Right from ghee-laden desserts to piping hot kachoris, we are busy gulping down delicious food items during this time of the year. Right? Some of us even end up gaining some extra kilos in winter. And honestly, sometimes, we don't mind it. Indian cuisine has a variety of flavourful curries to offer. But have you ever tried shahi makhana matar ki sabzi? Yes, as the name suggests, this heavenly curry carries the goodness of green peas, makhana and the richness of cashews. Of course, the traditional masalas add to the taste and overall flavour of the recipe. For the unversed, green peas are loaded with vitamins C, E and zinc and other antioxidants, and makhanas, on the other hand, have a lot of calcium content. So, this delicacy is also extremely healthy. A YouTuber and food blogger who runs the channel by the name “Cook With Parul,” has shared a recipe for shahi makhana matar ki sabzi.
Also read: 5 Ways To Make The Healthy Makhanas An Integral Part Of Your Diet
Ingredients:
Green peas – 1 cup
Lotus seeds (makhanas) – 1.5 cup
Oil – 4 tsp
Ghee – 1 tsp
Bay leaves – 2
Cinnamon stick – 2 pieces
Cloves – 4
Black peppercorns – 4
Cardamom – 4
Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
Chopped onions – 2
Chopped green chilli – 2 to 3
Ginger – 1 inch
Chopped garlic
Chopped tomato – 2
Salt – 1 tsp
Cashew nuts – ¼ cup
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Kashmiri red chili powder - 2 tsp
Kasuri methi - 1 tbsp
Water - 1/2 cup
Milk cream - 2 tbsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Chopped coriander
Here's how you can prepare shahi makhana matar ki sabzi:
Step 1: First, shallow fry the makhanas. This will prevent them from getting soggy in the curry. (Please note, the makhanas cannot be added to the curry directly). Once roasted, empty the makhanas on a plate and let them cool down.
Step 2: Take a separate kadhai and heat the oil along with some ghee in it. Add bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, cloves, black peppercorns, and cardamom. Put cumin seeds and chopped onions. Once they turn golden brown, add chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies. Saute until the onions become translucent. Now, put chopped tomatoes, and salt followed by cashews and cook while keeping the lid covered.
Step 3: Now, take out 65 percent of the preparation into a bowl separately. Leave the rest in the kadhai.
Step 4: Add green peas into the preparation kept in the kadhai. Cook well and add some more cashews.
Step 5: Take a grinding jar and blend the masala you removed separately into a bowl. Prepare a fine paste.
Step 6: Now, add this fine paste to the kadhai and mix well.
Step 6: Time for masalas now. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and Kashmiri red chilli powder. Mix and cook well. Add kasoori methi also. After a minute or so, add some water. Cook it for about 2 minutes.
Step 7: This is the right time to add roasted makhanas. No, you don't have to put makhanas early to prevent them from getting soggy. So, it's better to add them as the last step right before serving.
Step 8: Put some malai or fresh cream on top. Sprinkle some garam masala and garnish it with green coriander leaves.
Will you try this out at home? Do share your experience with us in the comments below.