Matar (Matra) Chaat
This is a delicious spicy snack. Matar Ki Chaat can be served as a snack or as a main dish with Kulcha or Naan.
Servings 4 people
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 1 cup matar, (light brown in color, they look almost like chick peas; available in Indian grocery stores)
- 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon black salt (adjust to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon cumin seed
- 1 tablespoon coriander
- 2 tablespoons ginger finely chopped
- 2 small green chilies finely chopped, (adjust to taste)
- 2 tablespoons tamarind pulp
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For Garnishing
- Few slices of lemon
- 2 tablespoons ginger finely chopped
- 2 green chilies finely chopped
Instructions
Method
- Wash and soak matra in three cups of water overnight. After soaking matra will be about 2 1/2 times the volume of the original.
- Dry roast the cumin seeds and coriander seeds separately, until they are brown and you can smell their aroma. Let them cool and grind to powder consistency.
- Put the matra in a pressure cooker with 2½ cups of water. Add the salt, ginger, and green chili. Cook on medium high heat.
- When the pressure cooker starts to steam, turn the heat down to medium and cook eight to nine minutes more.
- Turn off the heat and wait until steam has stopped before opening the pressure cooker. Matra should be soft and tender.
- Add all the spices; this is the time to adjust the salt and pepper to your taste. Mix the spices well. Add a little water if they look too dry, the gravy should be thick.
- Serve warm garnish with ginger and green chili and lemon.