Lindsey Nair

Features staff writer Lindsey writes about food, restaurants and recipes.

Recent columns

• Be sharp about knives
• What restaurant staffers shouldn't do
• Good gourds: How to make your own pumpkin pie filling
• How sweet it is

Recipes

• Squash custard pie
• Espagnole sauce

• Recipe archive

2 Tbsp. butter or ghee (a browned, clarified butter available in Middle Eastern and Indian specialty markets)

1 tsp. mustard powder

2 tsp. chili powder

¹₂ tsp. turmeric

1 tsp. garam masala powder

1 tsp. salt

2 cups chopped onions

6 cups coarsely chopped tomatoes

1 cup green peas

1. Warm butter or ghee in saucepan over medium heat. Mix in mustard, chili, turmeric, garam masala and salt. Cook, stirring, until spices are coated with oil and give off a strong fragrance, about 1 minute.

2. Add onions and reduce heat to medium-low, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender and translucent, about 40 minutes. Do not try to speed things up or you'll scorch the mixture.

3. Add tomatoes and peas and cook until the tomatoes are tender, the liquid has partially evaporated and you have a thick sauce, about 45 minutes. Serve hot with rice and tomato chutney, if desired.