STREET STYLE CHOLE KULCHE

 Matar Kulcha is one of the most popular street foods that can be seen in every other corner of Delhi. The combo – Matar Kulcha is hearty enough to serve as a meal or as a snack, and leftovers make the best next-day meals. Since this traditional dish is a famous roadside Delhi chaat, therefore, it’s also known as “DELHI WALE MATAR KULCHE.”  Matar chole or white peas curry is one of the popular north indian or delhi street food curry recipe. This Delhi Chaat is popularly known as Matar Ke Chole. In Delhi, you can find the street vendors serving Matar with Kulchas. This roadside chole kulche is everything you have always wanted in your favourite chaat. I don’t know about you but these days I am in love with Chaat. White Matar Recipe or matar Kulcha do look like any other chaat recipe but is far more delicious than your regular one. It is a spicy, tangy street style dish that has a semi-thick gravy dashed with tangy chutneys. White peas that are commonly known as Matar and is the main ingredient in this recipe. White peas makes this recipe a healthy addition to any diet. These dried white peas or matar are full of iron and an excellent source of fiber. They are fat-free and an excellent source of plant-based protein for vegetarians. There are two kinds of peas available in the market. One is the dried green peas, and the other type is the dried white peas. Both the peas have different cooking times, taste, and texture. Safed matar are dried white peas and the same are used to make Mumbai street food ragda pattice. This matar ki chaat or matar kulcha recipe is made with white peas. White peas or matar are hard to digest. Pre-soaking the white peas will make them more digestible, which will help reduce flatulence and bloating. The best part of the curry is that it's not at all heavy and uses zero oil for cooking. This unconventional lip smacking vegetarian curry made is served with a flatbread called kulcha and hence the word kulcha is associated with its name. Since Matar Kulcha is a semi-liquid dish you can eat them as matar ke chole chaat. So give it a try and you will definitely going to love this.

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INGREDIENTS :

For Pressure Cooking -

1 Cup safed Matar (dried white peas)

Salt to taste

3 - 4 Cloves 

¼ teaspoon Asafoetida / Hing

3 Cup Water

Other Ingredients for making Chole -

1 teaspoon Black Pepper Powder

1 tablespoon Garam Masala Powder 

1 teaspoon Chaat Masala Powder

1 tablespoon Cumin Powder

1 tablespoon Tamarind pulp ( I have used dried anardana instead of tamarind pulp ) (see notes )

2-3 Green Chilli, sliced (adjust accordingly )

1 " Ginger peeled and cut into juliennes

Salt to taste

1/4 teaspoon Chaat Masala Powder

1/4 teaspoon roasted Cumin Powder

Pinch of Red Chilli Powder

For garnishing -

1 Onion, chopped finely

1 Tomato, chopped finely

2 tablespoon Coriander leaves, chopped finely

Lemon wedges

Spicy Green Chutney

Sweet Tamarind Chutney 

METHOD :

To pressure cook matar (dried peas) -

STEP 1 - Clean, wash and soak matar in sufficient water for 4 – 5 hours or overnight.

STEP 2 - Once the soaking time is over, drain the water.

Rinse the matar or dried white peas under tap water, transfer matar in a pressure cooker. Add  approximately 3 cups of water and other ingredients for pressure cooking like asafoetida, cloves and salt. 

STEP 3 - Pressure cook the peas for 4 whistles or  untill soft but not mushy. Flame should be low.

STEP 4 -  Then allow the cooker to cool and release the steam naturally. Let's check the peas.

STEP 5 - After pressure cooking, don't throw away the excess water. Strain the excess liquid and reserve it for later use. Cooked matar will thick as it cools. That’s when you can use this water to adjust consistency of matar if needed. 

Making Chole Curry -

STEP 1 - Now transfer the cooked chole (matar )in a wide pan / kadai.

Add all the dry spices like garam masala, chaat masala, cumin powder and black pepper powder. Mix it very nicely.  ( see notes )

STEP 2 - Next, add tamarind pulp ( anardana,) , salt, sliced green chilli and ginger. Mix it very well.

STEP 3 -  Put it on the flame, add some reserved water and give it a nice 

STEP 4 - Cover and allow matar to simmer over low heat for 10 minutes to absorb the flavor of spices. 

STEP 5 - Mash the matar slightly and adjust the consistency.

STEP 5 - Transfer the cooked matar to a large mixing bowl. 

STEP 6 - Add chopped onions, tomatoes and chopped coriander to the matar.

STEP 7 - Add chaat masala, roasted cumin seeds  powder, chopped green chilies, and red chili powder over the matar. Mix everything very well.

While serving, add some more chopped onions, tomatoes, coriander leaves and ginger juliennes. On the top drizzle some spicy green chutney, sweet tamarind chutney and sprinkle some chaat masala. Serve this Delhi Street Style Matar with plain kulcha/ naan,  mango pickle , onion rings, green chilli and  coriander chutney.

NOTES : * Minimum 5-6 hours/ overnight soaking of matar / peas is important, so don't skip it. 

* While pressure cooking, time may vary depending upon the variety of the white peas.

 * We need fully cooked, soft matar for making chole kulcha.

* Since we added salt while boiling the white peas, you can adjust the amount of salt according to your preference while making the matar/ curry.)

* Feel free to adjust the spice levels to suit all taste buds. 

* If you don't have tamarind pulp, anardana then feel free to use aamchur powder.

* After pressure cooking, don't throw away the excess water. Strain the excess liquid and set it aside. 

* Cooked matar will thick as it cools. That’s when you can use this water to adjust consistency of matar if needed.