Pattani Kurma, a south Indian peas curry is a heady concoction of fresh green peas, some potatoes, a couple fresh herbs and dried coconut. It just takes 10 minutes of prep to put this together. The best part- you can enjoy it with rice, pulao or rotis.
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Kurma vs Korma
Is a discussion that just doesn’t have an end. As a foodie, I love both- the south Indian Kurma replete with fresh coconut, poppy seeds and spices. And the north Indian Korma that is rich and luxurious with all the nuts, cream and a hint of sweet.
In my opinion, it is about how you pair it. If you are serving a side dish that is mild and bland, pick the south Indian version.
Does your dinner table feature a mildly spiced vegetable pulao or a loaded Dum Biryani? Then pick Korma that will balance the spices and round out the flavors.
Pattani – Green Peas
is the star in this recipe. While the combination of potatoes and peas is a classic, in this recipe, green peas rule.
These tiny green nuggets are not highlighted enough in our everyday lives, or so I think. Frozen green peas are everywhere and yet, they are not the hero of the dinner menu.
Come to think of it- Pattani, as we call in Tamil, is also a good source of nutrients including protein. A 150 gram serving of boiled green peas has about 8 grams of protein. Quite okay, right?
They instantly brighten up any dish, have a sweet and subtle flavor and are so versatile. Think Peas Pulao, Carrot Peas Sabzi, Creamed peas – the list is endless. And you can add Pachai Pattani Kurma to that list too.
Why make this Pattani Kurma?
- Tastes so good with everything from plain rice to Dosai to Chapati or Poori
- Vegan friendly and gluten free– I have used regular yogurt for this but you can also cashew or soy yogurt instead.
- Can easily be converted into a fridge clean up recipe– use up all the bits and pieces lying around!
- Freezer friendly – freezing this is a no brainer.
Ingredients
This easy meal prep friendly recipe has three blocks-
- Spice paste – with ingredients like mint leaves, green chilis, desiccated coconut
- The base which has oil, whole spices, onions and tomatoes – I have used green tomatoes here. They are pleasantly tangy and work so well in this green kurma. But, feel free to use regular ripe tomatoes.
- Finally, the green peas and potatoes – you can use fresh green peas or frozen ones. You do not have to thaw the frozen ones. They just go directly into the cooker. Pick potatoes that are starchy – Russet and Yukon are excellent choices.
Variations
Using this spice paste as a base along with onions and spices sauteed in oil, you can make the same dish with other vegetables or any protein of your choice.
I recommend any of the following here –
- Hydrated chickpeas, dried white peas or soy chunks – If you pick any of these, make sure you increase the heat and salt or adjust as per your preferences. Please note that the cooking times will also be longer if you use hydrated/soaked chickpeas and dried peas.
- Carrots and peas
- A mix of vegetables – fantastic fridge cleanup recipe, in my opinion. Use anything from cauliflower, broccoli to chayote squash.
Storage, shelf life and freezing
- Leftover green peas curry keeps well in the fridge for 2 days. Store in a clean and air tight container with the lid on.
- Reheat gently in a sauce pan and serve.
- This Kurma thickens as it cools down. It is likely that the Kurma becomes thick after refrigeration. To adjust the consistency, add ½ cup boiling hot water along with the Kurma, stir well, bring to a gentle boil and serve warm.
- To freeze peas kurma, allow it cool down completely. Divide into 1 cup portions, transfer to freezer safe bags or containers, label and freeze for 1 month.
- Thaw frozen Kurma overnight in the fridge or quickly using the microwave.
- Before serving, transfer thawed Kurma to a saucepan, adjust consistency by adding more water if needed, bring to a gentle boil and serve hot.
How to serve?
In Tamil Nadu, we have this concept of eating Parotta + Kurma and Onion Raita. Oh man! This combination is mind blowing. I highly recommend that you try it.
Serve this vibrant dish with some Parottas and a creamy onion raita by the side. Or
- mop it up with buttery naans
- mix this with just plain rice – brown rice tastes so good with this!
- Serve it with Vegetable Pulao, Thengai Paal Sadam or Chapatis
- Your next best bet is crispy Dosai. Give that coconut chutney and Potato Masala a break. Try this instead and be pleasantly surprised.
Replacing Coconut in Kurma
- Most south Indian Kurma recipes call for a generous amount of coconut.
- Normally, we use fresh grated coconut. Even frozen fresh coconut that has been thawed works.
- However, in this recipe, I am using unsweetened desiccated coconut. The flavor is almost similar and no waiting for it to thaw. Plus, it is easily available everywhere these days.
Can you skip the coconut entirely?
In short, yes and no. Coconut here is used to thicken the gravy and help build volume. If you want to replace it, then use ¼ mixed nuts and seeds instead.
A combination of cashews, blanched almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds + poppy seeds – soaked for 20 minutes in hot water and then ground with the remaining ingredients mentioned for the spice paste here is a solid replacement.
But, the taste will differ.
