Peas Paratha (Matar Paratha)

Matar paratha recipe or peas paratha – stuffed paratha recipe where stuffing is made from green peas and spiced with masala. Outer layer is made from whole wheat flour.

Generally, stuffed green peas paratha served as a breakfast. But I usually don’t get that much time in morning. So I usually make it for dinner with raita. Or sometimes as a weekend brunch.

Of course, in this peas paratha, the stuffing is made from green peas. Boiled matar are sauteed with onion, ginger and garlic with few spices in little oil. Red chili powder gives slight spicy taste while green peas give their own slight sweetness to it. The best flavor combination, you will sure love it.

This matar paratha makes very filling meal with a bowl of plain yogurt or raita. Leftovers can be packed in lunch or make specially for your kids or hubby’s lunch box.

Adjust the spice level or skip green chili and red chili powder entirely, if making for kids. It will still taste flavorful.

Step By Step Photo Instructions:

Making Stuffing:

1) First boil the green peas. Here I have used frozen peas and cooked in microwave. Take peas in microwave safe bowl, add little salt and 1 tablespoon of water. Microwave it for 4-5 minutes. If using fresh peas, it will take little longer in microwave. Instead you can boil in pressure cooker or steam them.

2) Drain the peas very well. We do not need any water left in matar.

3) Take drained green peas in a food processor.

4) Roughly crush them. Do not make smooth paste. It should be coarse. You can use potato masher as well.

5) Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add chopped onion, sprinkle some salt. Be careful, we have added salt while cooking peas as well.

6) Cook till onions get soft and turns translucent or light brown in color.

7) Now add green chili, ginger paste and garlic paste.

8) Saute for a minute or till the raw smell of ginger garlic goes away.

9) Now add crushed peas.

10) Mix well.

11) Add red chili powder, coriander powder and garam masala.

12) Mix well and cook it with stirring occasionally.

13) Cook till almost all the moisture evaporates. It took me about 6-7 minutes. Still you think the stuffing is loose and has some moisture in it, you can add little besan (gram flour) and mix.

14) Remove it to a plate and let it cool to room temperature. While it is cooling make the dough.

Making The Dough:

1) Take atta and salt in a bowl. Mix.

2) Add 2 tablespoons of oil.

3) Mix it by rubbing between your fingers.

4) It should looks like slightly crumbly mixture.

5) Now add little water at a time and knead into a dough.

6) Dough should be smooth and soft just like plain paratha dough. Cover it and let it rest for 15-20 minutes. While dough is resting and stuffing is cooling, make side dish to go with paratha e.g. raita or chutney.

Making Matar Paratha:

1) After the resting time, knead the dough once again to make it smooth. Divide it into 10 equal portions. make smooth balls and flatten them between your palm one by one.

2) Now work with once flattened disc at a time. Dip both sides into dry flour.

3) Roll into 4 inch diameter circle using rolling pin and rolling board.

4) Put stuffing in the center.

5) Gather the edges in the center.

6) Pinch it to seal it tightly.

7) Now gently press it using your fingers

8) and make around 3 inch diameter disc.

9) now again dip both sides into dry flour.

10) and gently roll into about 6 inch diameter circle.

11) Heat the tawa on medium heat. Once hot, place rolled paratha on it.

12) Cook for some time, you will notice few bubbles on the surface. That time flip the paratha using spatula. You will see few brown spots on it.

13) Cook other side for few seconds and now apply some oil on top.

14) Now flip the paratha. If rolled properly, it will puff up.

15) Very gently press with spatula and cook bottom side.

16) Now add again apply oil in top

17) and flip.

18) again gently press with spatula and cook another side till it is golden brown and no more doughy part seen.

Remove it from the tawa and place in insulated container (lined with paper towel or thin cotton/muslin cloth). Repeat the same with rest of the dough balls. If you have practice then you can roll and fry paratha simultaneously. Otherwise you can roll all the paratha, once done fry them one by one.

Serving suggestion: Serve matar paratha with raita like onion-tomato raita, cucumber raita, boondi raita or bhindi raita. It can be served with your choice or chutney or mango pickle too.

Expert Tips:

• To make the rolling part easy, make sure that dough is soft and smooth. If it is too soft or hard then it will give you hard time to roll or paratha may get break.
• The stuffing should not be loose or should not have any moisture in it. Otherwise while rolling, paratha will break and stuffing will ooze out.
• You cannot start rolling paratha with warm or hot stuffing. It should be cooled at room temperature. So plan accordingly. If in rush, pop in freezer or fridge to cool down quickly.

Check out more stuffed paratha recipes
Paneer paratha  //  mooli paratha  //  Gobi paratha  //  Palak paneer paratha // Aloo paratha