Recipe | Peas and Mushroom Curry

Ingredients (serves 4):

1 cup frozen green peas

20 medium brown or button mushrooms, stalks removed

1 tbsp grated ginger

1 tbsp grated onion

1 tsp grated garlic

1 bunch coriander leaves, chopped

1 cup yoghurt

1 tbsp curry powder

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Heat up a spoonful of oil in a non-stick pan and add the grated garlic, ginger and onion to saut till fragrant. Add a little more oil and the curry, chill and turmeric powders. Stir-fry till fragrant.

2. Add whole mushrooms and toss quickly so the heat sears the mushrooms. Reduce heat, then add peas and the cup of yoghurt.

3. If you like more gravy, add more water to the pan. Simmer and cook for about five minutes.

5. Season with salt, pepper and toss in the chopped coriander before removing from heat.

Food notes:

This recipe is great when you have unexpected company. Frozen peas can keep in the freezer until you need them, and a couple of cans of mushrooms can always be found in the pantry. In fact, I often prefer using canned mushrooms for this dish as the texture of the canned mushrooms are somehow better. Saves on the oil as well.

Recipe | Cucumber Raita

Ingredients (serves 4):

1 220 ml tub of plain yoghurt

1 medium cucumber

Juice of half of a lemon

A little salt

Method:

1. Keep yoghurt in the fridge until needed.

2. Top and tail the cucumber and halve it lengthwise. Scrape out the core using a spoon.

3. Grate the cucumber and squeeze out excess moisture. Mix the cucumber into the chilled yoghurt, season with salt and lemon juice and chill until ready to eat.

Food notes:

You can also make green mango raita by grating green mango into the yoghurt, or try a carrot and cucumber raita. Sometimes, a bunch of chopped mint added to yoghurt also makes a great, refreshing dip that will cool down the gullet instantly during a hot, spicy meal.