Potato, Tomato, and Pea curry

My Dad's recipe. Perfect with chapatis-recipe to follow. I am still a chapati novice but have a huge bag of the flour in my freezer (it is prone to rancidity), so I have no excuse not to practice. For some reason the Indian stores only sell chapati flour in quantities large enough to feed a small village. This curry is so warm and comforting on a cold night. It's really good if you add cauliflower to it too! 

Ingredients: 

2 medium onions chopped 

6 cloves of garlic crushed 

1 inch piece of ginger minced

 6 medium tomatoes chopped 

2 fresh green chilies slit 

4 Potatoes cut in half and cut the halves lengthwise into 4 pieces 

3 cups of green peas-frozen is fine 

1 handful of fresh mint leaves - finely chopped 

1 handful of cilantro - finely chopped

Whole spices: 

6 cloves 

6 cardamom pods 

1 dried red chili 

1 small stick of cinnamon 

6 black peppercorns 

1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds

 Ground spices: 

1 teaspoon coriander seeds 

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds 

1 pinch of fennel seeds -grind the above to a fine powder 

1 teaspoon Gram Masala powder 

Method: Peel and boild the potatoes in salted water with a teaspoon of turmeric. When the potatoes are almost cooked drain and set aside. In a large flat bottomed pan heat the oil with the red chili in it. When the. Chili starts to brown add all of the other whole spices except the cumin seeds and fry till aromatic. Add the cumin seeds and fry till they brown. To the scented oil add the ginger and fry for a little while. Add the crushed garlic and fry a little longer. Add the onions and fry till they are golden. Add the ground spices and fry till you can smell the flavor develop. Add the green chilies, mint and chopped tomatoes and simmer till the sauce thickens. Add the boiled potatoes and peas and simmer till the peas are cooked. Add the chopped cilantro and serve.