AI-generated image
Matar paratha (green pea paratha)
Matar ka paratha (मटर पराठा): wholewheat parathas stuffed with a mashed, spiced green pea filling
In Delhi and Punjab, matar paratha is the winter tiffin made when the first sweet peas arrive: the peas are boiled, mashed coarse and spiced with ginger, green chilli, cumin and amchur, then sealed inside wholewheat dough and roasted on the tawa with a little ghee. Rolled up in foil with a spoon of pickle, they are still soft at lunch. The mistake is a wet filling, which bursts through the dough; cook the mashed peas in a pan until dry and cool them before stuffing. Chef's tip: make the filling slightly saltier than tastes right, because the dough around it is unsalted and mutes it.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the dough
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ cup waterroughly
For the filling
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp fresh gingergrated
- 2 green chilliesfinely chopped
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ¾ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp fresh corianderchopped
To cook
- 3 tbsp gheeor oil for a vegan version
Shop this recipe on Amazon
What you'll need
Fresh ingredients (4)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix 9 oz wholewheat flour (atta) and ¼ tsp salt, then add ¾ cup water gradually and knead for 5 minutes into a soft, smooth dough. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.
5 minStep 2: Boil 9 oz green peas, fresh or frozen for 3–4 minutes until tender, drain well and mash coarsely.
4 minStep 3: Heat 1 tbsp sunflower oil in a pan over a medium heat, crackle ½ tsp cumin seeds, then add 1 tbsp fresh ginger and 2 green chillies for 30 seconds. Add the mashed peas, 1 tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp amchur (dried mango powder), ½ tsp garam masala and ¾ tsp salt and stir for 4–5 minutes until the mixture is dry and comes together. Stir in 2 tbsp fresh coriander and cool completely.
6 minStep 4: Divide dough and filling into 8 each. Roll a dough ball to a 10 cm circle, put a portion of filling in the centre, pull the edges up to seal and flatten. Dust with flour and roll gently to a 16 cm paratha.
Step 6: Repeat with the rest, stacking them in a clean cloth to keep soft. Cool before wrapping in foil for the tiffin; eat the same day.
15 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 45 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does matar paratha (green pea paratha) take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 20 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 vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of cumin seeds?
- Ground cumin, three quarters of the amount (add it with the other ground spices, not to hot oil first).
- What can I use instead of fresh ginger?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Masala khakhra
Khakhra are thin chapaties roasted slowly on a griddle until they turn crisp, like a cracker. This masala version adds gram flour, fresh fenugreek, turmeric and chilli to the wheat dough. They are a light Gujarati breakfast or tea-time snack, and lovely with pickle, chutney or a smear of butter. You can also make them in a roti maker.
Sabudana khichdi
Sabudana khichdi is the dish that sees Maharashtra through every vrat (fast), from Navratri to Ekadashi, but it's so good that people eat it any day of the week. Soaked sago pearls are tossed in a pan with crushed roasted peanuts, cubes of potato, cumin and green chilli until each pearl turns glassy and separate, then finished with lemon and coriander. It's soft, chewy, nutty and gently hot. Fasting rules vary from family to family, so check yours; this version uses rock salt and no asafoetida, onion or garlic. Traditionally it's cooked in ghee; use ghee instead of oil if you aren't keeping it vegan. Chef's tip: soak the sago in just enough water to cover by the height of the pearls themselves, no more; too much water is the reason khichdi turns into one sticky lump.
Bagara baingan
Bagara baingan is a Hyderabadi wedding dish of small aubergines cooked whole in a dark, tangy gravy of roasted peanuts, sesame, dried coconut and tamarind. Unlike a Gujarati stuffed brinjal, the aubergines here are only quartered at the base and fried until silky, then left to soak up a thin-but-rich sauce that is finished with a tempering, the 'baghar' that gives the dish its name. It's sour, nutty and gently spiced, and is served with biryani, bagara rice or plain rice. Chef's tip: choose small, glossy purple aubergines that feel heavy for their size; soft, light ones are full of seeds and turn mushy before the gravy has a chance to cling.