Recipe Notes
- We add potatoes to this Kurma to give it body and volume. You can skip them entirely and add another 1cup green peas here.
- Make this in the Instant Pot or in a regular stove top pressure cooker. A 3 quart or 6 quart Instant Pot or a deep 3 liter pressure cooker is ideal for this recipe.
- To make it in a regular stove top pressure cooker, follow all the steps mentioned here and pressure cook for 2 whistles. Allow the pressure to release naturally. Open the lid when done, stir well and garnish with cilantro.
How to make Pattani Kurma?
- To a blender, add all the ingredients required for the spice paste. Blend this to a smooth paste and set aside.
- Prep and assemble the other ingredients.
- Insert the inner pot into the Instant Pot, plug in and PRESS SAUTE on NORMAL mode for 10 minutes.
- Add oil to the inner pot and wait for the display to read HOT.
- Now, add the whole spices to the inner pot and wait for them to splutter. Some people refer to this step as blooming the spices. This helps unlock the flavors.
- Next, add chopped onions and saute them for 1 to 2 minutes until they turn pink and soft.
- Once the onions have cooked, add the tomatoes, give a quick stir and saute for just 30 to 45 seconds. Since we are pressure cooking, you do not have to worry about them being uncooked eventually.
- Now, add the green peas, peeled and cubed potatoes along with the ground paste. Rinse your blender with 1.5 cups of water and add this to the inner pot. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pot to deglaze.
- Press CANCEL. Ensure that the sealing ring has been fitted properly onto the Instant Pot lid. Close the Instant Pot and turn the VALVE to SEALING.
- Press PRESSURE COOK and set it to HIGH PRESSURE for 5 minutes.
- Allow the cooking cycle to complete.
- Do a careful and gradual QUICK PRESSURE RELEASE by turning the VALVE to VENTING 10 minutes after the cooking cycle has completed.
- Open the lid, stir everything once or twice. Press CANCEL.
- Now press SAUTE on NORMAL mode for 2 minutes and allow the Kurma to simmer for 2 minutes.
- Finish with a garnish of chopped cilantro. Serve hot.
Pattani Kurma
Equipment
- 1 six quart Instant Pot
- 1 high speed blender
Ingredients
For the spice paste
- 3 tbsp desiccated coconut shredded und unsweetened
- 1 tsp poppy seeds
- 1 black stone flower Dagad Phool/ Kalpasi – you need just 1 small piece here
- ⅛ cup mint leaves
- 2 tbsp cilantro chopped
- 2 green chilis
- ½ tsp whole black peppercorns
- ½ tsp fennel seeds
- 10 cashews
- ½ cup yogurt whisked to smooth
- Salt to taste
Vegetables
- 1 cup onions finely chopped
- ¾ cup green tomatoes roughly quartered
- 2 cups green peas both fresh and frozen green peas work here
- 100 grams potatoes peeled and quartered- I used 2 medium sized potatoes
Other Ingredients
- 1 tbsp peanut oil or any vegetable oil
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ tsp fennel seeds
- ¼ tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- 2 cloves
- ½ inch cinnamon stick broken into pieces
- 2 green cardamoms
- 2.5 cups water
Instructions
- To a blender, add all the ingredients required for the spice paste. Blend this to a smooth paste and set aside.
- Prep and assemble the other ingredients.
- Insert the inner pot into the Instant Pot, plug in and PRESS SAUTE on NORMAL mode for 10 minutes.
- Add oil to the inner pot and wait for the display to read HOT.
- Now, add the whole spices to the inner pot and wait for them to splutter. Some people refer to this step as blooming the spices. This helps unlock the flavors.
- Next, add chopped onions and saute them for 1 to 2 minutes until they turn pink and soft.
- Once the onions have cooked, add the tomatoes, give a quick stir and saute for just 30 to 45 seconds. Since we are pressure cooking, you do not have to worry about them being uncooked eventually.
- Now, add the green peas, peeled and cubed potatoes along with the ground paste. Rinse your blender with 1.5 cups of water and add this to the inner pot. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pot to deglaze.
- Press CANCEL. Ensure that the sealing ring has been fitted properly onto the Instant Pot lid. Close the Instant Pot and turn the VALVE to SEALING.
- Press PRESSURE COOK and set it to HIGH PRESSURE for 5 minutes.
- Allow the cooking cycle to complete.
- Do a careful and gradual QUICK PRESSURE RELEASE by turning the VALVE to VENTING 10 minutes after the cooking cycle has completed.
- Open the lid, stir everything once or twice. Press CANCEL.
- Now press SAUTE on NORMAL mode for 2 minutes and allow the Kurma to simmer for 2 minutes.
- Finish with a garnish of chopped cilantro. Serve hot.
Notes
For Instant Pot & Air Fryer Recipes
Instant Pot timings may vary based on your geographic location. Air fryer settings and timings may vary based on the capacity and the model of the Air fryer.
Disclaimer
Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.
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