I buy a bag of makhana (phool makhana, fox nuts, puffed lotus seeds) for chai-time snacking and then find half of it still on the counter two nights later. Frozen peas are already in the freezer. I do not always want another block of paneer, and I do not want to run to the sweet shop for khoya (mawa, dried evaporated milk).
That is how this matar makhana curry started. It is a North Indian peas-and-fox-nut sabzi in a cashew-tomato gravy. The peas stay sweet. The roasted makhana soak a little sauce and keep a light chew if you add them at the end.
The first pan I made, I treated the fox nuts like potatoes and left them bubbling while I rolled roti. They shrank into tough little buttons. Now I roast them until they snap, then simmer them three or four minutes only. Let’s make it together.
Roast the fox nuts first, then add them in the last few minutes so they stay plump.
What is matar makhana?
Matar is green peas. Makhana are the puffed lotus seeds you usually roast with ghee and chaat masala. Together they make a Punjabi-style gravy that shows up on restaurant menus and at small house parties, often next to naan or jeera rice.
It is not the winter trio. Methi matar makhana adds fresh fenugreek. Makhana malai curry is cream-forward and skips the peas. Makhana cashew curry is the vrat bowl: cashews, fox nuts, no peas, no onion, no garlic.
This matar makhana recipe keeps peas and fox nuts as the hero. Onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, and a small cashew paste. A splash of cream at the end. You may also see it searched as makhana matar recipe or phool makhana curry. Same peas, same fox nuts.
I do not use khoya in the main method. Soaked cashews give the gravy body on a weeknight. If you want the halwai version, the notes have a khoya upgrade.
This is not a fasting curry. Peas, onion, and garlic are in the pan. For a vrat night, make the cashew curry instead.
What are makhana?
Makhana are puffed lotus seeds, a Bihar pantry staple. In a lot of homes they stay a roasted snack mix. Here they behave like a curry vegetable: light, a little nutty, and good at holding gravy if you roast them first.
Buy the white, fully puffed ones. Flat or brown pieces stay tough even after roasting. Fox nuts and phool makhana are the same ingredient. If the bag is still half full after dinner, rose coconut makhana kheer is the sweet leftover plan.
Nutrition highlights
- Makhana add plant protein and fiber without turning the bowl into a paneer gravy
- Green peas add a little more protein and a sweet pop against the tomato
- Cashews thicken the gravy so you need only a spoon of cream
- Naturally gluten-free. Vegetarian as written. Vegan if you swap the dairy
For a vegetarian table that already has dal and roti, this is an easy way to get peas and a crunchy seed into one kadhai.
Why you’ll love this
- Weeknight gravy. No khoya run to the sweet shop
- Frozen peas work. No shelling required
- Roasted makhana keep a little snap if you add them last
- Naturally gluten-free
- Feels restaurant-rich without another block of paneer
Test note: Roast the makhana in 1 tablespoon ghee on medium-low until a piece cracks cleanly between your teeth, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir so the ones at the edge do not scorch. Under-roasted makhana stay chewy and collapse in the gravy. Add them after the peas are tender and simmer 3 to 4 minutes only. If you are making the curry ahead, keep the roasted makhana in a bowl and stir them in when you reheat.
Perfect for
- A Tuesday dinner with roti and raita
- Using the rest of a snack bag of makhana
- When you want something fuller than aloo matar and lighter than paneer
- Jain nights, if you use the onion-garlic swap in the notes
Everything you need for the cashew-tomato gravy, peas, and roasted fox nuts.
Matar Makhana Curry
Equipment
- Heavy-bottomed pan or kadhai
- Blender
- Small bowl
Ingredients
For the roasted makhana
- 2 cups phool makhana (fox nuts / lotus seeds)
- 1 tablespoon ghee
For the cashew paste
- 12-15 cashews about 1/4 cup
- 1/4 cup hot water for soaking
For the gravy
- 2 tablespoons oil or ghee
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 onion medium, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ginger grated
- 3-4 garlic cloves minced, or 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1-2 green chillies slit
- 2 tomatoes medium, blended to a puree, about 3/4 cup
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 3/4 cup warm water plus more as needed
For the peas and finish
- 1 1/2 cups green peas frozen or fresh
- 3 tablespoons fresh cream
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar or honey optional
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi crushed between your palms
To garnish
- fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 tablespoon cream optional
Instructions
Soak and roast
- Soak the cashews in 1/4 cup hot water for 15 minutes. Blend with the soaking water until completely smooth. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in the kadhai over medium-low. Add the makhana. Roast 5 to 7 minutes, stirring, until they turn light gold and a piece snaps cleanly. Tip them onto a plate.
