Aloo Mattar Chowder

Soup season isn't over yet! Even though it is warming up and greening up rapidly out there.

Our potatoes are sprouting like crazy, and we've eaten most of our peas so I won't be able to make this again for a while... too bad, it was delicious. I was actually pretty impressed with how my makeshift Madras curry powder worked out in this. We threw a couple of hard-boiled eggs into the leftovers and that went down very well too.

4 to 6 servings
30 minutes prep time

Cook the Potatoes:
750 grams (1 1/2 pounds) potatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup dried tomato bits

Wash and trim (or peel) the potatoes and cut them into dice. Put them in a pot with water to cover, add the salt, and bring to a boil. Boil for about 10 minutes, until tender. Two or three minutes before they are done, add the dried tomato bits.

Drain off all but approximately 1 cup of the water (don't sweat the exact amount; it's soup).

Mix the Seasonings:
2 to 3 teaspoons Madras curry powder
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper

Mix the seasonings in a small bowl and set aside for the moment. If you are not sure of the strength of your curry powder, or how strong you want it; use 2 teaspoons. You can add a little more to the soup later if you think it needs it. I started with 2 teaspoons and did think a third was required.

Sauté the Onions & Finish the Soup:
2 medium onions
2 to 3 cloves of garlic
1" x 1" x 2" piece of fresh ginger
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cups milk
2 cup thawed frozen peas

Peel and chop the onions. Peel and mince the garlic. Peel and mince the ginger (or grate it, if you can't mince it very finely).

Heat the butter in a mid-sized skillet and cook the onions gently for about 5 to 7 minutes, until soft and reduced in volume; don't let them brown if you can help it. Add the garlic and ginger for the last few minutes of cooking, then mix in the seasoning mixture and cook until well distributed and absorbed.

Once the potatoes are cooked and mostly drained as directed above, mix in the onions, etc. Slowly stir in the milk. Add the peas and mix in. Bring the soup up to steaming hot and let it thicken slightly, but do not let it boil again.




Last year at this time I made Onion Soup with Toasted Barley Flour.

Posted in: Ontario Food