Matar Pulao | Peas Pulao

Matar Pulao is a light & filling meal made by cooking rice with green peas & aromatic spices. Matar Pulao is a one pot meal, quick and easy to cook within minutes. How to cook Peas Pulao is explained in this recipe with step by step pictures and video.

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Matar is green peas in English and hence the name Matar Pulao or Peas Pulao. Peas Pulao includes mint leaves in this recipe to make the pulao flavourful and tastier.

About Peas Pulao

Peas Pulao is one of the standard menu that we cook at home for lunch. Peas Pulao recipe is simple and involves minimum cutting of vegetables. Peas Pulao get along well with saucy gravy or spicy curries. Matar Pulao is a nice add-on dish in a grand menu for parties and buffets.

Better Matar

Matar is a plant protein, cholesterol free and loaded with nutrients that are good for our body. Matar has a low glycemic index which helps in maintaining body sugar levels. They boost the immunity levels, aids liver function and good for heart too. Matar may reduce hunger appetite which will reduce intake and thus can help in losing weight.

Find your inner peas

Choosing the right fresh peas is slightly tricky. We tend to pick them handful when they are greenish & available in huge heaps and may end up buying pods with lesser & smaller seeds (matar). Handpick each pod that have are matured green color, firm & that feel full, heavy and as if the seeds are about to burst.  When you get peas cheaper you can make homemade frozen peas and store it.

Matar Winter

Winter & Matar are two peas in a pod at India – they come together. Matar grows & yields well in cool climate which is why they are sown in Sep-Oct in India and available in fresh & large quantities in winter. If you are outside India, availability will vary with the climatic conditions of the country you live in.

Thanks to the technology, they can be frozen or dried and is available throughout the year at the grocery stores. For using the dried packeted ones for this recipe, we have to soak matar overnight to soften it & cook in minutes.

Plain Peas Pulao | Masala Peas Pulao – What is your choice?

I have shared 2 versions of Peas Pulao – regular plain version and masala version. I usually make Peas Pulao during the weekends & once when we planned to make Mutton Biryani and realised that we are not supposed to eat Non veg that day, I gave a masala twist to the peas pulao and came up with a masala version. Try this tasty masala version and the family will come again for more.

Matar Pulao Ingredients

• Peas : Using fresh peas or frozen peas is recommended for this recipe. Thaw / defrost if you are using frozen peas by resting it in room temperature for 10-15 minutes. Soak peas overnight if they are dried ones from grocery section & pressure cook it for 15minutes to soften it before making the Pulao. Green peas are sweet, tender, healthy and more versatile to use in different foods. Give peas a chance and use them in your menu whenever you get them in lot.
• Rice : Basmati rice / any long grain rice is recommended for this recipe. Soaking the rice and rinsing 2-3 times will reduce the cook time and also yields fluffy rice. Do not overcook the rice – the rice should be fluffy after cooking.
• Spices : Aromatic spices likes cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, cloves, bayleaf are added.
• Flavour : I usually add a handful of mint leaves for flavour. Also adding pure ghee gives peas pulao a great flavour.

If you have any more questions about this Matar Pulao  do mail me at [email protected] In addition, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest ,Youtube and Twitter .

Tried this Matar Pulao Recipe? Do let me know how you liked it. Also tag us on Instagram @sharmispassions and hash tag it on #sharmispassions.

How to make Matar Pulao

Preparing rice

1.Soak basmati rice for 15-30 mins. Use long grained rice for best results.

Tempering the spices

2.Heat oil + ghee in a pressure cooker – add whole spices like bayleaf, cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves, star anise and cinnamon.

3.Add green chillies, ginger garlic paste.

4.Fry for a minute until golden.

Adding onion, mint

5.Add sliced onion, required salt.

6.Fry until golden.

7.Add mint leaves saute for a minute.

Adding green peas

8.Add fresh green peas cleaned and rinsed well. If using frozen peas thaw it first, rinse it well then add.

