Matar ka Nimona, a UP style Indian curry made with fresh green peas, potatoes and very minimal spices. Tasty soupy curry, this is perfect to pair with rice or chapati/paratha. It takes just 30 minutes to cook it.
This fresh peas curry is best made with tender winter peas that are sweetest so make it while these are in season.
I simply love green peas, and while we enjoy them in all seasons still I think we all agree that winter peas are tastiest. We simply can’t have enough of the peas dishes. In Hindi, peas are known as matar. So most of the pea dishes name start with matar.
Matar paneer, Aloo Matar, Makhana Matar, Matar ka Paratha all these traditional North Indian curries taste good in all seasons but even better during winters. But one dish that stands apart is Matar ka nimona. For me, that is actually a winter dish.
Now that we are talking about winter dishes, another favorite of mine is gatte ki sabji, Matar mushroom, and another dish made with peas Paneer veggie Bhhurji
Somehow I can not see myself enjoying Nimona in summers. But in winters this fresh pea curry tastes best! Almost like heavenly bites on your plate.
What Is Matar ka Nimona
Nimona actually is soupy, spicy curry with robust flavours but at the same time, you need very few spices to prepare.
You can make Nimona with peas but you can also make it with fresh green chickpeas. The method is similar but the taste is different. So that is another delicious variation to try.
In this post, I am sharing with you how this dish is prepared in Uttar Pradesh. Of course with my own substitutions, twists and personalisations.
Ingredients You Need
- Coriander leaves (with stems)
- Ginger
- Green chillies
- Fresh Green Peas -400gm
- Potatoes
- Mustard Oil
- Cumin Seeds
- Asafoetida
- Garam masala
- whole red chillies
- Bay leaf
- Urad dal badi (optional)
How to Make This Matar Ka Nimona - Step by Step
For making Nimona first of all, make a green paste by grinding together coriander leaves, ginger and green chillies. If you are adding garlic you can add that too. [Photo 1]
Grind shelled peas coarsely. You do not want a paste here, the curry has some bite. So, I just pulse them twice in a blender jar of mixer grinder and that's how peas look after that. [Photo 2]
After that in a pan heat mustard oil add roast ground peas in hot oil for few minutes while stirring it in between. [Photo 3,4]
After roasting keep them aside.
Now in another pan, add 2 tablespoon oil and fry dal badi if you are using. As I said you can totally skip if you do not have them. Fry and take them out. [Photo 1]
Next in hot oil add cumin seeds, asafoetida (hing) and whole red chillies. Allow cumin to crackle [Photo 2,3]
Add green coriander paste and fry for 2-3 minutes, then add sliced tomatoes. [Photo 4,5,6]
Cook tomatoes till these are mushy and then add turmeric powder. [Photo 1]
Add roasted peas, mix them well with tomato masala and add about 2 cups of water. Mix it [Photo 2,3]
Now, add boiled potatoes, fried badi, some boiled peas, salt to taste, garam masala cook for few minutes on slow heat. [Photo 4,5,6]
Matar ka nimona is ready enjoy it hot as thick soup or serve this hearty peas curry with rice, paratha or Naan.
In case you want to watch each step in detail. I suggest you to watch video below to see the process of exactly how I made this peas curry.
Step by Step Video
Tips and Recipe Notes
- For the best taste use the fresh peas to make Nimona. But you can make it with frozen peas as well with the same recipe.
- Use Mustard oil for the authentic taste. The second best option is ghee. If you do not have both of these then go for any oil of your choice.
- If you can get coriander seeds for making the green paste, that lends a great flavour. Otherwise use part near coriander roots for maximum flavour.
- To make it even better if you can get Dal badi (dried lentil dumplings) it adds more flavour. But in case you don’t get them, no worries! The curry will still taste great.
My Twist
- Traditionally potatoes are fried for this dish, but to make it healthier I did a substitution. Instead of adding deep fried potatoes I made it with boiled potatoes and trust me the taste was even better. Personally, I do not prefer the taste of too much oil in my curries. And another thing that it did was it made the taste of peas even more prominent.
- In an authentic UP style curry, garlic or green garlic is used. But I do not like to use it so I skipped. If you love garlic you must use it.
More Green Peas Recipe You May Like to Try
- Matar Paneer ( No onion no Garlic)
- Matar paneer Aloo (Green peas Potato and Paneer curry)
- Matar Paneer Cutlets
- Aloo Gajar Matar ki sabji (Punjabi style)
Matar Ka Nimona
Equipment
- Non-Stick Pan (US)
Ingredients
- 2 cups green peas shelled
- ¼ cup green peas shelled and boiled
- 2 Tomatoes sliced
- 2 green chilis
- 1- inch ginger piece
- 3-4 dal wadi/badi
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- Salt to taste
- 3 tablespoon coriander leaves with stems chopped
- 3 tablespoon mustard Oil
- 2 medium potatoes
Instructions
- In a grinder, make a paste of 3tbsp coriander leaves, 1 inch ginger piece and 2 green chillies. Keep this paste aside.
- Grind 2 cups of shelled peas coarsely. You do not want a paste here, the curry has some bite.
- After that in a pan heat 1tbsp of mustard oil till smoking point. Slow down the heat roast ground peas in hot oil for few minutes while continuously stirring it.
- After roasting peas keep them aside.
- Now in another pan, add 2 tablespoon oil and fry dal badi if you are using. Fry and take them out.
- Next in hot oil add 1tsp cumin seeds, a pinch of asafoetida (hing) and 3 whole red chillies. Allow the cumin to crackle
- Add green coriander paste and fry for 2-3 minutes, then add 2 sliced tomatoes.
- Cook tomatoes till these are mushy and then add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder. Add roasted peas, mix them well with tomato masala and add about 2 cups of water. Mix it
- Now, add 2 boiled potatoes sliced, fried badi, ¼ cup boiled peas, salt to taste, garam masala cook for few minutes on slow heat.
- Matar ka nimona is ready enjoy it hot as thick soup or serve this hearty peas curry with rice, paratha or Naan.
Video
Notes
- For the best taste use the fresh peas to make Nimona. But you can make it with frozen peas as well with the same recipe.
- Use Mustard oil for the authentic taste. The second best option is ghee. If you do not have both of these then go for any oil of your choice.
- If you can get coriander seeds for making the green paste, that lends a great flavour. Otherwise use part near coriander roots for maximum flavour.
- To make it even better if you can get Dal badi (dried lentil dumplings) it adds more flavour. But in case you don’t get them, no worries! The curry will still taste great.
Gayatri
Very tasty and spicy
Rekha Kakkar
Thank you!
Sindhu
It was super easy to follow and a super hit at our home,
Subhash
Good recipe