Aloo Matar Ki Subji, Restaurant Style

Nothing beats home cooked food...better if it’s made by your mother. Agree? 7.30 pm and I was back from my accounts tuition class. Maa was in the kitchen, in a printed blue chiffon sari, cooking dinner for us. Very carefully she added spices and gave it a mix. Quickly she kneads the dough and started making piping hot parathas. Oh that moment, when I close my eyes, I can see it all. Quick boil in the curry and she gave a spoon and asked to taste it. I grabbed the spoon and tasted aloo mutter ki subji, she waited for my answer...with spark in my eyes I replied-maa its super yummy, just like restaurant, how do you cook it?  Those little moments between a daughter and a mom, I wish I could freeze them forever.

Years later, she taught me how to make Aloo Mutter ki subji, like hers. Every now and then when I cook this subji, I wish I was a young girl who could go back to those days again. That’s about cooking, it engulfs you in memories and then when you bite into it, everything becomes better. Restaurant style aloo mutter ki subji (potatoes and peas curry) is one of those memorable dishes that happens once a while in my kitchen...it is a not every day curry, you need time and patience to cook this.

[More aloo subji (potato curry) recipes- aloo tamatar ki subji for kachori,  sukha aloo puri,  rassewale aloo,  aloo matar ki subji in cooker,   aloo channa]

So what makes a perfect restaurant style Aloo Mattar Ki Subji?

• Consistency-it is not dry (sukha) and it is not very watery (rassewali, jholwali) either; it is the balance of two, where you add water only to coat the veggies.
• Dried fenugreek leaves (Kasturi methi)- you have and have to serve this curry with sprinkle of  kasturi methi.
• Ginger and garlic paste- this is a must too. For the authentic taste, you need to add ginger garlic paste.
• Tomato puree- for the restaurant style, tomato puree is what you need; there must be no chunks of tomatoes.
• Garam Massala- Garam massala is a hot spice mix and it is one of the most important ingredients to make the perfect restaurant style curry.

So to master the perfect taste, please follow the above steps- not that complicated-isn’t it? So, lets see the recipe.

Ingredients:

4 medium size potatoes, boiled and chopped

1/2 cup green peas/mutter boiled

2 medium size tomatoes

1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste

2 tablespoons oil

1/4 teaspoon asafoetida/hing

1 bay leaf/tej patta

1 teaspoon cumin seeds/jeera

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder/haldi

1 and 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder/lal mirch

1 teaspoon coriander powder/dhaniya

1/2 teaspoon garam massala (recipe here)

Salt to taste

1 cup water

1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves/kasuri methi (see notes)

Method:

In a blender, blend tomatoes with 4 tablespoons of water, garam massala, coriander powder, turmeric powder and red chilli powder into puree.

Heat oil in a wok/kadai. When hot, add cumin seeds. Let it crackle.

Add, bay leaf and asafoetida.

Add ginger garlic paste and cook for 1 minute. Turn the heat to slow.

Add tomato and spices puree. Mix. Cover and cook till tomatoes paste become red in colour and oil starts appear on the sides. Approximately for 8 minutes.

Add salt, chopped potatoes and peas. Mix. Add 1 cup water. Cover and cook again for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, cook again for 5 minutes, the spices must have coated the potatoes and peas. If you see it is water, let it boil for more time.

Garnish with kasuri methi and serve.

Notes:

Cook it on slow heat, this ensures that spices are well blended with potatoes and peas.

You can add chopped coriander leaves as well.

This is a bit on spicy side, feel free to reduce the quantity of red chilli powder as per your taste.

Kasturi methi (dried fenugreek leaves) is easily available in any Indian grocery store. I used MDH one.  

Serving suggestions:

Serve with any Indian bread- roti, parathas, puri or naan.

It is simple in process, but the taste is really elegant, so why not serve in parties.

Goes well with rice as well.

For Punjabi thali, serve it with rice, makke ki roti, dal makhani and some chilli pickle.

For gujarati thali, serve it with palak puri, keri nu ras and dhokla.

For rajasthani thali- serve it with jowar ki roti, marwadi Bharwa Bhindi. and parathas.

Patta Gobi Mutter Subji: Cabbage and Green Peas Curry: Easy Stir Fry

You know the days when you are just not in the mood to cook. I always tend to make simple stir fry kind of side (sukhi subji) on such days. Palak bhaji (spinach stir fry) is one of those recipes-quick and yet loaded with flavours. Another one is gobi mutter (cauliflower and peas) curry, again-simple and quick. Today's recipe also lies in the same category.

Patta gobi (cabbage) mutter (green peas) subzi is what I am talking about. Patta gobi or band gobi takes less time to cook and is loaded with fiber, so I always try to include it in my diet. I have prepared leftover patta gobi paratha as well. And If you follow my blog, you would know, Mr. Husband loves green peas (matar)-any time and any form. So this subji is like a win win situation for both of us ;-)

[More peas recipes- mutter kulcha, mutter paneer, mutter pulav, gajar mutter]

If you want to cook Indian food in less time, you must give this subji a try. I mean it is ridiculously easy and you don’t need many ingredients-just basic Indian spices. Have you ever eaten the gujarati patta gobi salad (kachumber)? Well, this recipe is more like it, only with peas. For the best taste, don’t overcook cabbage, don’t let it turn soggy or mushy. You must half cook the cabbage for the prefect taste; the crunchy (yet cooked) cabbage gives a new dimension to this subji. Cook this when you have less time in hand or just want to enjoy simple Indian cooking.

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped cabbage/patta gobi

1/2 cup green peas/mattar

2 green chilli chopped

4-5 curry leaves

1/4 teaspoon turmeric/haldi

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds/rai

1/2 teaspoon coriander powder/dhaniya

1/4 teaspoon black pepper powder/kali mirch

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon oil

Method:

Heat oil in a pan. When oil gets hot, add mustard seeds. Let it crackle.

Add curry leaves and green chillies.

Add peas and cabbage. Add turmeric powder and salt. Mix.

Cover and cook for 1 minute on medium heat.

Add all the remaining spices and mix. Cook covered for 2 minutes.

Serve hot.

Notes:

I used frozen peas, they cook quickly. If you are using fresh green peas, then boil them separately.

You can use any cabbage in this recipe- purple, white or green or even Chinese cabbage. But remember not to overcook cabbage. Cabbage must be half done.

Serving suggestion:

Serve as a side with any Indian main dish.

Goes well with Indian flat breads-puri, parathas or roti.

Put it as a stuffing between two slices of bread and serve like a sandwich.

Great tiffin snack for kids.