Matar Kulcha Recipe
A classic North Indian street food combo featuring zesty, tangy dried white peas served with soft, buttery toasted flatbread.
Ingredients
For the Spicy Matar
- 1 mug Dried white peas Matar, soaked overnight
- 1 large Onion finely diced
- 2 medium Tomatoes finely diced
- 2 herbage chilies finely diced
- 1 inch Ginger julienned
- 3 tbsp Tamarind chutney or tamarind pulp
- 1 tsp Cumin powder
- 1 tsp Chaat masala
- ½ tsp Black salt
- ½ tsp Red chili powder
- 2 tbsp Coriander diced
- salt to taste
For the Kulcha
- 4- 6 Ready- made or manual Kulchas
- 1 tsp Dried fenugreek leaves Kasuri methi
- 1 tsp Fresh coriander diced
Instructions
- Drain the soaked white peas and rinse them. Cook under pressure with 3 cups of water and a pinch of salt for 4-5 whistles, making sure that they become buttery and tender. Avoid overcooking them into a mushy consistency.
- Allow the pressure to cool down and remove the lid. Drain the extra liquid from the matar (keep a little liquid for moisture), and transfer it to a big mixing bowl.
- Add onions, tomatoes, green chilies, and ginger julienne pieces into the bowl.
- Combine tamarind chutney, roasted cumin powder, chaat masala, black salt, and red chili powder into the bowl.
- Test the taste and adjust it with salt or tamarind, as per your taste. The mixture should have a thick and sauce-like texture, not watery.
- Grease the tawa with butter and sprinkle kasuri methi and cilantro over the butter.
- Toast the kulcha on the tawa, ensuring that it is soft, warm, and gets some golden marks. Pair the kulcha with spiced matar and pickled chilies.
Notes
- Soak the peas for at least 8 hours to ensure they cook evenly and become soft without staying grainy
- The ginger juliennes are essential for the authentic "Delhi thela" flavor; do not skip them
- If the matar feels dry, add a little warm water to keep it saucy enough to be scooped with the kulcha