9.Saute for 2 mins.

Adding rice

10.Add soaked, drained rice.

11.Give a quick saute.

12.Add required water, check salt by tasting it now and adjust accordingly.

Cooking rice

13.Pressure cook for 3 whistles in medium flame.

14.Once pressure releases open.

15.Fluff the rice gently. It may look sticky at this stage, later it will become grain seperated and more fluffier.

Serve hot with your favourite sidedish! We relished it with small potato tikka.

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Expert Tips

• Soaking rice helps in giving grain seperated fluffy soft rice so I always recommend to soak.
• Using fresh green peas gives the best taste.
• All the spices are must to add as it lends a great aroma to this pulao.
• Green peas when cooked turns to pale green making it look dull. Incase if you want to retain the green color add a pinch of white sugar, cook as per instructions finally release the pressure manually slightly. This will surely retain the green color of peas. Make sure to release only slightly else rice will be half cooked.
• If you like amild pulao to pair it up a spicy gravy then use the first version else the second masala version.

Matar Pulao Serving & Storing Suggestions

Enjoy Matar Pulao meal hot with a gravy like Kashmiri Dum Aloo or Butter Garlic Mushroom or Shahi Paneer or any gravy of your choice or a plain raita.

Best to consume within hours of cooking as peas may slightly tend to get starchy. You can refrigerate for next meal & heat it with a stove top or microwave before use.

Peas Pulao FAQs

1.What is Matar Pulao | Peas Pulao?

Matar Pulao is a light & filling meal made by cooking rice with green peas & spices.

2.How to make Matar Pulao?

• Soak rice in water for 15 minutess. In the meanwhile temper the spices and saute onions along with ginger garlic paste.
• Then add salt, mint leaves and green peas.Give a quick saute.
• Add soaked, rinsed and drained rice to it, give a quick saute then add water.
• Pressure cook for 3 whistles in low medium flame and allow the pressure to release by itself. Open and gently fluff it up for a hot Matar Pulao.

3.Why is my Peas Pulao sticky?

Sometimes rice looks sticky soon after opening. Fluff it with a fork gently once it becomes warm it will become grain seperated. Incase even after cooling if rice is mushy or sticky then tehre might be 2 reasons : Peas would have overcooked and got opened up making the rice starchy / sticky. Another possibility is that rice should have got over cooked or excess water was added with rice.

4.Is it a must to add mint leaves & corn?

Mint leaves and corn were added in the recipe for additional flavours and taste. You can skip them or replace with paneer, pineapple or veggies of your choice.

5.Is Matar Pulao a good idea for lunch box?

Matar Pulao tastes good for lunch box but pair it up with any spice gravy or curry.

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Masala Corn Peas Pulao

Try the masala twist version of peas pulao which is savoured by all.

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How to make masala peas pulao

1.First grind the ingredients listed under ‘to grind’ with little water to a fine paste. Set aside. In a pressure cooker heat oil+ghee add the items under ‘to temper’ with ginger garlic paste.

2.Add onion and saute till slightly browned. Then add the masala paste and saute till raw smell leaves and it turns color as shown below.Soak basmati rice in water for 30mins set aside.

3.Then add corn, peas saute till the masala is well blended with the veggies.Add required salt, I used rock salt. Drain water from rice and add it.

4.Give a stir and add water. Close and pressure cook for 3 whistles in medium flame. Once pressure releases fluff the rice with fork, take care not to break the rice.

Serve hot with curd or onion raita. This is a spicy pulao so curd is the best combo which I love the most.

• You can skip peas and even make it plain corn pulao
• As we are adding ginger and garlic in the masala paste itself, adding ginger garlic paste is optional while tempering.
• I always use rice : water ratio as 1: 1.5 cups – This suits well as the rice is pre-soaked and gives a grain separated rice.
• Adjust spice level as per taste.

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