Matar Ka Nimona Recipe is a flavorful Uttar Pradesh-style Green Peas Curry that is simple and quick to make. A must-make recipe during the winter months to enjoy the goodness of fresh green peas.
Matar Ka Nimona is a flavorful curry made with fresh green peas and simple spices. Growing up in the state of Uttar Pradesh, green peas are a winter favorite vegetable that was found in abundance.
I have memories of peeling kilograms and kilograms of fresh green peas in winter while basking in the gentle sun to warm us up.
Growing up, I hated green peas and as far as I can remember, green peas are the only vegetable I disliked. I still have no clue as to why I don’t like green peas. I still don’t love green peas but don’t dislike them as much.
Thankfully my husband loves green peas and my boys like it as well. This gives me an opportunity to cook with green peas quite often.
Recipe Swap Challenge -
Indian cuisine is an ocean full of treasured recipes and it gets more and more exciting as we get to explore deeper into each state. I am part of a Facebook Group called ‘Recipe Swap Challenge’.
Each participating member is paired with another member and we have to cook from our pair’s blog. This month, I am paired with Swati, who blogs at Food Trails .
She has a beautiful collection of recipes in her blog and I chose to make this delightful Matar Ka Nimona Recipe from her space.
What kind of peas to use?
I am so happy that I tried this Nimona recipe as my family loved it and the curry disappeared within no time. I was not able to find fresh green peas, but saw frozen petite green peas.
The peas were very tender and sweet and they worked great for Matar Ka Nimona. I also opened my new mortar and pestle that I brought from India the last time I went.
It has been sitting unopened for over a year and I opened it to make fresh ginger, garlic, and green chili paste for the Nimona recipe. It just smells so amazing when freshly ground and I love the heavy stone mortar.
I did not buy it in any fancy store paying big money but bought it from local stone artisans from Mahabalipuram. I have lived in Chennai almost all my life, but last time was the first time, I spent a whole day in Mahabalipuram enjoying the coast and the sculptures.
Ingredients to make Matar Ka Nimona - Serves 4-6
- Green peas - 16 oz (frozen, about 2 cups)
- Potato - 1 medium (peeled and chopped into ½ inch cubes)
- Onion - 1 large (finely chopped)
- Tomatoes - 3 (pureed)
- Ginger - 1-inch piece
- Garlic - 2 to 3 pods
- Green chilies - 2
- Oil - 1 tablespoon + 1 TBSP
- Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
- Bay leaf - 1
- Peppercorns - 6 to 8
- Cloves - 4
- Asafetida - ⅛th tsp
- Red chili powder - 1 tsp
- Dhania jeera powder / Cumin Coriander powder - 1 ½ tsp
- Garam Masala - 1 tsp
- Salt - to taste
- Cilantro - to garnish
Procedure to make UP Style Green Peas Curry -
- Using a mortar and pestle or a small mixer, make a paste out of green chili, ginger, and garlic.
In a pan, add the peas and enough water to cover the peas. Boil the peas until they are tender and then drain it in a colander.
Transfer the drained peas to a wide bowl and using a masher, mash them well. Some use the blender to coarsely grind the peas, but I like the mashed texture better.
In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and fry the peeled and cubed potatoes until it is soft and golden brown.
Remove the potatoes to a bowl and in the pan, add the remaining oil.
Add the whole spices; cumin seeds, cloves, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Fry them for about 30 seconds and then add the asafetida.
Now add the ground ginger, garlic, green chili paste and fry for 30 more seconds.
Add the chopped onions and saute until it is translucent.
Now add the Pureed tomatoes and mix well. Add the spice powders; red chili powder, dhania jeera powder, and garam masala along with salt and mix well.
Let the masala mixture cook in medium heat until aromatic and oil floats on top.
Add the mashed green peas and the fried potatoes. Mix well and then add enough water to adjust the consistency.
Let the curry simmer for 5 to 7 minutes and then garnish with fresh cilantro.
Serve with roti or rice.
