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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
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Ingredients

Serves4

For the dough

For the filling

To cook

  • 3 tbsp gheeor oil for a vegan version

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What you'll need

Fresh ingredients (4)

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Method

0/6 done
  1. Step 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 min
  2. Step 2: Boil 9 oz green peas, fresh or frozen for 3–4 minutes until tender, drain well and mash coarsely.

    4 min
  3. Step 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 min
  4. Step 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.

  5. Step 5: Cook on a hot tawa over a medium heat for 1 minute until small bubbles appear, flip, brush with 3 tbsp ghee, flip again and brush the other side. Press with a spatula until both sides have golden-brown spots, about 3 minutes in all.

    3 min
  6. 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.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

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).

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