5 Recipes You Can Make with Peas While They Stay Fresh and Sweet

Winter is the time for snuggling under a blanket and relishing good, warm food. Food is the perfect therapy for foggy winter mornings and chilly winter nights. Although we can indulge in eating at any time of the day all year round, there is something about winters that makes us appreciate our food a little more – maybe it’s because the winter season offers us our favourite foods. Yes, you know them all – gajar ka halwa, sarson da saag, methi ke laddoo, makhane laddoo – all these mouth-watering Indian dishes make us fall in love with this cold season even more. But there is one more item of food that is awaited in winters – PEAS!

Peas are available all year round, but the best time to relish peas is during winters, as peas at this time are sweet, soft, and fresh – just the way we like. Most of you would love eating peas raw and fresh from the farm, but that doesn’t mean you can’t experiment with them. If you love to eat peas, we’re certain that you’ll also enjoy the various dishes made with peas. So, here we bring you some pea recipes that you can try this winter.

5 Pea Recipes That You Should Make This Winter

Here are 5 tasty pea recipes that you can make during winter.

1. Matar ki Kachori

Matar ki kachori is one of the classic delicacies everyone enjoys, especially in north India – it is a perfect snack to indulge in on a cold winter evening. You can have it with a hot cup of chai or with ketchup, green chutney, or curd.

Ingredients

For the kachori dough

• All-purpose flour (maida) – 1 cup
• Semolina (rawa) – 1 tsp
• Water
• Oil
• Salt to taste

For the stuffing

• Fresh peas – 2 cups
• Grated ginger – 1 tsp
• Thinly sliced green chilli – 1
• Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
• Turmeric – ¼ tsp
• A pinch of asafoetida
• Red chilli powder – ½ tsp
• Coriander powder – ½ tsp
• Garam masala powder – ½ tsp
• Dry mango powder – ¼ tsp
• Chopped coriander leaves
• Crushed fennel seeds – ¼ tsp

How to Make

Stuffing

• Boil or steam the peas and allow them to cool.
• Take the boiled peas, ginger, and chopped chilli in a blender.
• Blend them well to form a coarse paste and keep aside.
• Heat 1 tsp of oil in a wok on a medium flame.
• Once the oil heats up, add cumin seeds and asafoetida, and let them splutter.
• Add blended peas to it and stir well.
• Add dry spices, salt, and coriander leaves to the mix and give it a nice stir.
• Once the mixture is cooked, turn off the flame.

Dough

• Take semolina (rawa) and all-purpose flour (maida) in a large bowl, add salt and some oil, and mix well.
• Slowly add water to it, and knead well to form a dough. Keep the dough aside for 15 – 30 minutes.
• Extract a small ball from the dough and place it on a rolling board.
• Dust some maida on it, and roll the ball to a medium-sized circle using a rolling pin.
• Place a scoop of the prepared stuffing in the centre of the flattened dough and brush some water on its edges.
• Next, bring all the edges together and pinch them.
• Dust some maida on it again and roll it to get a medium-sized disc.
• Repeat the steps to make a few more.
• Heat oil in a deep wok on medium flame; once the oil is hot, drop a rolled kachori in it from the edges of the wok.
• Deep fry it till it turns golden brown.
• Fry all the kachoris in a similar fashion, and serve hot with green chutney.

2. Nimona

We know the name nimona may sound strange, especially if you’re hearing the name of this yummy matar recipe for the first time, but once you try and taste it, we are sure you’ll make it every winter. Yes, we are emphasising on winters because nimona tastes best when made with fresh green peas harvested in the winter season. So, here is the recipe for this favourite delicacy of Uttar Pradesh.

Ingredients

• Chopped onion – 1
• Chopped potato – 1
• Finely chopped tomato – 1
• Fresh green peas – 2 cups
• Mustard oil – 2 tbsp
• Grated ginger – ½ tsp
• Chopped garlic – 1 tsp
• Chopped green chillies – 2
• Bay leaf (tejpatta) – 2
• Cloves – 4
• Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
• Turmeric – ¼ tsp
• A pinch of asafoetida
• Red chilli powder – ½ tsp
• Coriander powder – ½ tsp
• Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
• Water
• Chopped coriander leaves – 2 tsp

How to Make

• Blend the chopped onions, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and green chillies in a blender to make a fine paste. Keep aside in a bowl.
• Next, grind green peas to form a coarse paste. Remember – do not add water while grinding.
• Take 2 tbsp of mustard oil in a pan and heat it on a low flame. Once the oil is hot, add chopped potato cubes to it and sauté them till they turn golden.
• Keep the potatoes aside on a plate lined with a kitchen towel, allowing it to absorb the excess oil.
• To make the nimona gravy, take the same pan. You can add more oil to it if it seems less.
• Heat the oil and add bay leaves, cumin seeds, and cloves to it. Let them splutter.
• Add the ground onion and tomato mixture to it, and stir it well.
• Keep sautéing the mixture until it turns lumpy, and you notice oil releasing from the sides of the mixture.
• Now add all the dry spices to it and mix well.
• Finally, add the coarse peas’ paste and salt as required, and mix well with the onion-tomato masala.
• Add water as required and cover the pan with a lid, allowing it to simmer. It should take 10 – 15 minutes for this matar recipe to cook to perfection.
• Stir it in between and add more water if required.
• Once it’s cooked, add chopped coriander leaves and turn off the flame.
• Serve hot with phulkas.

