Potato and Green Pea Curry

This classic Indian curry, called aloo matar, balances the sweetness of tomatoes and green peas with pungent aromatics and warm spices, all tempered by the mild ﬂavor and starchiness of potatoes. The peas usually are drab army green from the acidity of the tomatoes; we add them at the end so they retain their bright color. The cilantro also is added at the end, so to save time, prep it while the curry rests for 10 minutes. Serve with basmati rice and cooling plain whole-milk yogurt, if desired.

Cuisine

Modern

Course

Main Course

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

30-60 min

Cooking Technique

Pressure Cook, Sauté

Keywords

30-60 min, 4 servings, canned diced tomatoes, cayenne pepper, Chistopher Kimball, coconut oil, contributed, cook 55 min, curry, easy, frozen peas, garam masala, ground black pepper, ground turmeric, instant pot, instant pot curry, instant pot curry recipe, instant pot recipe, instant pot recipes, kosher salt, main course, medium garlic cloves, medium red onion, modern, prep 10 min, pressure cook, russet potatoes, sauté, sweet paprika, ﬁnely chopped fresh cilantro, ﬁnely grated fresh ginger

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

55 min

Servings

4 servings

Ingredients

1/4 cup coconut oil
1 medium red onion
1 tbsp ﬁnely grated fresh ginger
4 medium garlic cloves
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tbsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp garam masala
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 1/2 lbs russet potatoes
14 1/2 oz canned diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
1/4 cup ﬁnely chopped fresh cilantro
ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

START: On a 6 quart Instant Pot, select More/High Sauté. Add the oil and onion, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic, then cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the paprika, turmeric, garam masala and cayenne. Pour in 1 1/2 cups water, scraping up any browned bits. Add the potatoes and 1 1/2 tsp salt; stir to combine, then distribute in an even layer. Add the tomatoes with their juice in an even layer on top of the potatoes; do not stir.
Fast: Press Cancel, lock the lid in place and move the pressure release valve to Sealing. Select Pressure Cook or Manual; make sure the pressure level is set to High. Set the cooking time for 4 minutes. When pressure cooking is complete, quick-release the steam by moving the pressure valve to Venting. Press Cancel, then carefully open the pot.
FINISH: Select More/High Sauté and cook, stirring often, until a skewer inserted into the potatoes meets no resistance and the sauce clings lightly, 3 to 4 minutes. Press Cancel to turn off the pot. Using potholders, carefully remove the insert from the housing. Let stand for 10 minutes. Stir in the peas and cilantro, then taste and season with salt and pepper.

Notes

Don’t forget to thaw the peas before use. They are added off heat, when cooking is complete, so if they are still frozen, they will cool the curry. After adding the tomatoes, don’t stir them into the potato mixture; if mixed in, they tend to sink to the bottom of the pot and burn.

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