What Are White Field Peas?

White field peas, called safed matar in Hindi, are dried, fully mature peas, quite different from the fresh green peas most people picture when they hear the word. Where green peas are eaten young and sweet, field peas are dried and starchy.

What actually defines them

Dried, mature peas, harvested later than fresh green peas and left to dry rather than eaten young.
Pale cream to white in colour, with a starchy, slightly earthy flavour quite different from sweet fresh peas.
Sold dried, needing soaking and cooking before use, unlike fresh or frozen green peas which cook quickly.
Central to dishes like ghugni and ragda, both built around the pea's texture once properly cooked.
A separate crop and product from fresh green peas, despite the shared name suggesting a closer relationship.

Picked this week

White field peas

Najirpur Farm II · Najirpur

Field Pea White

$1.04 · 1 KG

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White field pea questions

Are white field peas the same as fresh green peas?: No, they are the same plant harvested at a much later, dried stage, resulting in a very different texture and flavour.
Do white field peas need soaking?: Yes, being a dried mature legume, they benefit significantly from soaking before cooking.
What is safed matar used for?: Most commonly ghugni and ragda, both traditional Indian dishes built around the cooked pea's texture.
Can I substitute frozen green peas for white field peas?: No, the texture and flavour are different enough that recipes built on one will not work well with the other.

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