This is Not Aloo Matar (this is just a tribute)

I am 100% not Indian, and where I will tell you that I love Indian cuisine, I need you to instead hear "I love Indian cuisine made for my American spice tolerance," because I am, in fact, a capsaicin wuss.  This does not stop me from eating the more authentic Indian food offerings in my town, it just means I sit there and sweat and cry and am, generally, an embarrassment.

I regret nothing.

This dish is my improved take on this recipe, which was ... fine, we'll call it.  Here, I'm hoping you'll read: "It turned out really well but I had to course-correct and fix things along the way and swore a lot and it was really unpleasant," because that's what happened.  The original isn't authentic, either, just while we're on the topic.  It doesn't call for anything spicy.  Nothing!  A travesty, I say.

Anyhow, this is a solid recipe that serves GORGEOUSLY over a green salad, and that, friends, is absolutely my jam.  Give it a go, yeah?

This is Not Aloo Matar (this is just a tribute)

Ingredients
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4-5 red or yellow potatoes (2lb) cubed but not peeled
1 large onion, course-chopped
1" ginger, pulverized
2 cloves garlic, either minced or pulverized
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
1/12 tsp garam masala
1 tsp white sugar
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 to 2 tsp salt (to taste)
2 tsp dry cilantro
6 oz tomato paste
1 cup water*

Salad greens for each serving
1 egg per serving

Instructions

1. In a big ol' wok, heat the oil and add the potatoes.  Cook them for 5-10 minutes, or until they're maybe halfway to soft.
2. While that's happening, chop the onion, pulverize the ginger and garlic, and measure out the peas.  Add them to the potatoes once they're ready.
3. Transfer the entire mess to a soup pot (if you have a nonstick wok; if you don't, you can do the rest in the wok).
4. Add the garam masala, sugar, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and cilantro, and toss everything around 'til it's playing nice.
5. Add the tomato paste and water and stir it up 'til it's all one big happy family.
6. Cook, covered, for 10 minutes.
7. Here's the part nobody likes:  This is really better if you let it cool, pack it up, and let it sit in its own flavors for at least 24 hours.  It's not required, though!
8. To serve:  Put salad greens into a bowl.  How many greens?  Yes.  Top it with a poached egg.
9. To poach an egg:
1. By now your water should be at a rolling boil -- and I mean it, have it boiling as hard as you can.
2. Crack up to 4 eggs into it (one per serving ... ok fine I like 2 on mine, don't judge me), doing your best not to let the eggs overlap.
3. Let them poach for 2 minutes 15 seconds without stirring them or anything.  If the water starts to boil up like it wants to boil over, skim the white off the top and put it on top of your food.  That's good egg white!
4. After it's done cooking, use a slotted turner (I find this works better than a spoon) to ease each egg out of the water and serve it on top of your tasty dinner.

*I had to add water the first time I made this, and did so by pouring water from the filter directly into the pan, while swearing liberally the whole time.  I'll measure next time and adjust if needed.  I'm thinking it's probably wanting more water, but we'll see.