Batkar

Batkar is one of the most nutritious curry preparations in Mithila food. It is prepared out of green peas and contains all the nutritious elements of green peas. This curry is generally prepared after the day long fast to supplement nutrition lost due to fasting specially during the festival of Shivratri .

Material required (serving 2-3 persons):

Green Peas legumes: 250 Gms
Mustard Oil: 50 Gms
Ghee-1-2 teaspoon
Sugar-1/4 teaspoon
Salt – 1 tablespoon
Jeera – ½ teaspoon
Hing (Asfoetida) - 1pinch
Jeera powder – 1 teaspoon
Dhania powder – 1 teaspoon
Garam masala – ½ teaspoon

Preparation Steps:

1. Peel the green peas and keep the peas aside.
2.Grind the peas in a grinder.
3.Add some mustard oil on a deep pan and let it warm. Add pinch of hing and jeera to it.
4.Add the peas paste and fry it for 2-3 minutes
5.Add pinch of jeera and dhania powders and add about a cup of water to the mix.
6.Let the mix cook for 7-8 minutes till it starts forming bubbles.
7.Add ½ teaspoon of garam masala and mix properly.
8.Take a separate pan, add ghee and let it be warm. Now add a pinch of hing, jeera and sugar one by one. When its done put it in the above prepared curry.

This peas curry is ready to savor. It tastes great with malpua.

Things to take care of:

1. Traditionally, the peas were ground using stone mortar. Do not grind the paste too fine when using modern grinders
2. Fry the peas paste in oil with hing and jeera to ensure no foul smell of pea’s remains.