Matar Chaat Recipe: How to Cook Spiced Green Pea Chaat at Home

Matar chaat recipe with step-by-step photos and tips: If you want a tangy, spicy chaat that’s easy to make, try this family-favorite matar chaat. Made with cooked dried white peas, a simple tomato-ginger base, aromatic roasted spice mix and finished with chopped onion, green chili, tamarind water and fresh coriander, this chaat is flavorful, light and completely vegan.

Matar chaat is a well-loved Indian street snack with regional variations across the country. This particular version is quick to prepare on weekdays, uses readily available ingredients and doubles as a simple white peas gravy that you can serve with roti, paratha or rice. You can serve it as an evening snack, light dinner or pair it with puri or kulcha.

Potatoes are optional in this recipe — I like the texture they add, but you can skip them if you prefer.

More similar snacks to try:

• Ghugni Recipe
• Boiled Potato Chaat
• Masala Roasted Potato

Preparation Step by Step

• Wash the dried white peas and soak them in plenty of water for at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Drain the soaked peas and add them to a pressure cooker with the potato cubes (if using), turmeric, salt and water. Pressure cook for 2–3 whistles over medium heat.
• Remove from the heat and let the pressure release naturally.

• Meanwhile, dry-roast the spice mix: heat a pan and add cumin seeds, coriander seeds, one small dry red chili, cloves and a small cinnamon stick. Roast on low heat for 1–2 minutes until aromatic. Transfer to a plate to cool.
• Once cooled, grind or crush the roasted spices coarsely and set aside.
• Prepare the tomato-ginger paste by blending chopped tomato, chopped ginger, cumin seeds and a pinch of salt into a smooth paste. Set aside.

• Heat oil in a pan and add a pinch of hing/asafoetida. After a few seconds, add the tomato-ginger paste and sauté on low–medium heat until the oil separates from the masala.
• Add Kashmiri red chili powder, sauté briefly, then add the pressure-cooked peas and potatoes. Mix well and let the gravy simmer for about 5 minutes so the flavors combine.

• Turn off the heat and stir in fresh lemon juice, chopped coriander and ½ teaspoon of the roasted ground spice mix. Adjust salt to taste.
• The white peas gravy is now ready. Transfer it into serving plates.
• Top each plate with finely chopped onion, a drizzle of thick tamarind water, and a sprinkle of black salt.
• Add chopped green chili, additional ground spice mix and more chopped coriander as desired.
• Finish with a handful of sev just before serving to keep it crispy. Serve immediately.

Tips & Recipe Notes

• Soak dried white peas for at least 8 hours to ensure even cooking.
• Avoid overcooking the peas, or they will turn mushy; aim for tender but intact peas.
• To keep the chaat lighter and healthier, skip the sev or use it sparingly.
• If asafoetida isn’t available, you can omit it without affecting the overall flavor too much.
• To make thick tamarind water: soak tamarind pulp in hot water for 10 minutes, then squeeze and strain to extract a thick tamarind concentrate.
• Instead of tamarind water you can use fresh lemon juice or thick beaten yogurt for tanginess.
• The roasted ground spice mix adds depth; if you’re short on time, substitute roasted cumin powder or chaat masala.
• Adjust spices to your taste. Reduce or omit green chilies if serving children.
• For a chaat-style variation, add papdi, sweet tamarind chutney, green chutney or plain/sweetened yogurt when assembling.
• You can prepare the matar gravy ahead of time, refrigerate it and reheat just before assembling the chaat.

If you try this recipe, please leave feedback and a rating. You can tag @spoonofflavor on Instagram.

Recipe

Matar Chaat Recipe

A tangy, spicy chaat made with white peas gravy, aromatic spices and fresh herbs. Light, nutritious and vegan.

Course: Snack

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: Matar chaat recipe, White matar chaat

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4 people

Author: Geetanjali

Equipment

• Pressure cooker
• Pan

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried white peas
• 1 medium potato, peeled and cubed (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon salt, or as needed
• 3 tablespoons oil (sunflower or neutral oil)
• Pinch or ⅛ teaspoon hing/asafoetida
• 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder (mild)
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh coriander, finely chopped

For spice paste

• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 inch ginger, roughly chopped
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ¼ teaspoon salt

For the ground spice mix

• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 small dry red chili, deseeded
• 2 cloves
• 1 inch cinnamon stick

For serving

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• ¼ cup thick tamarind water (tamarind pulp soaked in hot water)
• 2 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 1 green chili, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon black salt
• ¼ cup nylon sev

Instructions

1. Wash and soak the white peas for at least 8 hours or overnight.
2. Drain and pressure cook the peas with potato cubes, turmeric, salt and enough water for 2–3 whistles on medium heat.
3. Let the cooker release pressure naturally, then open and set aside.
4. Dry-roast cumin, coriander seeds, dry red chili, cloves and cinnamon on low heat until fragrant. Cool and grind coarsely.
5. Grind tomatoes, ginger, cumin and salt into a smooth paste for the spice base.
6. Heat oil in a pan, add asafoetida, then the tomato-ginger paste. Sauté on low–medium heat until oil separates.
7. Add Kashmiri red chili powder briefly, then add the cooked peas and potatoes. Simmer for 5 minutes.
8. Turn off the heat and stir in lemon juice, chopped coriander and ½ teaspoon of the roasted spice mix. Adjust seasoning.
9. Transfer the gravy to serving plates. Top with chopped onion, tamarind water, black salt, green chili, extra spice mix and coriander.
10. Sprinkle sev just before serving and enjoy immediately.

Notes

• Soak the peas for at least 8 hours for best results.
• Do not overcook the peas to avoid a mushy texture.
• Omit sev to make the chaat lighter and healthier.
• If you don’t have asafoetida, you can skip it.
• Extract thick tamarind water by soaking tamarind pulp in hot water, squeezing and straining if needed.
• Substitute tamarind with lemon juice or yogurt for tang.
• Use roasted cumin or chaat masala if you don’t have the roasted spice mix handy.
• Adjust spice levels to suit your taste and omit chilies for children.
• Prepare the matar gravy ahead and reheat before assembling the chaat.

Nutrition Disclaimer:

Nutrition information is an estimate only. Values will vary depending on the exact ingredients and brands used. For precise information consult a registered dietitian or a nutrition calculator.