By Rajlakshmi
January 30, 2026
Sometimes also known as chola kulcha, this dish is usually made with white peas, which have been soaked overnight and then cooked until they’re naturally creamy and soft.
1 ½ cups white matar, soaked overnight 3 cups of water 3-4 cloves A pinch of hing Salt, to taste 1 tbsp oil 2-3 green chillies, chopped 1 tbsp ginger, julienned 1 tsp red chilli powder 1 tsp cumin powder ½ tsp black pepper powder ½ tsp garam masala powder ½ cup tamarind wate
1 tbsp lemon juice ¼ cup fresh coriander, finely chopped Onions, finely chopped for garnish Tomato, finely chopped for garnish Green chillies, finely chopped for garnish Ginger, julienned for garnish Lemon juice for garnish
Add the white matar, water, hing, cloves and salt to a pressure cooker.
Cook for 5-7 whistles or until the matar can be mashed with a spoon.
In a pan, heat some oil. Sauté the chillies and ginger for a minute. Add the cooked matar.
Add red chilli powder, cumin powder, black pepper powder, garam masala powder, salt and tamarind water.
Stir till well combined and cook for 10 minutes on a low heat until it thickens.
Season with lemon juice and fresh coriander and cook for 2 minutes.
Top it off with onion, tomato, green chillies, ginger, fresh coriander and a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve matar kulcha, hot!