Indian Matar Masala / Green Peas Curry

Its been ages I cooked a North Indian style curry in my kitchen. But today is kind of special. My college friend is visiting us, who loves home cooked Indian food, something like Roti Sabji. A restaurant style creamy, saucy curry with soft Phulka is perfect for her. 
Green peas are always lying in my freezer. With the basic ingredients in my pantry, I cooked a fairly simple, yet delicious entrée for my dear friend. Hope you all like it too.

Ingredients:
Green Peas/Matar - 3 cups
Onion - 1 big
Tomatoes - 3 medium 
Ginger - an inch piece
Dry Red Chilies - 5
Kasuri Methi/Dry Fenugreek Leaves - 1 tbsp
Kitchen King Masala - 1/2 tsp
Chat Masala - 1/2 tsp
Bay Leaves/Tejpata/Tamalpatra - 2
Cinnamon/Dalchini - an inch piece
Cloves/Lavang/Long - 4
Whole Almonds/Badam - 3 tbsp
Whole Milk - 1/2 cup
Cilantro/Coriander Leaves - few sprigs
Oil - 4 tbsp
Salt

How to cook Indian Matar Masala:

• Soak almonds overnight or for about an hour. Peel the almond skin. Grind soaked almonds with milk to a fine paste. Save the almond paste for later. 
• Instead of almonds, you can use any other nuts to thicken the sauce. Vegans can skip milk. Instead of milk, you can use milk cream or yogurt as well.
• Set aside a bowl of ice water to add the cooked peas.
• Heat 8 - 10 cups of water in a big pot. Bring it to a boil. Add the green peas and cook for 2 - 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, add the cooked peas to the bowl of ice water. This will retain the green color of the peas and stop further cooking.
• Drain all the water and place the peas in a strainer or colander for 15 - 20 minutes.
• Julienne slice onions. Medium chop tomatoes and ginger.
• Heat about 2 tbsp oil in a pan. Add onions and sauté until onions soften. Set them aside.
• In the same pan, add 1 tbsp oil. Add tomatoes, ginger and dry red chilies. Cook until tomatoes soften. If red chilies are not available, use chili powder.  For a bright red color, use Kashmiri Lal Mirch powder.
• Blend onions, tomatoes, ginger, red chilies to a fine paste. Avoid adding water.
• In the same pan, add 1 tbsp oil. Add the whole spices - bay leaves, cinnamon and cloves. After few seconds, add onion tomato paste and cook until it thickens.
• Add green peas, almond paste, chat masala, kitchen king masala, crushed kasuri methi leaves and salt.  Cook it covered at low heat for about 5 minutes or until you get the desired consistency.
• Instead of Kitchen King Masala, you can use any other seasoning - Garam Masala, Pav Bhaji Masala and so on.

Garnish Matar Masala with cilantro. Serve with lemon wedges, raw onions and enjoy with roti, naan, parathe, rice. I served with oil free phulka.