Matar Tikki / Peas Patties
These matar tikkis are the kind of recipe you make when you want something comforting, quick, and crowd-pleasing. Green peas mashed with ginger, green chilli, and spices, shaped into patties, and pan-fried until golden. Serve with mint chutney and they are perfect.
Jump to Recipe ↓
The Tikki That Everyone Keeps Coming Back For
Matar tikki is one of those recipes that exists in every household and yet every family makes it slightly differently. Someone adds more garlic. Someone chops the peas more coarsely. Someone always adds a little extra chaat masala at the end. The recipe belongs to everyone.
This version is built on what matar tikki should always be: green peas with onion, garlic, fresh coriander, roasted cumin, chaat masala, and just enough rice flour or oats flour to bind it all into something that can be pan-fried to a proper golden exterior.
Pan-fry on medium heat until golden on both sides. Do not rush. The golden crust on the outside is the whole point.
Serve them while they are still warm. Eat them at snack time. Accept that you will make them again very soon.
Tikkis That Fall Apart in the Pan
Too much moisture in the mixture — Cooked peas and chopped onion both hold moisture, and if you do not drain the peas properly before mixing, the mixture will be wet and loose. Drain the peas thoroughly after cooking. If the mixture feels sticky and wet, add a little more rice flour or oats flour before trying to shape.
Tikkis shaped too loosely — A tikki that cracks and breaks in the pan was never firm enough when shaped. Take each portion and compress it firmly between your palms — squeeze, flatten, smooth the edges. It should hold its shape when you set it down on the work surface. If it slumps or cracks at the edges, add a little more rice flour or oats flour and reshape.
Pan that is not hot enough — A tikki placed in a pan that is too cold will absorb oil and stick before it sets. The pan should be properly preheated on medium heat before the tikkis go in. Add a thin film of oil and let it shimmer before placing the tikkis. Once in the pan, resist the urge to move them — let them sit undisturbed for a full three minutes until the first side is golden before attempting to flip.
Golden Outside, Soft Inside, Gone in Minutes
When they come off the pan — golden and slightly crispy on both flat sides, the green of the peas visible at the edges, smelling of cumin, chaat masala, and garlic — they are exactly what matar tikki should be.
Eat them immediately while they are still warm. The outside crackles slightly as you bite in. The inside is soft, well-seasoned, and deeply flavoured with peas and garlic.
These are the kind of tikkis your guests eat and ask for the recipe. Simple, honest, and consistently excellent.
-
Cook the peas and drain them well.
-
In a chopper, add peas, onion, garlic, and coriander.
-
Season with salt, garam masala, chaat masala, black pepper, and roasted cumin powder.
-
Add rice flour or oats flour and mix well. Add a little water if needed to form a soft mixture.
-
Shape into small patties.
-
Shallow fry on medium heat until golden and crispy on both sides.