Green Peas Masala

Overview
This is a delicious curry my mom used to make for us with chapati and puri. This dish is made with dried green peas. We need to soak the green peas for at least four hours before cooking the green peas. Tomatoes mixed with the spices and green peas makes a delicious gravy for this curry.

Green Peas Masala

Green Peas Masala Ingredients

Ingredients
Dried green peas - 1 cup
Finely chopped onions - 1 cup
Finely chopped plum tomatoes - 1 cup
Finely chopped garlic - 2 tablespoons
Finely chopped ginger - 2 table spoons
Finely chopped cilantro leaves - 1/4 cup
Whole coriander seeds - 3 tablespoons
Whole red chili - 3 - 5
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Whole black pepper - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Oil - 3 tablespoons
Garam Masala
Cinnamon - 2 inch piece stick
Cardamom - 2
Cloves  - 3
Star anise - 1
Fennel seeds - 1 tablespoon

Steps
1. Soak the green peas in plenty of water overnight. Cook in pressure cooker with 2 cups of water and cook till it is well done.
2. Dry roast all the spices(coriander seeds, whole red chillies, cumin seeds and whole black pepper seeds) in a pan one at a time and keep aside. Dry roast the ingredients in the garam masala list and keep aside. Grind all these spices to a smooth powder and keep aside.
3. Heat oil in heavy bottom pan. When the oil gets hot had the finely chopped onions, garlic and ginger. Saute well till the onions turn light brown. Add turmeric and all ground spices to this and mix well for few minutes till the spices are browned. Add the finely chopped tomatoes to this with little salt and mix well.
4. Cover lid and cook tomatoes on a low flame till it is well done. Mix the cooked green peas to this  and mix well and enough hot water if gravy is too thick. Add salt as needed and bring this mixture to boil. Simmer few minutes. Turn off heat.  Add the finely chopped cilantro to this and mix well.

Serve hot with Chapati, Puri or Nann.