Bihar Recipe: Archana's Alu-Mattar

In Archana Masih’s picturesque Chhapra home the dry-fry Alu-Mattar Ki Sabzi is always made in the simplest, tastiest manner, with a light tadka.

Too much spice is not preferred in her household. The ladies in Archana’s joint family, who have a fix of Maharashtrian, Rajasthani, UP roots, rely on a signature hand-pounded garam masala made from just three ingredients -- red chillies, cumin seeds, gol mirch (black peppercorns), all lightly-roasted and pounded/powdered beforehand.

The garam masala is bottled and used to sprinkle on all sukha sabzis, scrambled eggs ('rumble- tumble' eggs with various veggies incorporated) and sunny side ups.

And for raseela sabzis the backbone is a silora-ground paste of green dhania, green chillies, jeera and ginger.

This alu-peas sukhi sabzi can be eaten with rotis or rice, along with a serving of dal.

Archana's Alu-Mattar

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

• 4 medium potatoes
• 1 cup peas, parboiled, well-drained 
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1½ tsp salt
• 2 green chillies, slit lengthwise
• 5-6 pods garlic
• 2-3 tbsp mustard oil

Method

• Boil the alu till cooked but still firm.
  Peel and cube the boiled potatoes.
  Keep aside.
• In a large saucepan or a kadhai, heat the oil and add the garlic pods and fry a little over medium heat.
  Then add the alus and turn the heat to low.
  Fry 10-15 minutes to crisp the alus so they get a light pink colour or gain little red dots.
  Now add the peas, salt and cook for another 5-6 minutes and take off heat.
  Make sure the peas are dry because any moisture will uncrisp the fried alu.
  Sprinkle with the garam masala.
• Serve hot with roti or rice-dal.  

• REDIFF FOOD