation time – 15 minutesCooking time – 40 minutesDifficulty level – easyRecipe adapted from – Spice your Life Chura Matar / Flattened rice with Green peas Green Peas Pilaf / Matar Pulao Matar Kachori / Kachori stuffed with green peas Benarasi Aloo Matar / Potato and Green peas curry Matar Paneer / Paneer and Green Peas Curry Matar Tofu / Tofu and green peas Subzi
Procedure to make Shahi Aloo Matar –
Soak the cashew nuts in warm water for a few minutes and grind it into a smooth paste and keep it aside. Grind the tomatoes into puree and keep it aside.
Masala Paste - Add all the dry ingredients mentioned in the list to the small jar of the blender and grind to a coarse powder. Now add the yogurt and grind again to make a smooth mixture. Keep this aside as well.
Peel the potatoes and cut them into bite-size cubes. Add the potato cubes to boiling water and cook until they are fork-tender. Do not overcook the potatoes.
When the potatoes are almost cooked, add the frozen peas to the water as well to cook for a couple of minutes. Drain the vegetables and keep them ready.
In a pan, heat the oil/butter and add the cumin seeds and the bay leaf. When the cumin seeds crackle, add the ground masala mixture and cook until the raw smell disappears. This might take about 5 to 6 minutes in medium flame.
Now add the pureed tomatoes and cook for about 7 to 8 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked. The mixture will splatter all over when cooking, so keep the pan covered when cooking.
Add the spice powders; chili powder, turmeric powder, dhania-jeera powder, garam masala, and salt. Mix well and cook until the oil separates from the masala. This will take a good 10 minutes in medium flame.
Next, add the cooked potatoes and peas and coat with the masala.
Add the cashew nut paste and the milk and mix well. Adjust the consistency of the subzi by adding water if needed.
Cover the pan and simmer for about 10 minutes for the flavors to combine.
Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with roti, chapathi, or rice.
Flatbreads That Pair Well With This Subzi
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