Easy Peasy Peas Masala (Vegan + GF)

Dried green peas cooked soft & seasoned with spices to create a simple, yet comforting stew/curry – Vegan + Gluten free too!

While chickpeas will forever be my most favorite legume, if I had to pick a close second, these dried green peas would take home the prize. Chaat is the most popular kind of street food in India, but growing up I was not very fond of it. It was way too messy for me to enjoy, and I wasn’t equipped to handle all the basic tastes (sweet, sour,bitter, salty & umami) in a single dish. So I steered clear of it well past my teens. But when forced into my local chaat stall, I always made an exception to the peas masala chaat. Although I’ve now come to appreciate the mingling of the flavors in each chaat dish, the peas masala chaat will always be my favorite.

This Easy Peasy Peas Masala is inspired by my childhood experiences – not only is it good enough to eat as a side to rice/roti, I sometimes make it slightly runny to drink as soup! And leftovers can be re-purposed into a kick-ass fried rice!

Besides, it comes together very quickly with very few ingredients, most of which you probably already have, making it a perfect weeknight meal. Just remember to soak the dried green peas overnight to speed up cooking time. And cooking lentils/legumes is always easier if you have a pressure cooker.

Each spoonful brings back so many memories to me! But even without the side of nostalgia, you can enjoy the warm comfort this curry provides.

When you make these (which I really think you SHOULD!), be sure to SHARE YOUR PHOTOS with me through Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. I’d love to see what you cook from here and will share it with pride on my social media feeds.

Peas Masala

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 2

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

To cook the peas

• 1 cup dried green peas (green vatana)
• 2 cup water to soak + cook
• Salt to taste

For the curry

• 1 tsp oil
• 0.25 cinnamon stick
• 1 small bay leaf
• 0.5 cup onion, chopped
• 1 inch ginger, grated
• 2 cloves of garlic, grated
• 1 cup tomato, chopped
• 0.25 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp (heaped) red chilli powder
• 0.5 tsp garam masala
• 0.5 cup water (as needed)
• a handful of fresh coriander, chopped

Optional garnish

• 0.5 lemon, sliced
• 0.25 cup onions, chopped

Method

 

1. Soak the dried green peas overnight. Pressure cook the soaked peas in the water it soaked in with 1/4 tsp salt until soft.
2. Heat oil in a pan and once warm, add cinnamon stick and bay leaf.
3. Then add the chopped onion, grated ginger+garlic and a pinch of salt. Sauté until the onions are soft.
4. Add the powdered spices (turmeric, red chilli powder, garam masala) and cook for a minute until fragrant.
5. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, cover and cook over medium heat until the tomatoes are soft and can be mashed to a pulp with a spoon.
6. Add the cooked green peas + cooking liquid. Add more water to make the curry as runny as you prefer. Cover and let it come to a rolling boil.
7. Remove from heat, garnish with freshly chopped cilantro. Optionally, just before serving, top with a little chopped onion (for crunch) and a quick squeeze of lemon juice.
8. Serve hot!