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.