Chaunke or Chunke Matar is a very simple but delicious pea and onion dish. We use our Chaat Masala blend to great effect here - the tangy flavour of the asafoetida and mango powder, together with lemon juice, go really well with the sweetness of the peas and crispy onions. Serve on its own or as a healthy side dish to a rich meaty curry. Serves 6-8 NB quantities are easily halved.
30g/1 carton Chaat Masala
300ml ‘secret sauce’
1kg frozen peas
2 medium onions, finely sliced
2 tbsp oil
juice of a lemon
In a large pan heat the oil and fry the onions on quite a high heat until nicely browned, verging on burnt (see photo). This is important as it really adds to the flavour. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add a little more oil to the pan and fry gently the spices for a couple of minutes. Add the secret sauce, stir and cook for about 10 minutes.
Add the frozen peas, cover and cook until the peas are ready.
Add the onions and a squeeze of lemon to taste.
Serve with rice or bread, on its own or with other curries.
Cook’s notes
You can add potato to make this into a more substantial dish. Cut into 1 cm cubes and add raw with the secret sauce. Check it is tender before adding the peas.