Matar Paratha
Matar Paratha
Matar Paratha, or Peas Paratha, is an Indian flatbread filled with green peas. It’s particularly popular during the winter in India when fresh peas are abundant, and the markets overflow with sweet, delicious varieties.
In my childhood, winter was a time when seasonal vegetables were plentiful and featured in a variety of dishes. Carrots, peas, cauliflower, and tomatoes were all fresh and abundant. My mother would prepare ‘pav bhaji’ with all the seasonal produce, ‘gajar ka halwa’, ‘Matar ki Kachori’, ‘Matar ki Poori’, ‘Matar ka Paratha’, and many other dishes like these on weekends.
Paratha is an Indian flatbread made from whole wheat flour and can be stuffed with a variety of fillings such as aloo (potato), paneer (cheese), gobhi (cauliflower), lentils, and many other combinations. They are particularly popular in the northern states of India as a breakfast or brunch item.
There are numerous ways to prepare peas paratha. I’m sharing a cherished family recipe handed down from my mother, which is a favourite in my household. It’s simple, straightforward, and each bite is filled with the delicious taste of peas. I strongly recommend using fresh peas for this recipe because they lend a natural earthiness to the paratha, whereas frozen peas can sometimes be overly sweet. When peas are in season, I like to prepare a large batch of the filling and freeze it.
Other recipes you might like to try are
Mint and Sesame Lachha Paratha,
Methi Thepla and
Ingredients
For The Dough
2 cups wheat flour
½ cup water
1 tablespoon ghee
For The Filling
1 cup peeled peas
4-5 green chillies
2-inch ginger piece
2 teaspoons oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon asafoetida
Salt to Taste
2 teaspoons red chilli powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon chaat masala
1 teaspoon mango powder (amchur)
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 tablespoons gram flour
To Fry Paratha
½ cup ghee/oil for making parathas
Other Ingredients
½ wheat flour for rolling
Directions
In a bowl mix wheat flour and water to form a soft smooth dough. Add ghee and knead it for a couple of minutes. Cover and let the dough rest for 30 minutes
In a grinder, grind the peas, green chillies, ginger and two teaspoons of water to a roughly coarse paste.
Heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds and asafoetida. Once the cumin seeds begin to splutter, add the peas, salt, red chili powder, cumin powder, chaat masala, garam masala, mango powder and gram flour. Mix until everything is well combined. Taste to adjust the seasoning according to your taste.
Turn off the heat to let it cool.
Once the dough has rested make 6-7 balls out of the dough. Roll the dough ball in some dried flour and roll it into a circle of 3-4 inches in diameter. Apply around 1/8 teaspoon oil on the rolled dough (optional). Place around 2 tablespoons of filling in the center (you can add more filling, but I would suggest not overfilling).
Bring all the edges together to the center and then pinch to seal the edges.
Gently flatten the filled dough ball using your hands. Dust some dry flour on the dough ball and roll the paratha to around 5-6 inches. Sprinkle flour as required while rolling.
Heat a flat pan or tawa on medium heat. Transfer the rolled paratha onto the hot pan. Cook the side for 1-2 minutes on medium to hot heat until it is partially cooked and then flip over. Apply ½ teaspoon ghee/oil on the half-cooked side and flip again. Apply ghee/oil on the other side as well and press with a spatula/roti presser and cook the paratha until both sides have golden brown spots on them. Make sure to press the edges so that they get cooked as well.
Serve Matar Paratha hot dolloped with butter, with a side of pickle and yogurt.
