Peas Pulao (Matar Pulao)
Peas Pulao (Matar Pulao) is a quick, filling, and flavorful one-pot Indian rice dish that is nutritious and good for managing your carb cravings. Make it using my easy recipe.
If you like lightly spiced pulao, try some of my favorite recipes: Paneer Pulao, Soya Mushroom Pulao, Gucchi Pulao, and Basanti Pulao.
When I have guests at home for lunch or dinner, I prefer making Jeera Rice or Matar Pulao to serve with dal and curries instead of plain steamed rice. It’s just a teeny bit more work, but it makes the humble rice a fancy dish.
Now, making any rice dish is fairly easy if you keep the measurements in check. Many ladies of my mom’s generation had a unique way of measuring the rice and water ratio. They would dip their fingers in the water over the rice and measure with their finger marks. It baffles me how they did that and almost always managed to get perfectly cooked rice.
I don’t do any such stunts and firmly rely on my standard cup and spoon measures. I suggest you do that too!
This peas pulao recipe I am sharing in this post is what mom cooked for years. We grew up eating it and it’s just really very good. You must try it!
About Peas Pulao (Matar Pulao)
Peas in Hindi is “matar,” and pulao refers to a flavorful rice dish, so basically Peas Pulao is a rice dish with peas added to it. It is also called Matar Wale Chawal or Matar Pulao and is made especially in winter when fresh peas are in season. However, with frozen peas available all year-round so you can make it anytime.
Each family has its own way of making Peas Pulao. Some like to keep the dish simple and use only whole spices, rice, and peas, while others like to add onions and a few herbs.
In this post, I share how my mom make this delicious one-pot matar pulao at home. You can make it in a pot over the stovetop, a traditional pressure cooker, or an Instant Pot.
If doubling the recipe, use a 6-quart instant pot (or a 5-liter stovetop pressure cooker) instead of a 3-quart instant pot (or a 3-liter stovetop pressure cooker). The cooking time will remain the same.
Ingredients
Rice – I prefer using long-grain white basmati rice to make peas pulao, but you can replace it with any white rice grains you use in everyday cooking. Try to use aged basmati as it retains its shape very well and is very fragrant.
Onions give a lovely earthy flavor to this pulao. I like red onions but feel free to use any variety.
Green Peas – Fresh or frozen peas both work fine.
I freeze peas in winter when they are in season and sell very cheaply. They last for almost a year. Do check out How to Freeze Green Peas and store them in winter.
Whole Spices – When added to ghee, whole spices create a beautiful fragrance and flavor. I have used cumin seeds, cloves (laung), black cardamom (badi elaichi), and black peppercorns (kali mirch). You can skip the ones that are not available.
Crushing the aromatic spices gently before adding them to the ghee or oil makes the matar pulao recipe even more fragrant.
You can also add other whole spices, such as star anise (chakri phool), green cardamoms (hari elaichi), and cinnamon sticks (dalchini).
Ghee – I use ghee to make matar pulao, but you can use any cooking oil or butter instead. Use oil if you want to make the pulao vegan.
Others – You will also need cashew nuts, freshly squeezed lime juice, and salt.
Lime juice adds a refreshing taste and a hint of tanginess to this green peas pulao. It also makes the rice grain fluffier and whitier.
Adding cashew nuts is optional. You can replace cashew nuts with peanuts or almonds.
You can add a few slit green chillies while cooking for a spicy kick.
Variations
You can garnish the dish with fried cashews and finely chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves). I top it with crispy fried onions to make it more indulgent.
To give your pulao a slightly different taste, you can add some garam masala powder and crispy fried onions.
Replace water with thin coconut milk or veg stock for a taste change.
Try adding some pan-fried paneer cubes to make a matar paneer pulao. You can also add veggies like potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, bell peppers, etc., to this rice recipe.
Add a few green chilies for a spicy kick.
How To Make Peas Pulao
Rinse 1 cup of long-grain white basmati rice with water 2-3 times until the water runs clear.
