Recipe to beat high blood pressure: curried mushrooms, peas and potatoes

India's vegetarian cooks turn humble ingredients like potatoes, peas, lentils and rice into amazingly flavourful, utterly satisfying meals. The secret is in their tantalizing medleys of spices.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves 4

• 1 small onion, cut into chunks
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) sliced fresh ginger
• 45 ml (3 tbsp) plus 250 ml (1 c) water
• 10 ml (2 tsp) olive oil
• 250 g (8 oz) fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps quartered
• 10 ml (2 tsp) curry powder, preferably Madras
• 375 g (12 oz) small red-skinned potatoes, cut into wedges
• Salt to taste
• 250 g (1 c) frozen peas
• 125 ml (1/2 c) plain, low-fat yogurt

1.  Combine onion, garlic, ginger and 45 millilitres (3 tablespoons) water in blender and puree.
2.  Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion puree and cook until liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms to skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until firm-tender, about 3 minutes.
3.  Stir in curry powder. Add potatoes and salt to skillet and stir until potatoes are well coated. Add remaining 250 millilitres (1 cup) water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
4. Stir in peas and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in yogurt.

• If you cannot find shiitake mushrooms, then white button mushrooms are also fine. Button mushrooms are more mild flavoured; shiitake mushrooms have a slightly peppery finish.
• In the summer, use fresh instead of frozen peas. Keep peas in the shell in the refrigerator so that their sugar content doesn't turn to starch.

• Peas are an excellent source of carbohydrates and nutrients. They are high in fibre, and are a good source of potassium. Make canned peas your last choice, since they are higher in sodium and lower in nutrients than either frozen or fresh.
• Shiitake mushrooms contain an immune-boosting compound called lentinan, which may help to lower blood pressure.

Key nutrients per serving: 180 calories, 30 calories from fat, 4 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 7 g protein, 34 g carb, 5 g fibre, 210 mg sodium.

Blood pressure nutrients: 27 mg vitamin C, 49 mg magnesium, 674 mg potassium, 91 mg calcium.