Sugar Snap Pea, Salad Turnip, and Poppy Seed Curry

1 bunch salad turnips

8-10 oz sugar snap peas

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tsp ginger, shredded

1 Tb agave

½ can coconut milk

1 Tb poppy seeds

2 Tb olive oil

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp garam masala

½ tsp chili powder

¼ tsp turmeric

½ tsp fennel, toasted and ground

½ tsp cumin, toasted and ground

½ mustard seed, toasted and ground

½ -3/4 tsp cayenne (depending on preferred spice level)

¾ tsp coriander, toasted and ground

Handful cilantro, chopped

You’ll need a mortar and pestle, a food processor, or clean coffee grinder. Otherwise, substitute pre-ground spices and use the brown mustard whole.

Remove salad turnip greens and use for another meal or compost. Chop salad turnips into ¼ in thick half moons. Chop tops off peas if necessary.

In a small saucepan, toast cumin, fennel, coriander, and mustard seeds on a low flame, transferring each one in turn to a mortar when toasted. Mustard seeds should crackle, and the other spices should become fragrant when ready to remove from heat. Grind up fennel, cumin, mustard seeds, and coriander with a mortar and pestle. Put aside.

Heat saucepan until warm on a medium flame. Add olive oil. Add garlic and ginger, stirring frequently for a minute. Add half the amount of each spice, and continue stirring frequently. Add in turnips and peas and continue stirring for 6-9 minutes. If the pan starts sticking, add in some coconut milk. Add in poppy seeds and the other half of the spices. Continue stirring frequently. Add in a half can of coconut milk, agave, and salt. Continue cooking for about 3-5 minutes, stirring less frequently.

Serve as a side or on basmati rice and garnish with cilantro.