Aloo Matar

1. In a medium-sized sauced pan, heat the oil for a minute over medium flame.
2. Add the bay leaves and cumin seeds,
3. When the leaves and seeds start to crackle, add chopped onion and ginger-garlic paste.
4. Sauté
5. Add the seasonings (garam masala, turmeric, coriander powder and paprika) along with half of the tomato puree.
6. Keep stirring for another 3 minutes and you see the oil separating.
7. Add potatoes, peas, green chilies and the rest of the tomato puree. Stir to combine, and cook for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the curry is reduced. Remove bay leaves.
8. If you want to make the curry creamier, add 2-3 tablespoons of plain yogurt.
9. Serve with boiled rice or flatbreads (roti, naan or parathas) and enjoy! 

Trivia

1. Peas are often used in genetic research.
2. Pea eating etiquette includes mashing them from the back of the fork.
3. Peas when mashed, sprinkled with some salt and pepper can become an excellent dip for chips and crackers.
4. There were over 30 different types of peas grown by the ancient Greeks and Romans
5. There are thousands of different potatoes that are cultivated but only a few are commercially available.