Green Peas Pulao is an aromatic and delicious recipe cooked with basmati rice, green peas, and whole spices like cardamom, star anise, cloves & cumin seeds! This Matar Pulao makes a great side dish and goes well with any dal or curry or plain yogurt or raita. Vegan and gluten-free.
I love pulao dishes as these recipes just require putting together all the chopped vegetables, rice, and some spices to make a delicious one-pot meal. A quick meal ready for lunch to pack or for lazy evening dinners. I specifically love peas pulao because it takes one step even further as it cuts down the vegetable chopping requirement.
About this recipe
- Peas pulao is a vegan, gluten-free rice dish.
- It gets ready in 15 minutes when made in Instant pot and it gets done in 30 mins on stovetop.
- It’s perfect for guests or small get-to-gather or lazy evenings. It looks pretty on the table instead of serving plain, simple rice. Top it with cashews or almonds or pomegranate seeds to add more flavor.
- It pairs well with any type of dal, curry, or raita.
What type of rice to use?
Use very good quality long grain Basmati Rice to make jeera rice. Long grain and aged rice are the best and the key to making fragrant Jeera rice. Aged rice is less starchy and does not mush up after cooking. It can also be cooked with sona masuri or any short grain edible rice if basmati rice not easily available.
What is the ideal rice to water ratio to make Jeera Rice?
If making this rice over the stovetop in a pan, use a 1:2, rice to water ratio. This ratio also works for pressure cookers and rice cookers.
Ingredients
Whole spices: I love whole spices because they make the pulao aromatic and flavorful. I used cumin seeds, bay leaf, cloves, cardamom, star anise and cinnamon stick for this recipe.
Onion, Ginger, and Green chili: You can chop ginger or grate or coarsely grind with chilies in a spice grinder. Or you can also add ginger – garlic paste. I prefer to finely chop or grate as I like the flavor.
Green peas: I prefer the frozen ones over canned ones when fresh peas are not available to me and also fresh ones are hard to find. But if you get the fresh green peas that’s the best.
Cilantro and Mint leaves: It gives a nice refreshing flavor to the matar pulao. If you don’t have mint leaves then you can skip. But I would highly suggest not skipping cilantro. Fresh herbs make a huge difference.
How to make Peas Pulao?
Stovetop Method:
- Firstly, rinse your basmati (or other long-grain rice) underwater until the water comes out clear. Now soak your rice in freshwater for 20 to 30 minutes, then drain the rice and set it aside.
TIP: Do not skip this step! Rinsing rice removes starch that can cause the rice to become gummy while cooking. Soaking gives the rice the opportunity to cook more evenly. This soaking step is for the stovetop method only. For instant pot, I would skip soaking, otherwise, rice gets mushy.
2. Gather ingredients – Red onion, ginger, Peas, green chili, cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves, bay leaf, green cardamom, cilantro, and mint sprigs. Soak the peas in warm water for 10 mins, if using frozen ones.
3. Heat a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add oil and then add the bay leaf, cumin seeds, green cardamom, star anise, cinnamon stick, and cloves. Sauté until the spices are fragrant, around 30 seconds.
4. Then add the sliced onion and green chili and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the onions turn light golden brown in color. You can add a pinch of salt here so that onions cook faster.
5. Add 2 cups water, salt and let it all come to a boil. Once the water starts boiling, add the rinsed and drained rice to the pan. Then add peas and Stir.
6. Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook for 10 minutes on medium heat. After 10 minutes check the rice, if it isn’t done cook for additional 5 minutes.
7. Open the lid and fluff the rice with a fork.
9. Garnish matar pulao with some chopped cilantro and mint leaves! Serve hot with any curry or boondi raita or pomegranate raita.
Instant Pot Method:
- Take basmati rice in a colander and wash under running cold water until water runs clear. Or you can rinse them in a bowl 2-3 times until the water is not cloudy anymore.
2. Turn on the instant pot with sauté mode. Add oil into the inner liner. Once the oil is hot, add whole spices and sauté for 30-40 seconds or until you get the nice aroma of the spices.
3. Then add chopped onions, ginger, green chili and sprinkle a little salt. Mix and sauté for 2-3 minutes or until onions get soft.
4. Now add green peas, washed basmati rice and remaining salt.
5. Add water. Stir well.
6. Cover the instant pot with a lid, cancel the sauté mode and pressure cook on manual (high pressure) for 4 minutes. Let it NPR for 5 minutes and then do QPR (quick pressure release). Do not let it sit for more than 5 minutes otherwise, rice will get overcooked and becomes mushy. Once the pin drops after releasing the pressure, open the lid.
7. Fluff up the rice gently using a fork or spatula, add chopped cilantro and mint leaves. Peas pulao is ready to serve.
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Green Peas Pulao
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Green Peas Pulao is an aromatic and delicious recipe cooked with basmati rice, green peas, and whole spices like cardamom, star anise, cloves & cumin seeds! This Matar Pulao makes a great side dish and goes well with any dal or curry or plain yogurt or raita. Vegan and gluten-free.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Basmati Rice
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion (thinly sliced)
- 2 green chilies (finely chopped)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 4 green cardamom pods
- 4 cloves
- 2 2-inch cinnamon stick
- 1½ tbsp grated ginger
- 15 cashews (or as needed)
- 1.5 cups green peas (If frozen, soak in warm water for 10 mins before using in the recipe)
- 1.5 cups water
- ½ cup coriander leaves (chopped)
Instructions
- Wash and soak rice for 20 minutes. You can soak it in warm water for 10 minutes if you are in hurry. Discard the water.
- Gather ingredients – Red onion, ginger, Peas, green chili, cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves, bay leaf, green cardamom, cilantro, and mint sprigs. Soak the peas in warm water for 10 mins, if using frozen ones.
- Thinly slice onion, chop coriander leaves and slit the green chilies. Grate ginger and set aside.
- Heat a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add oil and then add the bay leaf, cumin seeds, green cardamom, star anise, cinnamon stick, and cloves. Sauté until the spices are fragrant, around 30 seconds.
- Then add the sliced onion and green chili and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the onions turn light golden brown in color. You can add a pinch of salt here so that onions cook faster.
- Add 2 cups water, salt and let it all come to a boil. Once the water starts boiling, add the rinsed and drained rice to the pan. Then add peas and Stir.
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Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook for 10 minutes on medium heat. After 10 minutes check the rice, if it isn’t done cook for additional 5 minutes.
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Open the lid and fluff the rice with a fork.
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Garnish matar pulao with some chopped cilantro and mint leaves! Serve hot with any curry or boondi raita or pomegranate raita.
Notes
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Accompaniment, Main Course, Side Dish
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Calories: 321
Keywords: Matar Pulao, Pulao, Green Peas Pulao
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