Whole Yellow Peas Curry

A gratifying, heart-warming curry made with whole yellow peas.

Cooked yellow peas has a mild, natural flavor & aroma by itself. Also, the spices (whole masala) that we add to the recipe help transform these lentils into a tasty, satisfying curry. Perfect and comforting accompaniment for rice/roti.

Note: Yellow peas has a tendency to mash up if you pressure cook it for long time / for more than 2 whistles. So, keep an eye on that!

Health Benefits

Yellow peas, a small but nutritionally mighty member of the legume family, is a very good source of fiber that helps in managing cholesterol and blood-sugar disorders. Their high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal. High in protein, iron, vitamin, minerals and more - all with virtually no fat!!

Basic Info

Complexity - Medium
Prep time - 6-8 hrs (includes soaking time)
Cook time - 30 - 45 mins
Serves - 3-4

Ingredients
Whole yellow peas - 1 cup (heaped)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Vegetables
Onion - 1 no (Medium sized, chopped finely)
Green chillies - 2 nos (slit vertically)
Ginger - 1 inch (grated)
Potatoes - 3 nos (chopped into 1 inch cubes)
Tomatoes - 2 nos (chopped into small pieces)

Whole Masala
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Bay leaf - 1 no
Cinnamon stick - 1 inch
Cloves - 2 nos
Cardamom - 1 no

Spice powder
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Channa masala - 1 tsp (replace it with garam masala)

Garnish
Mint leaves - 1/2 tbsp (finely chopped)
Cilantro - 1/2 tbsp (finely chopped)
Lime juice - from 1 small lime

Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste

Method

Wash and soak yellow peas in cold water for 6-8 hours, preferably overnight until it doubles in volume.

Pressure cook soaked peas with turmeric powder and a tsp of salt in 4 cups of water for 1-2 whistles and let it cool. Drain and reserve about a cup of cooked water.

In a saucepan, heat 2 tbsp of oil. When hot, fry all the items under "whole masala".

Add onion, ginger, green chilli and saute until onion turns translucent. Add potatoes, salt (remember that we have pressure cooked peas with salt, so add salt only for potatoes here) & all the ingredients under "spice powder" and give it a good mix. Cover and cook for 5-7 mins until all the potatoes are cooked & done (but not mushy). Add tomatoes, mix well and cook for another 5 mins until the raw smell of tomatoes are gone. 

Finally, add the cooked lentils, mix well, adjust salt and let it cook together for 2-3 mins. Add water/cooked water (if required) to adjust it to the required consistency. Add lime juice and mix well.

Garnish with mint leaves, cilantro, and serve it hot with rotis/rice.