Peas seem simple.
Sweet, green, mild.
But their story in India is dramatic and surprisingly modern.
PEAS WERE NOT COMMON IN ANCIENT INDIA
Unlike brinjal or pumpkin, peas do not appear frequently in early Sanskrit or Tamil texts.
Why?
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They need cold winters
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They prefer short-day light cycles
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Much of India was unsuitable for year-round cultivation
They existed in pockets — mainly Himalayan foothills — but were not widespread.
BABUR’S REMARKS: THE FIRST BIG PEA REVIEW IN INDIA
Babur, founder of the Mughal empire, wrote in his memoirs (Baburnama):
“The peas of Hindustan are not equal to the peas of Kabul.”
This tells us two things:
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Peas were present in India but unimpressive.
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The Mughals cared about peas a lot.
Babur introduced Central Asian pea varieties into North India.
This changed everything.
THE MUGHALS ELEVATE THE PEA
Akbar’s court records mention:
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Matar pulao
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Matar ki qorma
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Spiced peas with saffron
Peas were expensive and seasonal.
Only the elite could afford them.
Winter became the season of luxury foods:
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gajar halwa
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fresh peas
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saag
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radish
The Delhi–Agra belt developed a distinct “winter cuisine.”
THE BRITISH HORTICULTURISTS CHANGE THE GAME
In the 1850s–1900s, the British introduced:
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sweet English garden peas
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hardy varieties
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railway supply chains
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hill-station seed farms (Shimla, Ooty, Coonoor)
By the early 1900s, peas had become a middle-class vegetable.
THE INVENTION OF MATAR-PANEER
This dish did not exist in Mughal or colonial times.
It likely emerged in the 1950s in North Indian restaurants that wanted:
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a vegetarian alternative to meat gravies
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a creamy, tomato-based, festive curry
Paneer was local, peas were seasonal.
Together they became the face of Punjabi vegetarian cuisine.
REGIONAL EFFECTS
Bengal
Ghugni expanded to include green peas.
Maharashtra
Usal and misal adopted peas.
Uttar Pradesh
Winter street stalls selling matar chaat became cultural icons.
South India
Peas became a dosa filling and kurma ingredient.
CONCLUSION: THE WINTER PEARL OF INDIA
Peas are not ancient here.
They are a medieval immigrant and a colonial favourite.
But today, nothing says winter comfort like:
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peas in poha
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peas in pulao
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peas in curries
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peas in samosas
Matar has gone from Mughal luxury → British experiment → Indian staple.
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