Matar Kulcha is a classic street food dish from North India made with tangy and spiced white peas curry called matar. The cooked peas curry is seasoned and garnished with onions, tomatoes, herbs and lemon juice. It is served with soft and lightly leavened kulcha bread. This dish makes a satisfying snack or light meal.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 480 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Total time: 510 minutes
  • Yield: 3
  • Category: Brunch, Snacks
  • Cuisine: North Indian, Punjabi

Ingredients

  • 1.25 cup dried white peas ((safed matar))
  • 3 to 4 cups water (- for pressure cooking the soaked white peas)
  • 1 tablespoon (oil)
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon chaat masala
  • ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried mango powder ((amchur powder))
  • ¼ teaspoon red chili powder (or cayenne pepper)
  • ¼ teaspoon garam masala
  • ¾ cup mint leaves (- loosely packed)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1 black cardamom (- seeds removed and husks discarded)
  • 1 dried red chilli (- deseeded, optional)
  • 1 pinch asafoetida ((hing))
  • 1 teaspoon black salt (or regular salt, add as needed)
  • 5 to 6 black peppercorns
  • ½ teaspoon dried mango powder ((amchur powder))
  • 1 tablespoon tamarind (- seedless)
  • ¼ or ⅓ cup water (for grinding or add as required)
  • 1 onion (- small-sized, finely chopped)
  • 1 tomato (- medium-sized, finely chopped)
  • 1 green chili (- slit or chopped)
  • ½ inch ginger (- julienned or finely chopped)
  • 1 lemon (- quartered)
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons coriander leaves (- optional)

Method

Cooking matar

  1. Soak the matar or dried white peas overnight or for 7 to 8 hours.
  2. Drain all the water. Pressure cook the soaked peas in 3 to 4 cups water, for 15 to 18 minutes on medium heat, until the peas are completely cooked and softened.
  3. When the pressure drops on its own in the cooker, then only open the lid.The peas should be fully softened. If they look undercooked, then add water if needed and pressure cook for some more minutes.
  4. If there is extra water and the mixture is thin or runny, then simmer for some more minutes until the peas preparation gets to a medium consistency.
  5. Mash some cooked white peas slightly with a wooden spoon. This helps in thickening the preparation.
  6. The soaked matar can also be cooked in a pan, but it will take a lot of time.

Preparing jaljeera masala

  1. Grind all the ingredients listed under jaljeera masala with ¼ or ⅓ cup water to a smooth and fine paste. Set aside.

Making matar curry

  1. In a pan, heat oil. On low heat, first brown the cumin seeds.
  2. Remove the pan from heat and place it on your kitchen countertop.
  3. Then, add the dry spice powders one by one - chaat masala, roasted cumin powder, amchur powder, red chili powder and garam masala powder.
  4. Stir to mix and immediately pour this mixture into the cooked matar or add the cooked matar to this mixture.
  5. Switch on the heat and let the matar get heated through for 3 to 4 minutes.
  6. Now, add the prepared and finely ground jaljeera masala and stir to combine.
  7. If the matar mixture looks dry, add some water.
  8. Cook the matar or peas curry till all the flavors get mingled, for about 2 to 3 minutes.
  9. Check the seasonings and add more black salt if required.
  10. You can make this and keep it aside till you prepare the Kulcha. While serving, reheat the matar curry.
  11. Top the matar curry with onions, tomato, ginger, chilies and coriander leaves. Squeeze some lemon juice on top and mix lightly. You can also sprinkle some chaat masala.
  12. Serve with hot or warm Kulcha. You can even enjoy the Matar Chaat without the kulcha.
  13. Serve Matar Kulcha in bowls or plates.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.