More Green Peas Recipes
Chura Matar / Flattened rice with Green peas
Green Peas Pilaf / Matar Pulao
Matar Kachori / Kachori stuffed with green peas
Benarasi Aloo Matar / Potato and Green peas curry
Shahi Aloo Matar / Potatoes and Green Peas in rich Tomato gravy
Matar Paneer / Paneer and Green Peas Curry
Matar Tofu / Tofu and green peas Subzi
Recipe
Ingredients
- ▢ 16 oz Green peas fresh or frozen, about 2 cups
- ▢ 1 large Potato peeled and chopped into ½ inch cubes
- ▢ 1 large Onion finely chopped
- ▢ 3 Tomatoes pureed
- ▢ 1 inch Ginger
- ▢ 3 cloves Garlic
- ▢ 2 Green chilies
- ▢ 2 tablespoon Oil
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- ▢ 1 Bay leaf
- ▢ 8 Peppercorns
- ▢ 4 Cloves
- ▢ ⅛ teaspoon Asafetida
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Red chili powder
- ▢ 1 ½ teaspoon Dhania jeera powder / Cumin Coriander powder
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
- ▢ to taste Salt
- ▢ 4 tablespoon Cilantro to garnish
Instructions
- Using mortar and pestle or a small mixer, make a paste out of green chili, ginger and garlic.
- In a pan, add the peas and enough water to cover the peas. Boil the peas until they are tender and then drain it in a colander.
- Transfer the drained peas to a wide bowl and using a masher, mash it well. Some use the blender to coarsely grind the peas, but I like the mashed texture better.
- In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and fry the peeled and cubed potatoes until it is soft and golden brown.
- Remove the potatoes in a bowl and in the pan, add the remaining oil.
- Add the whole spices; cumin seeds, cloves, bay leaf and peppercorns. Fry them for about 30 seconds and then add the asafetida.
- Now add the ground ginger, garlic, green chili paste and fry for 30 more seconds.
- Add the chopped onions and saute until it is translucent.
- Now add the Pureed tomatoes and mix well. Add the spice powders; red chili powder, dhania jeera powder and garam masala along with salt and mix well.
- Let the masala mixture cook in medium heat until aromatic and oil floats on top.
- Add the mashed green peas and the fried potatoes. Mix well and then add enough water to adjust the consistency.
- Let the curry simmer for 5 to 7 minutes and then garnish with fresh cilantro.
- Serve with roti or rice.
Nutrition
More Curry , Poriyal and Subzi
- Yard Long Beans Curry | Karamani (Payathangai) Poriyal
- Kathirikai Kara Curry | Brinjal Poriyal
- Avarakkai Poriyal | Broad Beans Stir Fry
- Purple Cabbage Poriyal | Cabbage Curry With Coconut
Matar Ka Nimona | UP Style Green Peas Curry
Ingredients
- 16 oz Green peas fresh or frozen, about 2 cups
- 1 large Potato peeled and chopped into ½ inch cubes
- 1 large Onion finely chopped
- 3 Tomatoes pureed
- 1 inch Ginger
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 2 Green chilies
- 2 tablespoon Oil
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 1 Bay leaf
- 8 Peppercorns
- 4 Cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon Asafetida
- 1 teaspoon Red chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon Dhania jeera powder / Cumin Coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
- to taste Salt
- 4 tablespoon Cilantro to garnish
Instructions
- Using mortar and pestle or a small mixer, make a paste out of green chili, ginger and garlic.
- In a pan, add the peas and enough water to cover the peas. Boil the peas until they are tender and then drain it in a colander.
- Transfer the drained peas to a wide bowl and using a masher, mash it well. Some use the blender to coarsely grind the peas, but I like the mashed texture better.
- In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and fry the peeled and cubed potatoes until it is soft and golden brown.
- Remove the potatoes in a bowl and in the pan, add the remaining oil.
- Add the whole spices; cumin seeds, cloves, bay leaf and peppercorns. Fry them for about 30 seconds and then add the asafetida.
- Now add the ground ginger, garlic, green chili paste and fry for 30 more seconds.
- Add the chopped onions and saute until it is translucent.
- Now add the Pureed tomatoes and mix well. Add the spice powders; red chili powder, dhania jeera powder and garam masala along with salt and mix well.
- Let the masala mixture cook in medium heat until aromatic and oil floats on top.
- Add the mashed green peas and the fried potatoes. Mix well and then add enough water to adjust the consistency.
- Let the curry simmer for 5 to 7 minutes and then garnish with fresh cilantro.
- Serve with roti or rice.
