Chole Kulche | Matar Kulcha

Chole Kulche or Matar Kulcha is a popular North Indian street food. It is spicy, tangy and stunningly flavorful. Chole or Matar is prepared with boiled white peas, chopped veggies and a few spices. This prepared Matar or Chole can also be relished as a chaat called Matar Chaat. The complete meal is to enjoy this Matar Chaat along with some hot fluffy kulchas, kulcha is an Indian leavened flatbread.

I have used store-bought kulchas in this recipe.

Also try: Aloo Chaat, Ram Ladoo, Papdi Chaat or Desi Poutine.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Time: Preparation – 10 mins, Cooking – 30 mins, Total – 40 mins.

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1. Dried White Peas (Yellow Peas or Safed Matar) – 1 cup (soaked for 6 hours or overnight)
2. Onion – 2 medium (finely chopped)
3. Tomato – 2 large (finely chopped)
4. Green Chilli – 2 (finely chopped)
5. Coriander Leaves – 3-4 tbsp (finely chopped)
6. Ginger – 1 tbsp (finely chopped)
7. Lemon Juice – 2 tbsp 
8. Roasted Cumin Powder – 1/2 tsp
9. Red Chilli Powder – 1/2 tsp
10. Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
11. Chaat Masala Powder – 1/2 tsp
12. Black Salt – 1/2 tsp
13. Water – 2.5 – 3 cups (to boil the peas)
14. Jaljeera Chutney – ingredients below
15. Salt to taste.

For Jaljeera Chutney:

1. Mint Leaves – 1/2 cup 
2. Coriander Leaves – 1/2 cup
3. Green Chillies – 1 (chopped)
4. Tamarind Paste – 2 tbsp
5. Cumin Seeds – 1/2 tsp
6. Fennel Seeds – 1/2 tsp
7. Peppercorns – 1/4 tsp
8. Black Cardamom – 1 (only seeds, discard the pod)
9. Asafoetida – a pinch
10. Black Salt – to taste
11. Water – 1/4 cup.

PS: 1 Cup = 250 ML.

How to make Chole Kulche:

1. Thoroughly rinse the soaked matar (peas). Add it to a pressure cooker along with 3 cups of water and salt
2. Close the lid and cook for 4-5 whistles or until it’s soft. If there’s excess water after boiling, then cook uncovered on high flame until you get the desired consistency
3. While matar is cooking prepare the jaljeera chutney
4. Take a grinder and add all the ingredients of the chutney. Grind to a smooth consistency paste. Keep aside the jaljeera chutney
5. Transfer the cooked matar to a big mixing bowl. Add jaljeera chutney (as needed), onions, tomatoes, green chillies, ginger, coriander leaves and lemon juice, reserve some chopped veggies for garnishing later. Mix 
6. Add roasted cumin powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, chaat masala powder, black salt. Mix well. Your Matar (or Chole) Chaat is ready. Garnish with some reserved chopped onions, tomatoes, green chilli, ginger and coriander leaves. Enjoy it as is or with hot kulchas
7. Heat a pan or a tawa. Toast the kulchas with a little butter or oil and serve hot with prepared matar chaat. Your Chole Kulche or Matar Kulcha is ready!!!