Very popular with kids, arakas is a store cupboard favourite. We always keep a pack of frozen peas in our freezer. And most of the other ingredients can be found at any time in our home. If not, it’s just a short walk to the corner shop. This dish gets tastier the more you leave it to stand, popular wisdom in Greece has it. That’s because it belongs to a category of recipes called ladera.
We love arakas so much, that in fact there are never any leftovers to freeze!
Arakas – Easy Peasy Pea and Vegetable Stew
Course: MainCuisine: GreekDifficulty: EasyServings
4
servingsPrep time
10
minutesCooking time
1
hourTotal time
1
hour50
minutesA Greek family basic recipe.
Ingredients
peas (fresh or frozen)
1 onion chopped
2 scallions (optional)
2 carrots sliced
1 potato quartered
2 medium tomatoes, grated or 1/2 cup tomato puree
2-3 tablespoons chopped dill
Salt, pepper
Directions
- Heat the olive oil in a medium sized cooking pot.
- Sauté the onions until soft. Add the scallions and carrots and sauté 3-4 minutes more.
- Add the peas. Stir till they defrost if frozen.
- Add the tomatoes or puree, and bring to a boil.
- Add the potatoes and enough water to just about cover everything.
- Add the dill, salt and pepper.
- Mix and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat and let simmer for 30 minutes or until peas and potatoes are soft and most of the water is gone.
- Serve warm or at room temperature with feta cheese!