Peas pulao recipe With video and step by step photos – this tasty matar pulao is simple and easy to prepare pulao variety. Vegan and gluten-free.
The peas pulao is aromatic and has sweet tones because of peas. This pulao can be made with fresh or frozen peas. For best results, I would suggest you to use good quality fresh peas for this recipe. Frozen peas lose their flavor and taste over a period of time and so their flavors don’t come through in this pulao. I prefer to use fresh peas to make this pulao or for other green peas recipes.
This pulao is often made in the Punjabi homes. I too make matar pulao regularly at home and have learned this recipe from my mil. As a variation, some people also add potatoes in this pulao. After cooking, the rice grains should be separate and the peas pulao should not look mushy.
I usually pressure cook the green peas pulao, but you can cook the pulao in a pot. If cooking in a pot, then the water quantity should be increased a bit. Measurements are given in the recipe details and step by step pics below.
You can Serve green peas pulav with curd or onion tomato raita, onion rings, kachumber, papad and pickle.
How to make peas pulao
1. Wash 1 cup heaped basmati rice till the water runs clear. soak the rice for 30 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
2. Heat 2 to 3 tbsp oil or ghee in a pressure cooker or in a pot. Add the following spices – 1 inch cinnamon, 1 black cardamom, 1 or 2 green cardamoms, 2 to 3 cloves, 1 to 2 single strand of mace, 1 medium bay leaf and 1 tsp cumin seeds. Saute till the spices release their aroma and become fragrant.
3. Then add ½ cup thinly sliced onions.
4. Stir. Saute till the onions get golden or caramelized. do not burn the onions as this will lead to a bitter taste in the pulao.
5. Add ¾ cup of green peas.
6. Stir well and saute for a minute.
7. Now add the drained rice and stir gently.
8. Saute for a minute.
9. Then add 1.75 cups water.
10. Season with salt. Stir well.
Cooking peas pulao
11. Cover and pressure cook for 2 whistles on a medium to high flame or for 10 to 12 minutes.
If cooking peas pulao in a pot or pan, then add 2 to 2.5 cups water. Cover the pot tightly with a lid and cook the rice till all the water is absorbed and the rice grains are cooked. Also, check the rice whilst they are cooking. If all the water has been absorbed and the rice grains have not cooked completely, then just add a few more tablespoons of water. Cover and cook the rice for a few minutes.
12. Let the pressure settle down on its own and then open the lid of the cooker. Gently fluff the rice and Serve matar pulao hot with tomato onion raita or boondi ka raita.
More rice recipes
Peas Pulao
INGREDIENTS
main ingredients
- 1 cup heaped basmati rice
- ¾ cup matar (peas) - preferably fresh or frozen
- ½ cup thinly sliced onion
- 2 to 3 tablespoon oil or ghee
- 1.75 cups water for pressure cooking or 2 to 2.5 cups water for cooking in a pot
- salt as required
whole spices
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 1 black cardamom
- 1 or 2 green cardamom
- 2 to 3 cloves
- 1 or 2 single strands of mace
- 1 medium bay leaf (indian bay leaf) - optional
INSTRUCTIONS
preparation
- Wash the basmati rice till the water runs clear.
- Soak the rice for 30 minutes.Â
- Drain and keep aside.
making peas pulao
- Heat oil or ghee in a pressure cooker or in a pot.
- Add the cumin seeds along with all the whole spices. Saute till the spices release their aroma and become fragrant.
- Then add the sliced onions. Stir and saute till the onions are golden or caramelized. Do not burn the onions as this will lead to a bitter taste in the pulao.
- Add the green peas and saute for a minute.
- Now add the drained rice and stir gently.
- Saute for a minute. Add water and salt. Stir.
- Cover and pressure cook pulao for 2 whistles on a high flame. Let the pressure settle down on its own and then open the lid of the cooker.Â
- Gently fluff the rice and Serve green peas pulao hot with onion-tomato raita or green chutney.
RECIPE VIDEO
NOTES
- Follow the above recipe till step 8 (or till we add water and salt).
- Then cover the pot tightly with a lid and cook the rice till all the water is absorbed and the rice grains are cooked.
- Check the rice whilst they are cooking. If all the water has been absorbed and the rice grains have not cooked completely, then just add a few tbsps of water. Cover and cook the rice for a few minutes.
Hi Dassana akka,
I tried this recipe and it turned out really good. Love the way u have presented the instructions.. i also had carrot raita (your recipe )as side dish to go with it.. thank u..
Harini
thanks a lot for this lovely review and the rating too for both peas pulao and carrot raita recipe. glad to know. happy cooking.
Going to prepare this one pot recipe today… as there’s nothing else but frozen peas at home. I know it will turn out good… I learnt my culinary skills from your blog. thanks for making me so very interested in cooking.
thank you anshu for the faith and trust. really felt nice to read your comment. wish you all the best. welcome and happy cooking.
thank you for this wonderful recipe, my husband loves it and even his friends in office are a big fan of this recipe and often ask me to make it when they come home.
thanks a lot sree for this lovely review and feedback on peas pulao. glad to know. happy cooking.
