A warm and comforting one pot peas and rice dish that’s enjoyable entirely on it’s own and compliments any dish it’s served with!
Matar translates to green peas & pulao is the term for a one pot rice dish. Similar to my vegetable pulao, this matar pulao is a warm and comforting one pot meal that comes together easily. The look of it is different of course since the veg pulao is very colorful and the matar pulao is brown, but the process is the same. This one involves less vegetables (only green peas are used), no ground spices, and more browning of the onions…hence the color of the rice.
Before you get started…
Brown the onions!
This takes some time but it’s soooo worth it! Not only does it give the rice a nice brown color, but it also elevates and deepens the flavor! Matar pulao is not the same without the brown onions so please take the time to ensure the onions have browned as much as they can without being burnt. Stir frequently and deglaze the pan with a splash of water, as needed, to ensure the onions brown evenly and don’t burn.
The spices
This recipe doesn’t use any ground spices and is made entirely with whole spices. If you’ve seen my video tutorial in Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube, you probably noticed that I crushed the coriander seeds using a mortal and pestle. I like it better this way since it’s more fragrant & flavorful, and recommend you do the same if you can.
You also probably noticed that I did not use black cardamom in the video but that was because I didn’t have any at the time. I like to add it whenever I have it so I did mention it as an ingredient on the recipe card, but it’s okay for you to skip if you don’t have it or don’t want it.
The rice & water
Measuring the rice and water is very simple if you’re familiar with making one pot rice dishes. To cook 1 cup of rice, I like to use 1.5 cups of water. This matar pulao recipe is made using 2 cups of rice so you need 3 cups of water. If you’re comfortable with a different rice to water ratio, then feel free to use that instead.
The salt
I added 2.5 tsp of salt when adding the rice and water. Salt preferences vary from person to person and I generally do 1 tsp of salt per cup of rice but since matar pulao involves a savory base, this needs a little extra. You can adjust the salt as desired and taste test just once while the rice is cooking. Be careful not uncover the rice for too long or test multiple times since uncovering can interrupt the build up of heat.
The yogurt
Matar pulao pairs deliciously with any kind of curry, a side of vegetables, and/or meat! Sometimes I like to serve on it’s own with plain yogurt or flavored yogurt. The one seen in the video and pictured below was made entirely to taste, so no measurements (sorry!). I just grated some cucumber and mixed with yogurt, salt, black pepper, and cumin powder.
I hope you enjoyed this recipe and would greatly appreciate a rating and review! I would love to hear your feedback and answer any questions you may have. Don’t forget to stay connected on Instagram, Tiktok, Youtube, and Pinterest for video tutorials, updates, & more!
Matar Pulao (Peas & Rice)
Ingredients
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 2 large onions – thinly sliced
- 3-4 garlic cloves – minced see note
- small piece of ginger- minced
- 1 serrano or jalapeno – finely chopped or minced
- 1.5 tbsp coriander seeds (crushed using a mortal & pestle)
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 3 black cardamom
- 4-5 green cardamom
- 4-5 cloves
- 10 whole black peppercorns
- 2 bay leafs
- small piece of cinnamon
- 1 cup green peas
- 3 cups clean water to cook rice
- salt to taste
- oil for cooking
Instructions
- Start by washing the rice until the water runs clear and then soak the rice in clean water.
- While that soaks, get started by heating oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the sliced onions. Cook until they develop a dark brown color. Stir frequently and add splashes of warm water, as needed, to ensure they brown evenly and don't burn.
- Once the onions are dark brown, add all of the whole spices. (cumin seeds, crushed coriander seeds, black & green cardamom, cloves, black peppercorns, cinnamon, and bay leaf) Saute for a few minutes until fragrant.
- Then add the ginger, garlic, and serrano and saute for a few minutes until fragrant.
- Then add the green peas and if the mixture seems too dry, add a few tbsp of warm water. Mix well, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Let it cook for a few minutes until the peas soften and slightly wrinkle.
- Then add the rice along with 3 cups of clean water and salt. Gently mix it all together and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Once the water starts to boil, cover, reduce the heat to low and cook for 10-15 minutes, until rice is cooked through and no water remains. Turn off the heat and leave covered for 5-10 minutes.
- Then gently fluff and mix the rice, optionally garnish with cilantro, serve & enjoy! See note for the yogurt sauce recipe.
Notes
- You can either use 1 tbsp of ginger garlic paste or make a paste of the ginger, garlic, and serrano/jalapeno at home using a mortal & pestle or a food processor.
- The yogurt sauce that’s pictured and was seen in the video was made to taste. Grate some cucumbers and mix with yogurt, black pepper, cumin powder, and a pinch of salt.