Build the gravy
- In the same pan, heat 2 tablespoons oil or ghee over medium. Add cumin seeds. Let them sizzle 30 seconds.
- Add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt. Cook 6 to 8 minutes until soft and light gold, not burnt.
- Add ginger, garlic, and green chillies. Cook 1 minute until the raw smell goes.
- Add tomato puree, turmeric, Kashmiri chilli, coriander powder, cumin powder, and salt. Cook 5 to 6 minutes until the masala thickens and oil collects at the edges.
- Stir in the cashew paste. It will seize and look pasty. Add 3/4 cup warm water and stir until it loosens into a gravy that coats a spoon.
Add peas, then makhana
- Add the peas. Frozen peas can go in straight. Fresh peas need 4 to 5 minutes until tender. Add a splash of water if the gravy is catching.
- Stir in cream, sugar if the tomatoes taste sharp, garam masala, and crushed kasuri methi. Taste for salt. The gravy should taste a little sweet from the peas and nutty from the cashew.
- Add the roasted makhana. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes on low so they take on gravy but still have a little chew. Do not walk away.
- Garnish with cilantro and a spoon of cream if you want. Serve hot.
Notes
Tips from my kitchen
- Snap test, not color. Pale makhana can still be raw in the center. Bite one. It should crack, not bend.
- Peas first, makhana last. That order keeps the peas tender and the fox nuts from shrinking.
- Soak the cashews in hot water. Cold water needs a longer soak, and the gravy turns grainy if you rush the blend.
- Mistake I made: I added the makhana with the peas and kept the pan on medium while I rolled roti. They drank the gravy and turned tough. Low heat, 3 to 4 minutes, then serve.
What to serve with matar makhana
This wants a swipe and one cooling bowl. The curry is already rich, so keep the rest of the table lighter.
- Roti, phulka, or naan
- Instant Pot jeera rice
- Cucumber raita
- Palak dal if you want a thinner, greener dal on the same table
A kachumber (cucumber, onion, tomato, lime) is enough if the curry is the only rich thing.
Serve the kadhai with roti, or plate a scoop next to jeera rice and raita.
FAQs
Q1. What is matar makhana curry?
A North Indian curry of green peas and roasted fox nuts in an onion-tomato gravy. It is the peas-and-makhana version, not methi matar makhana and not a cream-only makhana malai.
Q2. Is this the same as methi matar makhana?
No. Methi matar makhana adds wilted fresh fenugreek. This recipe is peas and makhana only. If you have a bunch of methi to use, make the winter trio instead.
Q3. Why roast the makhana first?
Raw makhana stay tough and taste dusty. A short roast in ghee makes them crisp, a little nutty, and ready to take on gravy without collapsing in the first minute.
Q4. Will the makhana get soggy?
They soften as they sit. That is normal. They turn leathery only if you simmer them a long time. Add them last, cook 3 to 4 minutes, and serve. For leftovers, keep the roasted makhana separate if you can.
Q5. Can I use frozen peas? Do I need khoya?
Yes to frozen peas. Add them straight from the freezer. No, you do not need khoya. Cashew paste gives the gravy body. Use khoya only if you want the richer party version in the notes.
Q6. Can I make this vegan, Jain, or for vrat?
Vegan: oil and cashew cream or thin coconut milk. Jain: skip onion and garlic, bloom hing, use extra tomato and cashews. This is not a vrat recipe. For fasting, make makhana cashew curry.
Q7. How do I store leftovers?
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on low with a splash of water. The makhana will soften on day two. Do not freeze.
Ready for a weeknight kadhai?
Once the cashews are soaking and the makhana are roasted, this matar makhana curry is mostly one pan: onion-tomato, peas, then the fox nuts at the end. The gravy should look creamy enough to stripe a spoon. The makhana should still have a little snap when you bite one.
If you try this matar makhana, tell me in the comments: did you keep it weeknight with cashews, or did you add the khoya?
Made this? Share a photo and tag @petitepaprika on Instagram. I love seeing your kitchen creations!
