Spiced White Peas and Potato Recipe

Whenever I travel by train, I buy a small bowl of spiced white peas from the vendors at the station. 

Yesterday I wanted an evening snack and decided to make this at home, and for that I used things like white peas, potato, tomato, and a handful of finishing spices, then topped it with fresh onion, cilantro, and chili.

However, before making it, I soaked white chickpeas for around 6 to 7 hours before cooking: Soak the dried white peas in cold water; otherwise, they won’t cook through without it. 

I soaked mine in the morning and made the snack in the evening, which worked out perfectly.

Ingredients

For the base:

• 50 grams dried white peas, soaked for 6 to 7 hours
• 1 medium potato
• 1 small tomato
• 80 grams water
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• Salt (slightly under half a teaspoon)

Finishing spices:

• A pinch of tangy spice mix (chaat masala, sold at Indian grocery stores and online)
• Half teaspoon cumin powder
• Half teaspoon coriander powder
• Half teaspoon dried mango powder

Fresh topping:

• Half tomato, finely chopped
• Half small onion, finely diced
• A small handful of fresh cilantro, chopped.
• 1 green chili, sliced into rounds

Cooking the Peas, Potato, and Tomato Together

Start Everything in One Pot

1. Drain the soaked white peas and add them to your pot; wash the potato, cut it into four pieces after peeling, and add those in. 
2. Place the tomato in whole, because it will break down on its own as it cooks and adds its acidity to the water, which the peas absorb. 
3. Pour in 80 grams of water, add the turmeric, red chili powder, and salt, then bring everything to a boil.

Cook until the potato pieces are completely soft and the peas have lost their raw crunch; you can test a pea by pressing it. 

It should break without much resistance. If it still feels hard at the center, keep cooking and check again in a few minutes.

It took me 4-5 whistles when I was cooking using my pressure cooker.

Mash While the Pot Is Still Hot

Take a wooden masher or the back of a large spoon and work through the pot until the potato has broken up into the liquid and most of the peas are crushed. 

Some peas will stay whole, some break, and the potato will thicken the base; don’t make a smooth paste. 

You need a chunky, textured base; that’s how street vendors make it, and the tomato will have already melted on its own by this point.

Layer in the Finishing Spices

Add the tangy spice mix, cumin powder, coriander powder, and dried mango powder into the mashed base and stir everything through. 

Let it cook for another five minutes on medium heat so the spices absorb into the base.

The dried mango powder will add sourness to the base. If you prefer tamarind instead, dissolve a small piece in warm water, strain out the seeds, and add that liquid in place of the powder. 

Both work the same way; I used dried mango powder because it was already at home.

Have Fresh Topping and a Way to Split It

Chop the tomato, onion, cilantro, and green chili while the base finishes its five minutes. 

Once the time is up, take the pot off the heat and mix a small portion of the fresh ingredients into the base, then spoon everything into your bowl and pile the rest on top as garnish.

Toppings that you add in a warm base will soften slightly and fold into the dish, but on top will remain completely raw and crisp. 

So, you’ll get both textures, which is the whole point. I prefer splitting them.

Ingredient Substitutes

• Dried mango powder: I recommend you use Tamarind water; it’s the most common alternative in this style of dish. Besides this, you can squeeze lemon juice.
• Tangy spice mix (chaat masala): You can approximate it by mixing a pinch of black salt, a pinch of cumin powder, and a small squeeze of lime. It won’t be identical, but it gets you close to the same tangy, salty quality.
• Cilantro: Fresh mint will give you a different but clean herbal note on top; plus, parsley works too, though the flavor is milder.
• Green chili: Red chili flakes scattered on top give the same heat without the texture of fresh chili rounds; use less than you think you need and taste.
• Potato: Potato is the most important ingredient to thicken the base; without it, you’ll have a looser, brothier dish. It will still taste good, but the consistency will change completely.

What to Eat This With

This works well as a standalone evening snack on its own, which is how I ate it, but if you want something alongside, you can have plain flatbread for scooping. 

Besides this, you can also serve this spooned over a plain papad or a piece of crispy flatbread, but add that you have 1 raw chilli to eat with flatbread or rice, because I kept spices to eat that standalone, without anything.

If you want a legume dish, you’ll like this soya chunks and split chickpea recipe; it’s more filling. 

Plus, if you want lentil-based dishes, see this white lentil recipe; it’s a quick recipe too.

What White Peas Feel Like After Cooking

After smoking for 6 to 7 hours and properly boiling them, white peas feel a little firmer and starchier than regular chickpeas. 

They don’t break down as chickpeas do. If you bite one and it gives with a little resistance and a slightly starchy center, that’s normal for this variety, and it’s not undercooked.

I noticed that when I made it, the peas felt a little firmer than I expected even though they were properly done; that’s how white peas are. 

Next time I plan to make this same recipe with regular dried chickpeas, which soften differently and should give a creamier base. 

But the white pea version has its own quality too.

Ways to Make It Different

• Switch to regular chickpeas: Soak dried chickpeas overnight and boil until very soft; keep the rest of the process the same. The base will be creamier, and the peas will have a different bite.
• Make it thicker: Reduce the water to 50 grams when cooking; you’ll get a drier, chunkier version that scoops well with bread.
• Add ginger: Grate or finely chop a small piece of ginger and add it to the pot along with the other spices at the start. It will add a sharp warmth
• Make it more sour: Double the dried mango powder or add an extra squeeze of lemon over the finished bowl, especially when you prefer a much sharper sourness in this kind of snack.

FAQs about White Chickpeas Potato Snacks

Do I really need to soak the peas for 6 to 7 hours?

Yes, white peas need much longer to hydrate than most lentils. If you don’t soak them, they’ll stay chalky and hard at the center no matter how long you boil them. 

If you forgot to soak ahead, use a pressure cooker with extra water.

Why do the white peas still taste starchy even after cooking?

That’s how white peas are; they don’t get soft and creamy the way chickpeas do. 

As long as a pea breaks when you press it without crunching, it’s cooked; the starchiness at the center is the variety.

Can I eat this cold later or does it need to be hot?

This is best eaten fresh while the base is warm; that’s my recommendation. 

If you reheat leftovers, you’ll have to add a splash of water first because the base thickens as it sits. 

Always add the fresh toppings after reheating, and don’t store them with the base.