Matar Chaat Recipe
A lip-smacking chaat prepared with white peas gravy, spices, & herbs. It is light, nutritious, & vegan.
Servings4 people
INGREDIENTS ( 1 CUP = 240 ML )
- 1 cup dried white peas
- 1 medium potato peeled, washed, & cut into small cubes (optional)
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp Salt or as needed
- 3 tbsp oil I have used sunflower oil
- 1 pinch or ⅛ tsp hing/asafoetida
- 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder non-spicy
- 1 tsp lemon juice fresh
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander/cilantro finely chopped
For spice paste
- 2 medium tomatoes roughly sliced or chopped
- 1 inch ginger roughly chopped
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- ¼ tsp salt
For the ground spice mix
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp coriander seeds
- 1 small dry red chili desseded
- 2 cloves
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
For serving
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- ¼ cup thick tamarind water (tamarind pulp+hot water)
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves finely chopped
- 1 green chili finely chopped
- 1 tsp black salt
- ¼ cup nylon sev
INSTRUCTIONS
- Wash the white peas and soak them in enough water for at least 8 hours or overnight.
- Drain the water and add the peas in a pressure cooker along with potato cubes, turmeric powder, salt, and water. Pressure cook for 2-3 whistles over a medium flame.
- Remove the pressure cooker from flame and let the pressure release.
- Heat a pan and add cumin seeds, coriander seeds, dry red chili, cloves, and cinnamon stick. Saute over low flame for 1-2 minutes or until aromatic. Then transfer to a plate and allow it to cool down.
- Once done grind or crush the dry roasted spices into a coarse powder and set aside.
- Take chopped tomato, chopped ginger, cumin seeds and salt in the small grinding jar and grind to a paste and set aside.
- Now heat oil in a pan. Once the oil turns hot add hing/asafoetida. Wait for a few seconds then add the tomato paste and saute over lower medium flame until oil separates.
- Add the Kashmiri red chili powder and saute for a few seconds more.
- Add the pressure cooked peas and potato. Saute to mix and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- Once done turn off the flame, add lemon juice, chopped coriander, and ½ tsp freshly made spice mix powder. Stir to mix.
- White peas gravy is ready.
- Transfer the gravy into individual serving plates.
- Top with finely chopped onion and thick tamarind water. Sprinkle black salt.
- Also add chopped green chili, ground spic mix, and finely chopped coriander.
- Finally, top with sev and serve immediately.
Notes
- Make sure to soak the white peas in water for at least 8 hours.
- Do not overcook the peas or else they will become mushy.
- To make the chaat even healthier skip adding sev.
- If hing or asafoetida is not available skip it.
- For thick tamarind water, soak tamarind pulp in hot water for 10 minutes. Then squeeze to extract the thick tamarind water. If required you can strain it as well.
- Tamarind water can be replaced with fresh lemon juice or thick beaten curd/yogurt.
- Roasted ground spice mix enhances the flavor of the chaat. If you are in a hurry substitute it with roasted cumin powder or chaat masala powder.
- Add spices according to your taste and preference. You can increase or decrease the amount mentioned.
- Skip chilies, if serving kids.
- To amp up the flavor of this chaat papdi, plain or sweetened curd(yogurt), green chutney, sweet tamarind chutney can be used as well.
- You can prepare the matar gravy in advance, then refrigerate and heat it just before assembling the chaat.
