Green peas masala recipe with step by step photos – an almost restaurant-style delicious recipe of green peas curry. Almost restaurant like as the recipe does not have onions and garlic. Though, if you want you can add onions and garlic.
This matar masala recipe does not use butter or cream like most of the restaurant style recipes I have posted. Cashews and milk powder are added to make this gravy creamy, smooth and slightly sweet. I made the gravy a bit spicy, but you can always add the amount of spices as per your requirements. The gravy tastes similar to Paneer butter masala gravy.
Usually I combine peas with other veggies to make dishes like Aloo matar, Matar paneer or gobi matar. But at times I just make a gravy like this recipe or make a dry peas curry. For best taste use fresh green peas. However, you can also use frozen green peas if they are not in season.
Serve peas masala with rotis, naan or tandoori rotis. You can also serve green peas masala with jeera rice or saffron rice or ghee rice.
How to make green peas curry
Preparation
1. First soak 10 to 12 cashews in warm water for 20 to 30 minutes.
2. When the cashews are soaking, steam the fresh peas till they are cooked completely. You can steam them in a steamer or pressure cooker. If cooking in a pressure cooker, then cook for 2 whistles. You can also use frozen peas.
3. Later drain the cashews and add them along with 1.5 cups chopped tomatoes in a blender or grinder jar.
4. Without adding any water, grind to a fine and smooth paste. Keep the tomato-cashew paste aside.
Making curry for green peas masala
5. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a pan. Lower the flame and then add the whole garam masala – 1 bay leaf, 2 cloves, 2 green cardamoms, 1 inch cinnamon, 1 or 2 single strands of mace (optional). Saute for some seconds till the spices become fragrant.
6. Then add 1 to 1.5 ginger+green chili paste and a generous pinch of asafoetida/hing. Stir and saute till the raw aroma of ginger and green chilies go away.
7. Now add the tomato-cashew paste.
8. Stir the paste well.
9. The mixture splutters a lot while sauteing, so cover the pan with a lid and cook this masala mixture, till it stops spluttering on a low flame.
10. Meanwhile in a small bowl whisk 2 tbsp of fresh whole milk curd till smooth.
11. Stir and saute the masala paste on a low to medium flame, till it thickens and you see oil specks on top and oil releasing from the sides.
12. Then add the ground spices – ½ tsp turmeric powder, ½ to ¾ tsp red chili powder (add as per taste), 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp coriander powder and ½ tsp garam masala powder.
12. Stir and saute for a minute.
13. Now lower the flame. Then add beaten curd.
14. As soon as you add the curd, stir quickly with a ladle or spatula so that the curd does not curdle.
15. Stir the curd very well with the whole mixture. Remember to add beaten curd on a low flame and keep on stirring quickly and continuously till the entire curd is mixed and incorporated evenly in the masala paste.
16. Add 1 cup water. Stir to make a uniform gravy.
Making green peas masala
17. Then add the cooked green peas.
18. Season with salt.
19. Stir everything very well.
20. Add 2 tbsp milk powder. Instead of milk powder, khoya – mawa can be added. But add khoya and saute it once the tomato-cashew paste is done.
21. Stir again.
22. Bring the peas masala curry to a simmer on a low to medium flame. About 5 to 6 minutes on a low to medium flame after you add the milk powder.
23. Lastly add ½ tsp kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves), which has been crushed. Stir the curry and switch off the flame.
Garnish with coriander leaves and Serve green peas masala with chapatis, tandoori rotis, naan or roomali roti. You can also serve green peas curry with steamed rice or jeera rice or biryani rice or kuska biryani or ghee rice.
