Matra with Masala Kulcha | Delhi Style Chole Kulche chaat is a delicious, tangy, spicy chaat. It is made with white peas and topped with spices, onions and tomatoes.
Matra with Masala Kulcha | Delhi Style Chole Kulche is a zero oil chaat. It is available at every nook and corner of Delhi. It is a chaat that has turned into a meal for many, specifically the poor. A mere Rs 20 or 25 / and you have a satisfied tummy. People who step out for shopping, can’t go back without enjoying a patta ( that is how all chaats are referred to as they are served in bowls made of leaves) of this chaat.
The best part is you can recreate this Chaat very easily in your kitchen, that too without a long list of ingredients. You can customise it by adjusting the spices. We use White Peas to make this chaat. White Peas are the same as Matar or Matra or Vatana. It is the main ingredient in this recipe, just like it is in the Maharashtrian Ragda Pattice. Here we boil them till soft and add the spices, tamarind for tanginess and onion and tomato for crunch. That is about it! It is as simple as that! You can enjoy it as it is or serve it with a Kulcha.
A little about the Kulcha
Kulcha is an Indian leavened flatbread with leavening agents to make it soft and give its texture. The kulcha is normally baked by bakeries. We can bake them at home, but I have never tried doing so. The kulchas, that the street hawkers serve are thinner than the ones sold at bakeries.
The thin kulchas taste very earthy and are rustic, the thick bakery kulchas are more bread-like. Here I have used kulchas bought from a Delhi street vendor.
Ingredients used to make Matra with Masala Kulcha
Matra
Dried White Peas: Soak the peas for a good 6-8 hours, this will make the matra nice and soft after cooking.
Spices: Just use salt while boiling the peas. After cooking I use red chilly powder, yellow chilly powder, black salt, black pepper and chaat masala. If you want to omit some spice, you can. We can adjust the spices as per our taste.
Onion & Tomato: Roughly chopped onion and tomato gives a crunch and body to the Matra. Skip if you want to make a No Onion version. I sometimes add cucumber or radish cubes too.
Tamarind: Soak the tamarind for 10-15 minutes, mash with hands and sieve to get the pulp. This pulp gives a very nice flavour to the chaat, but you can substitute it with Lemon too. In summers, I like to use finely chopped raw mango.
Green Chilly: I love that crunch and zing it lends, you can skip it if you are not a fan of it.
Coriander Leaves: A must as a garnish in all chaats.
Masala Kulcha
Kulcha: I have used readymade kulchas, that I bought from a chole kulcha vendor. You can buy them from a bakery or bake them at home too.
Veggies: I have used sliced onion, capsicum and tomato, but if you wish to omit either onion or capsicum, you can do so.
Spices: Use everyday spices like turmeric powder, chilly powder, salt and a bit of chaat masala.
How to make Matra with Masala Kulcha | Delhi Style Chole Kulche
Wash and soak the Dried White Peas/ Vatana / Matar overnight in enough water. The next day, wash the peas again and add them to a pressure cooker. Add salt and about 3 cups of water.
Pressure cook the peas till soft but not mushy. It usually takes 4- 5 whistles over a low flame. Allow the steam to release naturally from the pressure cooker. Open the lid, and check for doneness. The peas should be soft and fully cooked.
Transfer boiled peas to a mixing bowl. Add the spices, like red chilly powder, yellow chilly powder, black salt, black pepper, roasted cumin powder and chaat masala. Add Tamarind pulp and mix everything very well. You can adjust the spices as per your taste.
Next, add chopped onions, tomatoes, sliced green chilli, ginger and coriander. You can either mix these toppings or let them be as a garnish. I usually mix them up. Squeeze some lemon juice and serve with Masala Kulcha.
Masala Kulcha
Heat a griddle / Tawa or a pan. Add a tablespoon of oil and immediately add sliced onion and capsicum. Sauté for a minute. Now add tomato, chopped green chilly. Sprinkle salt. Let the tomato cook till slightly mushy.