Soak the rice in 3-4 cups of water for 20 minutes. If you don’t have basmati rice, use any available rice.
Add the following whole spices to a mortar and pestle and gently crush them.
- 2-3 whole cloves
- 1 black cardamom
- 3-4 black peppercorns
Keep the crushed spices aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a pan over medium heat.
When the ghee is hot, add the following ingredients to the pan and saute for 4-5 seconds.
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 whole bay leaves
- crushed spices
Add 10-12 cashew nuts and saute until they turn light brown, stirring continuously.
Add ½ cup of sliced red onions and saute until they are golden brown (3-4 minutes). Stir frequently while frying.
Now reduce the heat to low.
Drain the rice and add it to the pan with the following ingredients
- ½ cup green peas
- ½ teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups water
Stir gently to combine the ingredients.
Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook the pulao undisturbed on low heat until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender (20-25 minutes).
Remove the pan from heat and let the pulao rest for 5 minutes.
Remove the lid and fluff the matar pulao gently with a fork. Serve hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. To make matar pulao in an Instant Pot, press SAUTE mode.
2. Now follow the recipe until adding water to the pot. You need to add just 1 cup of water if cooking the pulao in an instant pot, unlike 2 cups that you add when cooking it in a pot or a traditional pressure cooker.
3. Close the lid and set the valve to the sealing position.
4. Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 6 minutes on high pressure.
5. Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
6. Release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid. Fluff the pulao using a fork and serve.
To make this dish in a pressure cooker, follow the pan recipe until rice and water are added, and then put the lid on the pressure cooker.
Pressure-cook for 2 whistles on high heat and then remove the cooker from the heat. Let the pressure release on its own. Open the lid and fluff the pulao.
Pro Tips By Neha
Stick to the measurements, especially those for rice and water. Pulao might turn out dry or mushy if they are not perfect. I suggest using standard cup measures to measure the ingredients.
Once the water is added and the pan’s lid is closed, do not open the lid in between cooking. If you do so, the steam will escape, and the pulao might not cook perfectly.
If you don’t like whole spices coming into your mouth, then add the crushed spices to a closed tea diffuser and add the diffuser in the rice while cooking it. Discard the spices once the pulao is cooked.
Serving Suggestions
Matar pulao pairs well with Indian curries and dals. It can also be served with a pickle and a raita of your choice.
To make it indulgent, I sometimes sprinkle it with some crispy fried onions.
Storage Suggestions
Peas Pulao can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 4-5 days. Reheat it in a pan or a microwave until nicely hot and serve. If the rice has dried from refrigeration, then splash some water over it when reheating.
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Peas Pulao Recipe (Matar Pulao)
Ingredients
- 1 cup long grain white basmati rice
- 2-3 whole cloves (laung)
- 1 whole black cardamom (badi elaichi)
- 3-4 whole black peppercorns (kali mirch)
- 1 tablespoons ghee (use oil for a vegan version)
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 whole bay leaf (tejpatta)
- 10-12 whole cashew nuts (optional)
- ½ cup thinly sliced red onions
- ½ cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
- 1 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
Instructions
- Rinse the rice with water 2-3 times until the water runs clear.
- Soak the rice in 3-4 cups of water for 20 minutes.
- Add cloves, black cardamom, and peppercorns to a mortar and pestle and crush gently. Keep aside.
- Heat ghee in a pan over medium heat.
- When the ghee is hot, add cumin seeds, bay leaves, and crushed spices to the pan and saute for 4-5 seconds.
- Add cashew nuts and saute until they turn light brown, stirring continuously.
- Add onions and saute until golden brown (3-4 minutes). Stir frequently while frying.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Drain the rice and add it to the pan along with green peas, lime juice, salt, and 2 cups of water. Stir gently.
- Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook the pulao undisturbed on low heat until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender (20-25 minutes).
- Remove pan from heat and let the pulao rest for 5 minutes.
- Remove the lid and fluff the matar pulao gently with a fork. Serve hot.
Hi
The carbs and sodium seems off. Please let me know
Thanks
Hi, I checked. It’s fine.