Matar Ka Nimona Recipe (UP Style Green Peas Curry)

What Is Matar Ka Nimona?

Matar Ka Nimona is a traditional North Indian curry from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. You coarsely grind fresh green peas, briefly fry them, then simmer them with potatoes, ghee (or mustard oil), and a handful of spices. The result is thick, soupy, and deeply earthy. Every household in UP makes it differently, and that’s exactly the beauty of it.

Just like Gajar ka Halwa, Carrot Milk, Tahri, or Sarson ka Saag, this Nimona is also a family favorite during winter.

Every winter, the moment fresh peas arrived in the sabzi mandi, Mom would make matar ka nimona with pooris for lunch, twice a week without fail. I never waited for winter anymore. I make it year-round.

If you grew up in UP or Bihar, you already know: Matar Ka Nimona is not just a recipe. It is a memory of peeling peas with family, of the sharp hit of ghee in a cold-morning kitchen, of steamed rice with a spoonful of ghee drizzled over a bowl of thick green curry. For everyone else, this guide gives you exactly what you need to make an authentic Nimona the very first time.

Unlike Aloo Matar, which uses whole peas in a tomato-onion gravy, Nimona gets its character from coarsely ground peas. That texture is everything. It makes the curry thick, almost dal-like, and intensely flavored. You can serve it as a curry with Poori or Lachha Paratha, or thin it out and eat it like a soup over steamed rice.

If you enjoy green pea recipes, try these next: Banarasi Chura Matar, Chaunka Matar, Anda Matar, Methi Matar Malai, and Matar Paneer.

How To Make Matar Ka Nimona

Preparation

The star ingredient of this popular recipe is fresh green peas. Start by shelling approximately 1 kg of green pea pods. You will get approximately 2 cups of peas.

Chop your onions, tomatoes, and garlic, and grate the ginger. I use a knife for chopping, but you can also use an electric chopper.

Gather the remaining ingredients.

Cook The Peas

Step 1: Add 1 tablespoon ghee to a medium pan and heat over medium heat.

Step 2: Once the ghee is melted and hot, add 2 cups of peas to the pan and saute for 2 minutes.

Step 3: Then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the peas are tender. Stir the mixture occasionally while cooking to ensure even cooking.

Step 4: Then remove the pan from the heat.

Make Peas Paste

Step 5: Transfer the cooked peas to a blender and pulse until a slightly coarse paste forms. Do not add any water when blending. Try to keep the peas slightly coarse while blending. Those tiny bits give Nimona its rustic texture, and that is what makes every spoonful so comforting.

Fry The Potatoes

Step 6: Heat the remaining 1 ½ tablespoons of ghee in the same pan over medium-high heat.

Step 7: Once the ghee is hot, add 1 cup of peeled and cubed potatoes (½-inch cubes) and fry until golden brown. Stir the potatoes frequently while frying to ensure they fry evenly on all sides. Transfer the fried potatoes to a plate and keep them aside.

Make The Nimona

Step 8: Add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and 2 whole bay leaves to the remaining ghee in the same pan and let them crackle for 3-4 seconds.

Step 9: Then add the following ingredients to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are lightly browned.

• 1 cup of chopped onions
• 1 teaspoon of grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon of chopped garlic

Step 10: Then add 1 cup of pureed tomatoes and 2 teaspoons of chopped green chilies, and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Step 11: Add the ground peas, fried potatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 cups of water.

Step 12: Mix well.

Step 13: Reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan with a lid and cook the nimona on low heat for 10-12 minutes, or until a thin layer of ghee floats on top. Stir a few times in between. This step defines Nimona’s flavor, so do not hurry.

Step 14: Finally, add the following ingredients to the curry and mix well.

• ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Step 15: If you feel the nimona has thickened after cooking, then add some water to adjust the consistency and bring it to a boil. I like it a little soupy. Taste the curry to check for salt and add more if needed. Garnish the nimona with chopped cilantro and serve the curry hot. Do not forget to add a dollop of ghee on top before serving.

Variations

• Green Coriander Seeds: Some of my friends who live in other villages in UP told me that they add green coriander seeds to their traditional matar nimona recipe. They ground the green seeds into a paste and added them to the curry, along with crushed peas. You can also add some green garlic or hara pyaz while making the paste.
• No Tomato: Many people do not add tomatoes to their matar nimona, but I prefer to use them because of the tangy flavor they add to the curry. You can choose to use them or skip them.
• No Onion, No Garlic – For a non-onion, no-garlic variation, skip both and add a generous pinch of hing to the ghee. Use ginger and green chilies for the punch.
• Hing: You can add hing to the tempering too. It will make it tastier and easier to digest.
• Nimona with Urad Dal Bari: My mother used to add urad dal badi (dried lentil dumplings) to the nimona sometimes. She used to crush and fry the dal wadi in oil before adding them to the potatoes.
• Stock Cube: It just occurred to me that adding a vegetable stock cube to the Nimona recipe will up the taste quotient even more. I will try it next time. You must try it too.
• With Green Chana: To make a variation, use green chana (hara chana, also known as green gram) instead of peas.

Serving Suggestions

We grew up eating piping hot nimona poured over a mound of steamed white rice or poori. Mom would drizzle ghee generously over it before passing us our plates. Her Aam ka Achar, which was always kept on the dining table in a ceramic jar (barni), also complemented this combination well. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice was non-negotiable.

The next morning, she would serve the leftover nimona with plain tawa paratha. You can also serve it with cooked quinoa, couscous, laccha paratha, or roti, among other options.