After the peas have soaked for 5-6 hrs or overnight, wash them thoroughly and boil it in the pressure cooker by giving it just one whistle on medium flame.Note:- if the peas have soaked for more than 6 hours, one whistle is just enough. The peas don't have to be fully cooked. Ensure that they are slightly hard because we have to further cook them at a later stage As soon as the whistle blows, turn off the flame and allow all the steam from the pressure cooker to be released and only then open the cooker
Keep it aside
Now in a vessel or skillet, add the ghee/coconut oil/vegetable oil, whichever you're using and place the vessel on medium flame
Once the oil turns hot, add in the mustard seeds and let it sputterNote:- the best way to check if the oil is well heated is to add one or two mustard seeds into the hot oil and if it crackles/sputters, it means you can put all the mustard seeds into the oil. If mustard seeds are thrown into oil that is not hot enough, it won't sputter and will give a very bitter taste Once the mustard seeds sputter, add in the curry leaves
Then add in the onions, tomatoes and chillies and saute until the onions turn translucent
Then add in the garlic ginger paste and mix well
Cover the vessel with a lid and let it cook until the ginger garlic paste cooks well and there's no raw smell of the ginger garlic paste left
Simultaneously, make a smooth fine curry paste out of the coconut and Goan masala powder or Garam masala powder(whichever you're using) in a mixer grinderNote:- if you can manage to dry roast the grated coconut before making the paste, the curry will taste much better. But if you can't,don't worry, it's fine, you can make the curry as it is Add the curry paste into the vessel
Add about 2 cups water into the mixer in which the masala was made, give it a nice shake and add all the water into the vessel.Remember, we don't waste any precious Masalaš Add the Peas, Turmeric powder, tamarind pulp, Maggi cube if using and Salt into the vessel, Mix it well and cover the vessel with a lid
Allow this to boil well.Remember, we have given only one whistle to the peas because it is further going to cook at this stage. If the pease are over cooked in the pressure cooker, it will turn mushy at this stage Allow this to boil for about 7-10 minutes and then add the fresh coriander leaves
After 2 minutes, turn off the gas flame
Enjoy this curry Hot with some Hot Bread, Poee or Chapatis some like it with Rice as wellš