Fresh turmeric curry
At A pinch of turmeric, we take every opportunity to include turmeric in our recipes and products. What could be a better way to start 2020 than a recipe with fresh turmeric. This is the time of the year when fresh turmeric is harvested, in time for the Pongal festivities and so is readily available in the market. Today’s recipe is a Rajashthani curry made with fresh turmeric and is “must have” in any Rajasthani wedding or celebration.
Fresh turmeric has an intrinsic heat and pungency and so this recipe uses liberal amounts of ghee and yogurt to counter that. This dish is rich, creamy and indulgent.
Ingredients
Fresh turmeric – 150 gms (skinned and grated)
Green peas (shelled) – 1 cup
Yogurt – 2 cups
Ghee – 1/2 cup
Tomatoes – 4 (chopped into 1” pieces)
Ginger – tsp (grated)
Green chillies – 2
For the spice mix
Cloves – 5
Black cardamom – 2
Cinnamon – 2, 1” sticks
Fennel seeds – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 2 tsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Asafoetida – a pinch
Peel the skin off the turmeric with a knife, grate and set aside. Shell snd wash the peas and set aside. Dry grind the cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and fennel and set aside. Grind half of the chopped tomatoes along with ginger and green chillies and set aside.
In a large kadai, add half the ghee and add the grated turmeric and stir till is well cooked. Remove and set aside. In the same kadai, fry the peas and set aside. Add the remaining ghee to the same kadai and add cumin seeds and asafoetida. Then add the dry ground spices and coriander seeds powder. When fried, add the tomato paste and allow to cook till the ghee separates from the masala. Add the cooked turmeric, peas and salt and mix well and allow to cook for some time. Now add the well whisked yogurt and cook covered till the curry comes together. Garnish with chopped green coriander and serve with rice or roti. Do note that the turmeric will stain everything it comes into contact with, including your skin and nails. Serve in a stainless steel container as any other container it is served in will be stained yellow. Serves 8.