More curry recipes
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green peas masala
Ingredients
for tomato-cashew paste
- 3 medium to large tomatoes or 250 grams tomatoes or 1.5 cups chopped tomatoes
- 10 to 12 cashews
other ingredients
- 1 cup matar or 140 grams matar (peas)
- 1 to 1.5 teaspoon ginger+green chili paste or ½ inch ginger + 1 to 2 green chilies - crushed to a paste in a mortar-pestle
- 2 tablespoon Curd beaten (yogurt)
- 2 tablespoon milk powder or dairy whitener
- a generous pinch of asafoetida (hing)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
- ½ teaspoon Garam Masala
- ½ teaspoon kasuri methi, crushed (dry fenugreek leaves)
- 1 cup water
- 3 tablespoon oil
- salt as required
whole garam masala
- 1 tej patta (indian bay leaf)
- 2 cloves
- 2 green cardamoms
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 1 or 2 single strands of mace - optional
Instructions
preparation
- First soak 10 to 12 cashews in warm water for 20 to 30 minutes.
- When the cashews are soaking, steam the fresh peas till they are cooked completely. You can steam them in a steamer or pressure cooker. If cooking in a pressure cooker, then cook for 2 whistles.
- Later drain the cashews and add them along with 1.5 cups chopped tomatoes in a blender or grinder jar.
- Without adding any water, grind to a fine and smooth paste. Keep the ground tomato-cashew paste aside.
making curry for green peas masala
- Heat 3 tbsp oil in a pan. Then add the whole garam masala - 1 bay leaf, 2 cloves, 2 green cardamoms, 1 inch cinnamon, 1 or 2 single strands of mace (optional). Saute till the spice become fragrant.
- Then add 1 to 1.5 ginger+green chili paste and a generous pinch of asafoetida. Stir and saute till the raw aroma of ginger and green chilies go away.
- Now add the tomato-cashew paste. Stir the paste well.
- The mixture splutters a lot while sauteing, so cover the pan with a lid and cook this masala mixture, till it stops spluttering.
- Meanwhile in a small bowl whisk 2 tbsp of fresh full fat curd till smooth.
- Stir and saute the masala paste, till it thickens and you see oil specks on top and oil releasing from the sides.
- Then add the ground spices - 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 to 3/4 tsp red chili powder (add as per taste), 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp coriander powder and 1/2 tsp garam masala powder.
- Stir and saute for a minute.
- Now lower the flame. Then add beaten curd.
- As soon as you add the curd, stir quickly with a ladle or spatula so that the curd does not curdle.
- Stir the curd very well with the whole mixture. Remember to add beaten curd on a low flame and keep on
- Stirring quickly and continuously till the entire curd is mixed incorporated in the masala paste.
- Add 1 cup water.
making green peas masala
- Then add the cooked green peas. Season with salt. Stir everything very well.
- Add 2 tbsp milk powder. Instead of milk powder, khoya can be added. But add khoya and saute it once the tomato-cashew paste is done. Stir again.
- Bring the green peas masala curry to a simmer on a low to medium flame.
- Lastly add 1/2 tsp kasuri methi, which has been crushed. Stir and switch off the flame.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and serve peas masala with chapatis, tandoori rotis, naan. You can also serve green peas curry with jeera rice or saffron rice.
I just love all your recipes. They all turn out awsmm. Whenever I have to try something new …your blog is for my rescue. Just love your blog. Keep posting more such wonderful recipes
thanks a lot kimaya. felt nice to read your comment. sure, i will keep on adding more recipes. thank again.
Tried this recipe and it came out really well.
Thanks for sharing!!
welcome and thanks for sharing the feedback pooja.
Its testy & quick also. Loved it????.
I have added fresh mint leaves.
Thanks????
Welcome Riddhi. Good to know this.
Its tasty & quick also. Loved it????. I have added fresh mint leaves. Thanks????
Welcome Riddhi. Nice to know this.
I made this yesterday and it turned out to be amazing. Replaced the milk powder with coconut milk whuch gave a slightly coconut tasts… Overall, an amazing way to have peas! Thanks!
Welcome Namrata. Thanks for sharing your positive feedback on matar masala. Glad to know the variation you did to the recipe.