Quick and simple Matar pulao recipe cooked with long-grain basmati rice with the flavor of tempered whole spices. Best pulao recipe Pakistani and Indian to serve with curry, kebab, and raita.
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What is Matar Pulao
Matar pulao (مٹر پلاؤ | मटर पुलाव) is one of the most popular recipe in the subcontinent, especially in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. It's a rice dish prepared with seasonal green peas locally called matar. The combination of matar and rice is awesome. I can hardly find one who doesn't like this recipe as it's super delicious to serve at dinner or lunch as a side dish. Normally it's paired with curry, kabab, raita, and salad which makes a perfect meal.
The aroma of basmati rice and peas makes the best flavor with the whole spices. My mother used to make this matar pulao using the same recipe and serve it with chicken salan for lunch. I can still remember the aroma that spread to our house and tempt us to eat. I prepared this recipe using fresh and seasonal matar. It's a winter recipe, as the fresh winter is available in the winter season. As I love the taste of matar pulao so I used to make it with frozen peas which is good but not compared with seasonal fresh peas. It has a divine aroma and tastes like fresh peas which are nutty in flavor.
To be very honest, I searched a lot before making this recipe for my lovely readers and found that my recipe is similar to the matar pulao recipe of Zubaida Tariq who is a famous Pakistani cooking expert.
I prefer to roast the peas while sauteeing them with onion and ginger garlic as it makes the best taste and also relinquishes the rawness of fresh peas.
Matar Pulao Video
So let's start to make it. You can watch this quick and easy recipe video to quickly follow the steps.
Ingredients
Oil - 1 tablespoon | Cumin Seeds - 1 teaspoon | Whole Garam Masala: Cinnamon - 4 inches
Black Pepper - 12 | Cloves: 4 | Onion slices - 1 big | Ginger Garlic - Salt - To Taste
Tomatoes - ½ Cup | Green Chilies - 4 | Water - 100 ml | Green Peas (Matar) - 1 Cup
Water - 500 ml | Bay leaves - 2 | Rice - 2 Cups | Grinded Fennels - 1 Tsp
How To Make Matar Pulao
In a pan, pour oil and heat it up for a few seconds.
Add whole garam masala and let it pop for a few seconds until it starts to pop up and get aromatic.
Then add onion slices and slightly fry to turn to pink color. Now add salt, ginger garlic paste and saute for about 3 to 4 minutes on medium heat.
Add tomato cubes and green chilies and give it a good mix. Now pour 50 ml of water and cover for 6 minutes. After 6 minutes, tomatoes will get soft so make a curry and saute until the oil floats on the surface.
Add Green Peas (Matar) to the pan and saute in curry for 2 minutes. Peas will slightly change the color (6% color change required).
Now add 500 ml of water and let it boil. Don't forget to add Bay leaves as it will enhance the taste of matar pulao. Now time to add rice and cover the pan for 20 minutes.
Initially keep on high temperature for 7 minutes then turn the heat to low to get perfect steam (dum).
After 20 minutes, uncover and add ground fennel seeds to make the Matar pulao more tasty and aromatic. Again cover for 5 minutes!
Now the "Matar Pulao" is ready to serve.
Instant Pot Matar Pulao
To cook matar pulao in instant pot, click on saute button and let it hot. Now pour oil and whole spices and saute for seconds then add onion, ginger garlic, and give a good mix to turn to pink color. Add tomato cubes and green chilies. Stir as the tomato starts to blend. Now add matar and stir for a few seconds. As the peas/matar starts to change color then add water. Add rice with salt. Give it a good mix and cover the pot. Click on the rice button to cook for 12 minutes by keeping the pressure on low. Don't forget to seal the vent. After 12 minutes, wait to naturally release the pressure and carefully open the pot. Mix the rice with a gentle hand and serve.
Expert Tips
- Use basmati rice as it has a long grain that looks good with matar (peas).
- Season peas are tasty as compared to frozen peas.
- Don't cook the peas for too long otherwise, it will be decolored and look mushy in rice.
- Use ghee to prepare matar pulao.
- Don't soak the rice for too long.
- Monitor the quantity of water to cook rice.
Serving
Matar pulao is a side dish of rice that you can serve in a variety of ways. Here are some ideas to make serving:
- Lamb Curry
- Chicken Karahi
- Shami Kabab
- Keema Curry
- Korma
- Mutton Masala
- Seekh Kabab
- Biryani Raita and Salad
- Mango Pickle
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Simple Matar Pulao Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- Whole Garam Masala:
- 4 inches Cinnamon
- 12 Black Pepper
- 4 Cloves
- 1 cup Onion slices 1 Big onion
- 1 teaspoon Ginger Garlic -
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup Tomatoes
- 4 Green Chilies
- 100 ml Water
- 1 cup Green Peas Fresh (Seasonal)
- 500 ml Water
- 2 Bay leaves
- 2 cups Rice
- 1 teaspoon Grinded Fennels
Instructions
- 1) In a pan, add oil and heat it up.
- 2) As the oil gets heated, add whole garam masala.
- 3) When garam masala pops up then add onion slices and slightly fry the oinion to get pink color.
- 4) Add salt according to taste
- 5) Then add ginger garlic paste and saute for 4 minutes
- 5) Add tomoato cubes and green chilies.
- 6) Add 50 ml water and cover for 6 minutes.
- 6) After 6 minutes, tomotes will get soft so make a curry and saute until the oil floats on surface.
- 7) Add Green Peas - Matar in pan and cook for 2 minutes. It will slightly change the color (6% color change).
- 8) Add 500 ml water to cook the rice.
- 9) Add Bay leaves as it will enhance the taste of matar pulao.
- 10 Now add Rice in Pan and cover for 20 minutes.
- 11) Initially keep on high temperature for 7 minutes then turn the heat to low for 'dum'.
- 12) After 20 minutes, uncover and add grinded fennel seeds to make the matar pulao more tasty and aromatic.
- 13) Further cover for 5 minutes.
- 14) Now Matar Pulao is ready to serve.
Video
Notes
- Use basmati rice as it has a long grain that looks good with matar (peas).
- Season peas are tasty as compared to frozen peas.
- Don't cook the peas for too long otherwise, it will be decolored and look mushy in rice.
- Use ghee to prepare matar pulao.
- Don't soak the rice for too long.
- Monitor the quantity of water to cook rice.
Hinz
Simple and easy matar pulao that anyone can easily make! Serve with chicken curry or kabab with raita. Best for lunch or dinner.