Kaju Mattar Usal - quick and tasty Kokan style Usal

Kaju Mattar Usal - a coconut based usal made with always available/bulk stored ingredients!

Quantity - for 2 people

Ingredients-
Green Peas - used frozen 2 cups
Cashews/Kaju - 15-20 soaked in water for atleast 1/2 hr
Onion - 1 medium
Coriander seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Dry coconut flakes/slices - 1/2 cup
Fresh coconut - 1/2 cup
Red chillies whole - 3/4
Ginger - 1 inch
Green chillies - 2
Black pepper whole - 1/4 th tsp
Fresh tamarind extract 1/4th cup
Garam masala - 1 tsp (optional)
Salt - to taste
Water for cooking
Peanut oil - for cooking
Haldi to temper
Hing to temper

Procedure -

1. Soak the cashews in water ahead of time so that they are ready to be used for cooking . Also , ensure the frozen peas are defrosted ahead of time
2. In a kadai  , take little oil and heat it . On becoming hot , add finely chopped onions and saute for some time.
3. After the onions add remaining spices - coriander seeds , cumin seeds , dry coconut , fresh coconut, red chillies , ginger, green chillies , whole black pepper and some salt. Fry all of this together till this mixture becomes soft and brownish . Switch off the flame and allow it to cool in order to blend it
4. In the meanwhile , extract the tamarind juice from the soaked tamarind .
5. Blend the cooled mixture into a fine paste and keep it ready to be used for cooking
6. In the same kadai , add more oil and on becoming hot , add bit of hing and haldi . Once it becomes hot , add the masala paste and mix well . Cover the kadai with lid and in sim flame let it cook for 2/3 mins .
7. After 3/4 mins , mix and stir to ensure the paste is not burning . Allow it to cook till we see oil separating from the mixture .
8. Once we see oil is separated from the mixture, add green peas and soaked and drained kaju's to this. Also add more salt as per taste  , and also add tamarind extra with some garam masala at this point . Mix well and allow it to cook for 7/8 mins on medium flame .
9 . Green peas will be cooked well and kajus will also be puffed up . Once that is done , the curry is ready to be served .

Serve hot with some phulkas + ghee and side of homemade peanut chutney or homemade curry leaves chutney 

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