NIMONAA (GREEN PEA CURRY)

Winter season begins in late October, early November in north India. With that come fresh peas, sweet, soft and luscious green. The markets are laden with mounds of this farmer’s bounty. One found womenfolk sitting around a mound and shelling the pods while indulging in cheerful banter,soaking the soft winter sun. Children were always found running away with fistful of these green pearls, chided happily by the elder women. “Nimonaa” was a dish which would herald the advent of winters. Hot nimonaa on rice is still a favourite winter lunch dish, much enjoyed by my family.

Little cheat – if you’re feeling lazy and do not wish to shell peapods, you can gladly open a packet of the frozen ones, defrost and make the dish.In which case you need not wait for the winters to enjoy this dish.

 

Recipe for NIMONAA ( green pea curry)

Serving :6

Prep time: 45 mins

Cooking time : 45 mins

Ingredients:

Fresh green peas             ½ kg

Onions                            200 gms

Garlic                              50 gms

Ginger                             50 gms

Tomatoes                        150 gms

Badi*                              50 gms

Bay leaf                           2 nos

Coriander powder           2 tsp

Red chilli powder             2 tsp

Turmeric powder             1 tsp

Green coriander               2 nos

Cloves                             3 nos

Cinnamon                        1” pc

Nutmeg                           ½ cm pc

Whole red chilli                2 nos

Mustard oil                      75 ml (1/2 cup)

Ghee (clarified butter)       1 tbsp

Hot water                         3 cups

Sugar                               ½ tsp

Salt                                   to taste (approx 1 ½ tsp)

Method:

Ø  Shell peas

Ø  Put away a fistful and grind the rest of the peas to a coarse paste (do not add any water) this can be done in a food processor.

Ø  Grind the onions into a fine paste

Ø  Grind ginger garlic to a fine paste

Ø  Dice  tomatoes

Ø   Dry roast the whole spices (Green coriander, Cloves, Cinnamon and Nutmeg) in a pan and grind to a fine powder

Ø  Heat a heavy bottom pan

Ø  Add mustard oil. Heat to smoking point

Ø  Lower heat.Break the badis* into large chunkks. Add broken badi*. Fry till golden brown. Drain on paper towel.

Ø  Add bay leaves and sugar

Ø  Add ground onion as soon as the sugar starts caramelising

Ø  Fry on medium heat till the onion paste dries and changes colour to light brown.

Ø  Add diced tomatoes.fry till they turn into a paste and oil floats on top

Ø  Add ground peas

Ø  Fry on low heat, covered. Keep stirring every 2 mins.( the mixture tends to stick to the bottom of the pan. Keep scraping the residue. This will lend a beautiful roasted aroma to the dish) this process will take 20 mins.

Ø  Add ginger garlic paste. Coriander powder, chilli powder. fry for another 5 mins

Ø  Check if the paste has oil residue on the sides.

Ø  Add whole peas and fried badi*

Ø  Fry for 2 mins.Add salt to taste

Ø  Add hot water

 Ø  Boil. Lower flame.Simmer for 10 mins

Ø  Add the ground whole spices. Simmer for another minute and take off from flame.

Ø  In a pan heat the ghee ( clarified butter) add whole red chillies. Temper the Nimonaa. Close lid immediately.

Ø  This dish is best served with plain boiled rice.

*Badi - is a sundried condiment, made of urad (blackgram) dal,with spices. Badi is easily available at local grocery stores. 

Nutrition value

Peas are high in fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, and lutein. Dry weight is about one-quarter protein and one-quarter sugar.