A new favorite, based on an old favorite, based on an even older favorite from another country.

There’s a northern Indian dish called Gajar Matar Ki Sabzi. It is a seasonal dish, commonly served in winter when peas and carrots are both available fresh. It is seasoned with cumin, mustard seed, garam masala and curry leaf. It sounds surprisingly like this dish, but, at least in origin, it is not this dish.

2012 was the first year I spend a full season of Saturdays cooking at Eastern Market. During the transition from spring to summer produce in early June I grabbed fresh, sweet, shelled peas and a few carrots left over from the winter. My entire frame of reference for peas and carrots at that time was the bag in the freezer section of the grocery store that had been delighting diners since the 60’s with little seasoning beyond a pat of butter and a pinch of salt.

It would be a hoot, I thought, to turn something so traditional on its head with the Indian blends of spices I had started to cook with. That and a drizzle of orange-infused oil from a store I was working with would take this catering hall sleeper and wake it up, making it fresh and exciting. This recipe did just that. Inspired by the spice blend I looked up the Hindi words for peas and carrots - matar and gajar.

While it turns out Indians had already thought of this combination and listed the carrots before the peas, this story points to two truths: first, there are very few new ideas out there but that shouldn’t keep us from the joy of discovery or discount our ability to bring something new to even the best trodden idea. Secondly, this to me is the heart of American cooking, taking the ingredients we have on hand and blending our traditions with the new cultures we welcome and encounter in to this country. Enjoy some peas and carrots.

Indian-inspired Peas And Carrots - Matar Gajar

Serves 4-6

This may sound like the traditional freezer section combo of peas and carrots but everything else about this dish is fresh and exciting. An Indian-inspired blend of spices adds complexity with warm cumin, bitter mustard, earthy turmeric and bright ginger. Not unfamiliar, but a little unexpected.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbs Ghee* or butter

• 1 tbs mustard seeds

• 1 tbs cumin seed

• 1/2 medium onion, diced

• 1 medium carrot, diced

• 1 tbs tumeric

• 1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock

• 2 tbs minced ginger

• 1/2 tsp orange zest

• 2 cups peas

• 1/4 cup cilantro

*Ghee is a nutty tasting Indian clarified butter. If using whole butter, melt in the sauté pan and wait until it stops foaming.

Directions:

• Warm Ghee in a large sauté pan set over medium heat. Add mustard and cumin seeds. Toast until mustard seeds begin to pop, about 2-3 minutes.

• Add onion, carrot and tumeric. Sauté until onions soften, about 3 minutes longer. Add stock and a 1/2 tsp salt and cover. Simmer until carrots are tender but still firm.

• Add ginger, orange zest and peas. Cover again and simmer until peas soften but are still firm. Add additional water, no more than 1/4 cup at a time, if pan gets dry. Remove cover and cook until sauce thickens to a glaze.

• Remove from heat, toss with cilantro. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper as needed.