Matar Makhana Curry

Matar Makhana is a delicious, rich curry filled with the goodness of foxnuts and green peas. Made in a thick sauce of onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and aromatic spices, this curry is perfect for celebrations or a weekday dinner. It’s also vegetarian and gluten-free! 

I have recently been enjoying lots of Makhana. In India, these are recommended to eat after delivery, as they are very nutritious. So I thought, why not try to make a curry with them? My mom suggested this Matar Makhana, as this is a popular curry in North India.

This curry can be called matar makhana, phool makhana curry, or Makhane ki sabzi. Matar are green peas, and Makhana are foxnuts (also called puffed lotus seeds). 

In India, we love to add green peas to so many curries – Aloo Matar, Matar Paneer, Mushroom Matar….and so many more!  They are a favorite and balance the flavors in these curries.

Usually, khoya or cashews are added to the Matar Makhana recipe to make it richer. But I have not added khoya to this recipe to keep it light. See the variations below if you want to add cashews or khoya.

Pair this Makhana Curry with this spicy ginger chilli pickle, lauki raita  and roti – all North Indian favorites!

What is Makhana or Foxnuts?

Makhana are puffed lotus seeds. They are a popular food to eat during fasting. They are filled with carbohydrates, fiber, iron, zinc, and many other nutrients.

Check here for details on how makhana is processed to make the puffed seeds we enjoy.

My mom often roasted Makhana as a snack to satiate our hunger pangs between meals. It tastes like popcorn but is much healthier.

Some ways to enjoy Makhana – Roasted Makhana, Makhana Curry, and Makhana Kheer.

What are the health benefits of eating Makhana?

Makhana comes with many health benefits, such as:

• Foxnuts have high protein content, so they are recommended food during fasting.
• It contains antioxidants and helps in keeping the calories in check.
• They have high fiber content and aid in the digestive process.
• Having makhana also helps you detoxify.

How to make Matar Makhana in Instant Pot?

Start with gathering the ingredients. This curry uses basic ingredients, such as onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and spices, along with foxnuts and green peas.

We will make this curry in the Instant Pot as a one-pot recipe. It can also be made in a stovetop pressure cooker. I like to reduce the active time needed to make any dish, so you will find this recipe does not need any sautéing, except for roasting the makhana.

• Set the instant pot on sauté mode and let it get hot. Add some ghee and roast the makhana well until they turn golden brown. Take them out and keep them aside for later.

• Add some more ghee, along with the spices, ginger, garlic, onion, tomato, and spices, along with water, to the instant pot, and close the vent in a sealing position.

• Cook on high pressure and switch off the instant pot when it beeps. Let the pressure release naturally.
• Blend the contents using an immersion blender in the pot to a smooth paste. If using a regular blender, you might need to cool the mixture before blending.

• Add kasoori methi, cream, and honey and stir well until they blend with the sauce. To make this curry vegan, replace the cream with coconut milk.
• Add green peas and the roasted makhana to the sauce, along with the lime juice. I have used frozen peas in this recipe. If you are using fresh peas, then parboil them before adding to the instant pot. Give the curry a quick boil on saute mode. This will help the makhana to soften.

Garnish Matar Makhana with fresh cilantro and serve hot with roti, paratha, and naan.

Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method

Follow the same steps as above when cooking in a stovetop pressure cooker. Pressure cook on a high flame for 2 whistles and then finish the process by switching to medium-low heat. Let the pressure release naturally. Then follow the steps as above.

Stovetop Method

Follow the same steps as above when cooking in a large pan on the stovetop. After adding all the ingredients, cook on low flame for 10-12 minutes.

If you are using fresh green peas, they take longer to cook, so add them to the curry first and cook until they are almost tender. Then add the makhana and simmer for 5-7 minutes.

Tips to make perfect Makhana Curry

• It is important to roast the Makhana well before making the curry.
• Add makhana to the curry just before serving, as if the makhana is added before it can become soggy and shrink.
• I love to use homemade garam masala in curries, as it enhances the flavor of the curry.
• Increase or decrease the spice level by adjusting the amount of red chili powder. I love to add mild Kashmiri red chili powder which also adds to the wonderful color of this curry.

Variations

There are many other variations of this scrumptious and nutritious Matar Makhana sabzi.

Kaju Matar Makana

After roasting the makhana, take them out. Then roast cashews in ghee and keep them aside for later use. Then, follow the recipe and add the cashews back in the end, along with the peas and makhana.

Khoya Matar Makhana

After pressure cooking and blending the curry, add crumbled or grated khoya, about 1/2 cup. Mix it well and give it a quick boil. Then add peas and makhana and follow the recipe.

I hope you enjoy this Matar Makhana curry. I would love to hear how it turns out!