Matar Kulche

Winter food, Delhi-style

There are certain cravings that only show up when the weather shifts. Winter has a way of narrowing your cravings. You stop wanting novelty and start wanting the things that are warm, sharp, and familiar. Delhi-style matar kulche sits squarely in that category.
This dish belongs to winter. Soft kulche, slowly simmered white matar, sharp chutneys, heat and tang in equal measure. It’s not polished, and it’s not trying to be.

This was the first thing my husband made me eat when I went to his home in Delhi after we got married. He hyped it up so much that I fully expected it to be one of those things - more nostalgia than substance, a lot of rambling attached. Instead, it lived up to every word. One bite in was all it took to understand his loyalty to this dish.

It’s simple, a little messy, and deeply comforting. Every time we make it now, it takes us right back to Delhi winters. Foggy mornings. Street-side cravings. Cold hands wrapped around hot plates. Always going back for seconds.

If you know, you know. And if you don’t, this is a good place to start.

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Delhi-Style Matar (for Kulche)

Ingredients

For the matar

• White vatana (white/yellow peas) – 1.5 cups, soaked overnight

• Water – enough to cover the matar by about 1 inch

• Salt – to taste

Green chutney

• Fresh coriander – 2 cups

• Mint – 1 cup,

• Green chillies – about 4-5 (adjust to taste)

• Ginger – 3-4 inch piece

• Salt – to taste

• Water – as needed

Tamarind water

• Tamarind – ½ cup or Tamarind concentrate 4 tsp

• Hot water – for soaking

Spice mix

• Spicy red chilli powder – 1/2 tbsp

• Kashmiri mirch powder - 1/2 tbsp

• Coriander powder – 1/2 tbsp

• Cumin powder – 1/2 tbsp

• Garam masala – 1/2 tsp

• Black salt – 1/2 tbsp

• Chaat masala – 1/2 tbsp

• Black pepper powder – 1/2 tsp

For assembly

• Cooked matar

• Green chutney

• Tamarind water

• Spice mix

• Ginger, julienned

• 1 Onion, finely chopped

• 1 Tomato, finely chopped

• Fresh coriander

• 1/2 lime juice

• Hot kulche, to serve

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How to Cook

1. Cook the matar
   Drain the soaked matar and cook them with fresh water and salt until soft but not mushy. They should hold their shape while still being tender. About 30 mins or 3-4 whistles on medium-high flame.

2. Make the green chutney
   Blend coriander, mint, green chillies, ginger, salt, and water until smooth and bright green. Taste and adjust salt or heat.

3. Prepare the tamarind water
   Soak tamarind in hot water for 10–15 minutes. Squeeze out the pulp, strain, and dilute with water until tangy but balanced.

4. Mix the spice blend
   Combine all spice-mix ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

5. Assemble
   Add hot cooked matar to a large bowl. Top with green chutney, tamarind water, spice mix, ginger, onion, tomato, coriander, and a squeeze of lime. Mix well and adjust flavours to your liking.

Serve immediately with hot kulche.

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A Note Before You Go

This isn’t neat food. It’s meant to be eaten warm, a little hurried, preferably in winter, and never just once. The balance will change every time, more tang one day, more heat the next, and that’s exactly the point.

If you make it, make it your way. And if it becomes a craving you didn’t see coming, well, that’s part of it.

More soon,
Ayushi

Founder, Bungalow 22