Green peas paratha is a whole wheat flatbread stuffed with a spiced mashed peas filling. This no onion no garlic matar ka paratha is made with fresh or frozen green peas, whole wheat flour, herbs, and a few spices. The parathas are cooked on a hot tawa with oil or ghee until golden. Enjoy them for breakfast, lunch, or pack them in a lunch box.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 30 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Total time: 60 minutes
  • Yield: 8 · 8 Matar Parathas
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Cuisine: North Indian

Ingredients

  • 2 cups/240 grams whole wheat flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoon oil
  • ½ to ⅔ cup water (– for kneading, or add as required)
  • 1¼ cups/125 grams green peas ((matar) - fresh, can also use frozen green peas)
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds (– roasted)
  • 1 tablespoon besan ((gram flour), roasted)
  • 1 to 1½ tablespoon coriander leaves (– finely chopped (cilantro))
  • 1 green chili (– finely chopped)
  • 1 pinch asafoetida ((hing))
  • ¼ teaspoon garam masala (– optional)
  • salt (as required)
  • oil (or ghee as required for roasting)

Method

Making Dough

  1. First take whole wheat flour, salt and oil in a mixing bowl or pan.
  2. Mix very well. Then add ½ cup water and begin to knead.
  3. Add more water if required while kneading.
  4. Knead to a soft and smooth dough.
  5. Cover and keep aside for 30 minutes.

Making Green Peas Stuffing

  1. Steam fresh green peas in a pressure cooker or electric rice cooker. Steam the green peas and do not boil them in water.
  2. For steaming, place the green peas in a heatproof bowl or pan. Add 1 cup water to a 2-litre stovetop pressure cooker and place a metal trivet inside.
  3. Set the bowl of green peas on the trivet. Cover the cooker with its lid and pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles on medium heat.I used an electric rice cooker to steam the green peas.
  4. Drain the steamed green peas very well. There should not be any water in them. Allow them to become warm or cool at room temperature.
  5. Mash the green peas coarsely with a potato masher. Keep aside.
  6. Heat a pan. Lower the heat and add cumin seeds in it.
  7. Roast the cumin seeds till they become fragrant.
  8. Remove and add the roasted cumin seeds to the mashed peas.
  9. In the same pan, on a low flame, add besan. Stirring often, roast the besan.
  10. The besan should become aromatic. its rawness should go away. The color of besan will also change. Do not brown too much or burn the besan.
  11. Add the roasted besan to the mashed peas.
  12. Add finely chopped green chili, asafoetida (hing), finely chopped coriander leaves and salt as per taste.
  13. You can also add garam masala powder. Stir and mix very well.

Assembling & Rolling

  1. Pinch small balls from the dough. Roll them and keep covered.
  2. Take 2 small balls and dust them with whole wheat flour.
  3. Roll each of them to a round of 4 to 5 inches in diameter.
  4. Place the green peas stuffing on one of the rolled round.
  5. Cover with the second one and seal the edges firmly. Sprinkle some wheat flour on both sides.
  6. Roll gently to a paratha of about 6 to 7 inches. Sprinkle flour as required while rolling.

Cooking Matar Paratha

  1. Heat a tawa or skillet and let it become hot. Place the peas paratha on the hot tawa. On a medium to high flame, begin to roast the paratha.
  2. When one side is partially cooked (about 1/4th) then flip the paratha.
  3. Spread some oil or ghee on top. Flip the matar paratha again.
  4. Now spread some oil or ghee on this side too.
  5. If the matar paratha has been stuffed and rolled well, it will start puffing up while cooking.
  6. Flip again. Press the paratha edges with a spatula too, so that they are cooked.
  7. Flip once more and roast till the peas paratha is evenly cooked and has golden blisters on top.
  8. Serve peas paratha hot or warm. You can also stack them in roti basket and later serve warm.
  9. You can make these matar paratha for breakfast or brunch with a side accompaniment of lemon or mango pickle. You can also serve with some butter or curd.

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.