A Season Written in Peas

I laughed when I saw that meme about peas turning up in everything the moment winter arrives.

- VERNIKA AWAL

It was meant to mock, but it felt like a gentle truth. For someone who genuinely loves peas, this is the season I wait for all year, when the markets glow with mounds of fresh green pods and every kitchen seems to hum with the promise of sweetness.I admit I am guilty of adding them to almost everything I cook. Gajar matar where the peas burst softly against the earthiness of carrots. Matar ka paratha, flecked generously so that every bite carries that mild, grassy sweetness. Aloo matar made with the new potato crop, tender, and naturally sweet, the peas slipping into the gravy as if they belong there. Matar paneer, matar pulao, and countless everyday meals where peas feel less like an addition and more like a quiet essential. This is the food I grew up with, the flavours that announce Delhi winters in the most familiar way.