I will not say that green peas are my favorite vegetable but something about green peas during winter is very comforting to me. Maybe the reason is that they remind me of my childhood days when I sat down with my mom or grandmother and popped them out of their pods so they could be cooked for a meal. Yes, we did not get ready-to-cook or frozen peas growing up in India. 🙂 The convenience of having access to frozen peas in the US has definitely made green peas one of the choices I often go to on a busy weeknight.
Green peas are a great source of fiber and some minerals along with protein. I use green peas in several dishes such as mixed with cauliflower, chopped carrots, paneer (Indian cottage cheese), etc. However, when I am short on time to prep these other ingredients I go for just plain green peas like in the recipe below. It is super quick and simple to put together.
Sauteed Green Peas
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 1 bag frozen baby sweet peas (usually 12-13 oz.)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 inch cube of grated fresh ginger
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp curry powder
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper or red chili powder (optional)
- ½ tsp garam masala (optional)
- Salt to taste
Directions:
- Heat olive oil in a small to medium size skillet. Once hot, lower the flame and add grated ginger, cumin seeds, turmeric, curry powder, cayenne pepper and garam masala. Sauté for 15-20 seconds.
- Add green peas and mix all ingredients well.
- Add salt and mix again.
- Cover with a lid and cook on low flame with occasional stirring until peas are well done.
Notes:
- Fresh ginger and spices really bring out the flavor and taste in this recipe but based upon your preference these ingredients can be adjusted as needed.
- You can use frozen baby sweet peas or regular sweet peas for the recipe. Baby sweet peas cook quicker and are sweeter. Regular sweet peas take longer and depending upon the brand it may be helpful to put them in the microwave for a few minutes before using in the recipe.
Nutrition Information per Serving*:
- Calories – 100
- Fat – 3.5 grams
- Protein – 4 grams
- Carbohydrates – 12 grams
* Calculated using MyFitnessPal recipe analyzer, www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/calculator.