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Lucknowi matar chaat
White pea chaat
मटर की चाट (matar chaat): soft simmered white peas with ginger, green chilli, lime and sweet chutney from a brass pot
In Aminabad and around the Chowk in old Lucknow, matar chaat is ladled hot out of huge brass handis that sit on embers all evening, especially through the cold months. Dried white peas are cooked until they collapse into a creamy, soupy mass, then each leaf bowl is topped with shredded ginger, green chilli, raw onion, lime, roasted spices and a trickle of sweet tamarind chutney. It is warming, sour and gently hot. Chef's tip: cook the peas until a good number break down; that creamy liquid is what makes it Lucknowi.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 7 oz dried white peas (safed matar)soaked overnight
- 3 ¾ cups water
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
To top
- ½ oz fresh gingercut into fine shreds
- 2 green chilliesfinely chopped
- 1 red onionfinely chopped
- 1 limecut into wedges
- 1 tsp chaat masala
- 1 tsp roasted cumin powder
- ½ tsp black salt (kala namak)
- ½ tsp red chilli powder
- 4 tbsp sweet tamarind chutney
- ⅓ oz fresh corianderchopped
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Drain 7 oz dried white peas (safed matar) and put them in a pressure cooker with 3 ¾ cups water, ½ tsp ground turmeric and 1 tsp salt. Cook for 15 minutes once at full pressure, then let the pressure drop naturally. (In a lidded pot, simmer for 60–75 minutes, topping up with water.)
30 minStep 2: Open and stir hard with a ladle, mashing some peas against the side, until the liquid turns thick and creamy. Common mistake: stopping when the peas are merely tender; they should be soft enough to crush with your tongue.
3 minStep 3: Keep the peas hot over a low heat, loosening with a splash of hot water if they thicken too much.
Step 4: Ladle into bowls and top each with ½ oz fresh ginger, 2 green chillies and 1 red onion. Sprinkle with 1 tsp chaat masala, 1 tsp roasted cumin powder, ½ tsp black salt (kala namak) and ½ tsp red chilli powder, drizzle with 4 tbsp sweet tamarind chutney, add ⅓ oz fresh coriander and serve with 1 lime to squeeze.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 40 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 10 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does lucknowi matar chaat take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
- What can I use instead of fresh ginger?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
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