This was the best tasting rice I have ever made!That too it was the first time I cooked rice in a pressure cooker. Thank you so much Dassana!!My husband could not stop raving about it.
thanks dalia for this lovely feedback. nice to know and happy cooking.
Hi! I was running short of time to prepare the lunch for the feast ,that is when I bumped into this superb recipe! Thank You so much! It was simply exotic & enjoyable.The guests was so much in praise for thi
Peas pulav with ball curry.
Welcome Dean. Glad to know that everyone liked the matar pulao.
Loved this recipe! Simple and tasty 🙂
thanks himani.
So simple to prepare and its very tasty too. Next time will try adding some green chilli 🙂
Nanda, glad to know that you liked the recipe.
I just made it this morning for the first time today .my husband loved it..and so did I.It turned out amazin..d best part about the recipe is d simplicity
thank you chaitrali for your positive views 🙂
thanks for the good awesome recipe
Tried this recipe. It was awesome and very simple to cook, thanks for the detailed explanation. 🙂
welcome prabhu, glad to know that you liked matar pulao recipe.
hi… looks easy and yummy. my doubt is i have canned peas… so can i use it?? i was thinking of making the rice separately and then adding it to the kadhai with other ingredients sauted, since these canned peas are already cooked.
Adding them to the rice while boiling may make them mushy right??
thanks divya. cooking canned peas will make them too mushy. yes, you can make with the method you are suggesting.
I never get the water right while using pressure cooker…just started this whole cooking thing… Don’t get the fluffy texture… Anyways let’s see how it turns up tonight…
Thank u…with love..
for 1 cup of pre soaked rice, you can use 1.5 to 2 cups of water. some rice grains get done in 1.5 cups of water and some require 2 cups. thanks and hope the recipe comes out well.
Hi,
Can you clarify what are we adding for spice..? I don’t see chillies has been mentioned anywhere in the post.
this is a mild and faintly sweet pulao. there are no chilies added in the recipe. if you want you can add 1 or 2 green chilies.
hi..planning dis for lunch..but I don’t have mace? is der a substitute for it or can I skip it? m in UAE and not finding it here !
you could skip mace then in that case.
dis is wat I love about u…Thank u for the prompt and quick reply!
welcome kavya 🙂
Hello dear,
Your recipes are always a treat. Have tried so many recipes and they turn out to b excellent.
Thank you so much .
The most helpful part is the way you have explained the recipe stepwise and with pictures.
we are pleased to know this medha 🙂 thankyou so much 🙂 and you are welcome.
Thanks for the recipe with pictures. It’s better than YouTube videos.
welcome jignesh
I have tried couple of recipes here with the exact proportion given and the dishes turned out exactly like in the pictures and have been appreciated taste wise as well. I’m still trying the newer recipes and thoroughly enjoying each. Great work!
thanks a lot shifali 🙂
Hi Dassana,
Thanks for the easy recipe. For cooking in a pot, do we need to add boiling water or just normal temperature water would do ? I normally add hot water for any rice related recipes. Is this a good practice or of any advantage (other than the fact that the food cooks fast) ?
Thanks
thanks deepa. the food cooks fast when added boiling water. i usually add water at room temperature.
I have a question…What is the numerical cooking time in regards to “cook for two whistles”? Looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it! 😉
MG, i have not measured the time. 2-3 whistles you can cook.
Nice can be cooked for small occasion
thanks lubaina
Nice can be cooked for small ocassion
thanks prem
If mutter will blanched and add in last when pulao ready it will shiny in pullao.
thanks for the tip. i know they do like this in some restaurants.
i am d lvr of rice dis an very easy recipe thks a lot for giving me a such a good &tasteful rice
welcome parvin
Hi,
I tried this dish in a different way and it come out very nicely.
as in stay in mess, i took a bowl of boiled rice as explained in the recipe. i prepared the onion fry with ingredients, before that i boiled the fresh peas in water, then mixed boiled rice, peas and fried onions and poured little amount of water say half cup and allowed for cook with lid cover.
believe me the taste was yummy.
thanks bhanu for sharing your version of matar pulao recipe. there are many ways of making peas pulao. my brother in law makes it differently and use a lot of oil. although in his method the pulao is very oily but at the same time very tasty also. somewhere oil adds to the taste.
very easy and fast method……which make me queen of kitchen
HI IT IS GOOD, HOW TO ADD SPICY IN THIS
just add some more green chilies in the pulao. but generally matar pulao is not spicy.
Hungry!!!
Wow, you pressure cooked it and it looks perfect and every grain is separate. My mum too pressure cooks a lot of her rice varieties, but I am a little apprehensive about it…
recipes like these are life savers. easy yet perfect for parties. lovely click.