3. Methi Matar Malai

While nimona tastes delicious, you’d not make it for a house party, would you? If you want to cook something special and fancy with peas, here is a perfect gravy dish that you can make easily.

Ingredients

• Chopped fenugreek leaves (methi) – 2 cups
• Boiled green peas – 1 cup
• Fresh cream – ½ cup
• Milk – 1 cup
• Garam masala – 1 tsp
• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Sugar – ½ tsp
• Salt as required
• Water
• Chopped coriander leaves (for garnishing)

For the paste

• Chopped onion – 1 (medium-sized)
• Chopped green chillies – 1 – 2
• Grated ginger – ½ tsp
• Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
• Cashews – 1 cup
• Chopped garlic – ½ tsp
• Small cinnamon sticks – 2
• Cloves – 4
• Green cardamoms – 2
• Black peppercorns – 2

How to Make

Preparation

• First, wash the chopped fenugreek leaves, then sprinkle ½ tsp salt on it. Keep it aside for 15 minutes.
• Later, squeeze out the excess water from the methi leaves.

Paste

• Heat oil in a pan on a low flame; once it’s hot, add cumin seeds to it.
• Once the cumin seeds change colour, add cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamoms, and peppercorns to it.
• Next, add ginger, garlic, and green chillies, and sauté.
• Add chopped onions and sauté them until they turn soft and translucent. Turn off the flame, and transfer the onion mixture on a plate, allowing it to cool.
• Once it cools, add it to a blender with cashews, and blend to form a smooth paste.

Methi Matar Malai

• Heat oil in a pan on a low flame. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds and wait till their colour changes.
• Then add the prepared onion and cashew paste to it and keep stirring it.
• Cook the mixture for 5 – 10 minutes until it starts giving an aroma, and you see oil releasing from the sides.
• You can add a little water if the mixture sticks to the pan.
• Add chopped fenugreek leaves or methi, and sauté for 3 minutes.
• Add half a cup of water and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
• Finally, add boiled peas, fresh cream, and milk (if necessary), and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add sugar and salt to taste.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and your methi matar malai dish is ready!
• Serve hot with phulkas, parathas, or naan.

4. Peas and Mint Dip/Puree

Who says you can make only Indian delicacies with peas? If you like indulging in all kinds of foods from all parts of the world, here is one recipe which is popular all over the world! Just like the ever-popular avocado dip, you can make a dip or spread with peas as well. Here goes the recipe –

Ingredients

• Fresh peas – 2 cups
• Water – 2 cups
• Chopped mint leaves – 8
• Chopped garlic – ½ tsp
• Salt to taste
• Pepper
• Butter

How to Make

• Take water in a pan and bring it to a boil.
• Add peas, mint leaves, and salt, and boil for 5 minutes.
• Drain the water and let the peas cool.
• Grind together the peas, mint leaves, and garlic.
• Transfer it to a bowl, and add salt and butter to it, and mix well.
• Spread it on toast or bread slices, and enjoy! 

5. Matar Barfi

Want to make a dessert with peas – how about matar barfi? Here is a simple way to make matar barfi. So, take note of this recipe and try it yourself!

Ingredients

• Ground peas – 2 cups
• Ghee or clarified butter – 2 tbsp
• Powdered cashews – ¼ cup
• Powdered sugar – 1 cup
• Grated khoya (mava) – 1 cup
• Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
• Edible silver (Vark)

How to Make

• Roast the cashew powder and keep it aside.
• In a non-stick pan, roast khoya until the ghee separates.
• Once it’s done, take the ghee in the pan, heat it on a low flame, and add the ground peas. Keep stirring continuously to reduce the moisture in the mixture.
• Add khoya and give the mixture a nice stir.
• Add sugar, cardamom powder, and cashew powder, and keep stirring it until the mixture becomes lumpy.
• Turn off the flame.
• Grease a plate or tray with ghee, and pour the peas’ mixture on it, spreading it evenly on the plate.
• Allow it to cool and cut it into squares or any shape you like.
• Stick vark on it and satiate your sweet tooth.

So, there you have it – 5 easy matar dishes that you can make in winters. Savoury, spicy, gravy, sweet – you name it and we’ve got them covered for you. So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and try these recipes. Eat these yummy matar dishes now because you know it well that fresh peas won’t last long. Happy p’eating’!

Also Read:

Include These Seasonal Fruits in Your Winter Diet
Hot Dessert Recipes to Keep You Cozy on Cold Nights
Indian Foods That Can Keep You Warm This Winter Season