Next add turmeric powder, some chaat masala and coriander leaves.
Place the kulchas over this masala, and toss them in the masala. Turn over and roast the other side as well.
Serving Suggestions
- Matra Kulcha: Matra served with warm local bakery kulchas tastes absolutely fantastic.
- Matra Roti: The street vendors serve the Matra with chapati or roti too. They prepare a big bunch of these at home and warm them before serving.
- Matra Chaat: Matra Chaat is for those who are avoiding carbs! Protein-rich white peas make an excellent chaat. Zero oil, bursting with flavours, we simply love it.
- Matra Kulcha Roll: These Kulcha rolls are perfect as lunch box recipes, or for travel. No mess, and a fuss free roll.
- Matra Masala Kulcha: Masala Kulcha is the latest version of Kulcha that is served with Matra. It is available at very few outlets, so I make it at home.
Storage Suggestions
I like to store the boiled Matra in the frig for up to two days. In summers I avoid storing any food.
We can freeze these peas for almost 2-3 months. Thaw and prepare them, they will taste as good.
Special Street Foods of Delhi
- Pani Poori Delhi Style
- Chole Chawal
- Kulhad wale Rajma Chawal
- Bhalla Papdi Chaat
- Kulle ki Chaat
- Halwa Nagori Poori Sabzi
Matra with Masala Kulcha | Chole Kulche Delhi Style
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
- Tava / Griddle
Ingredients
For Pressure Cooking:
- 1 cup Dried White Peas
- Salt to taste
Other Ingredients:
- 2 Onion roughly chopped
- 2 Tomato roughly chopped
- 3-4 Green Chilly roughly chopped
- Ginger juilline
- Tamarind Pulp
- Green Chutney
- Coriander Leaves
Spices
- Red Chilly Powder
- Yellow Chilly Powder
- Black Salt
- Black Pepper
- Roasted Cumin Powder
- Chaat Masala
Masala Kulcha
- 4 Kulcha
- 2 tbsp Oil / butter
- 1 Large Onion sliced
- 1 Capsicum sliced
- 2 Tomato sliced
- 2-3 Green Chilly chopped
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1/2 tsp Red Chilly Powder
- 1/2 tsp Chaat Masala
- Salt to taste
- Coriander leaves
Instructions
- Wash and soak the Dried White Peas/ Vatana / Matar overnight in enough water.
- Next day, wash the peas again and add to a pressure cooker. Add salt and about 3 cups of water.
- Pressure cook the peas till soft but not mushy. It usually takes 4- 5 whistles over a low flame. Allow the steam to release naturally from the pressure cooker. Open the lid, and check for doneness. The peas should be soft and fully cooked.
- Transfer boiled peas to a mixing bowl. Add the spices, like red chilly powder, yellow chilly powder, black salt, black pepper, roasted cumin powder and chaat masala. Add Tamarind pulp and mix everything very well. You can adjust the spices as per your taste.
- Next, add chopped onions, tomatoes, sliced green chilli, ginger and coriander. You can either mix these toppings or let them be as a garnish. I usually mix them up. Squeeze some lemon juice and serve with Masala Kulcha.
Masala Kulcha
- Heat a griddle / tawa or a pan.
- Add a tablespoon of oil and immediately add sliced onion,capsicum . Sauté for a minute.
- Now add tomato, chopped green chilly. Sprinkle salt. Let the tomato cook till slightly mushy.
- Next add turmeric powder, some chat masala and coriander leaves.
- Place the kulchas over this masala and flip once. The Kulcha will get coated with the masala.
Masala Kulcha is new to me , the combo looks delicious and inviting. Would love to try it.
Absolutely you have bought the street foods home.. This is so perfect and delicious !!
The flavors in matra and masala kulcha sounds simple amazing! Our family would eat this any time. The pictures look stunning. I would love to make these at home.