Easy Peas Pulao Recipe - Make Matar Pulao Step by Step .

Peas pulao or matar pulao is my go-to rice recipe when I make a time-consuming side dish, especially for guests. In general, I love pulao recipes on a busy day because unlike the South Indian food that I usually cook, pulao makes for great one pot meals if you add enough vegetables to it, or it makes for a very quick main when you are toiling over a more complicated and richer side dish like, say, malai kofta.

When she visited me over Christmas last year, my sister got me a bag of fresh green peas. I am very used to the frozen ones and had even begun to accept them as very good but these plump fresh ones were in a different league. Mildly sweet, firm, and a lovely green, it was a pleasure to bite into them in this peas pulao where they are really the star. I kept all other spices to a minimum so the peas flavour can shine through.

There are a few different ways to make peas pulao. The usual method I follow is to cook the rice separately in my rice cooker, toast the spices and cook the pas in a pan and mix the rice in towards the end. This is the method I generally use to cook pulao but I have also given instructions below to make peas pulao in your pressure cooker and rice cooker too. That way it truly becomes an easy, one pot rice recipe.

Most popular Pulao Recipes on Edible Garden:
Vegetable pulao with coconut milk
Methi pulao
Tomato spinach pulao
Pudina pulao
Easy veg pulao

PEAS PULAO (MATAR PULAO) RECIPE

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
4 cups of cooked rice
1 cup of green peas, fresh or frozen
2 tbsp of ghee
1 tsp of cumin seeds
2" piece of cinnamon
A few cloves
2-3 green cardamom seeds
1-2 star anise
1 bay leaf

INSTRUCTIONS:

Cook the rice and set aside. Check this post to see how to cook basmati rice for pulao.

Heat the ghee in a pan and add all the spices. On low heat, let the spices heat up until nice and fragrant (around 1-2 mins).

Add the peas and mixed well. Add 1/4 cup water and cook covered until the peas are soft.

Note that if you are using fresh peas, it will take a bit longer to cook than frozen ones so add 1/2 cup water and cook covered until the peas are soft and all the water is absorbed.

Now add rice and salt. Mix well until all the ingredients are well combined. Keep covered until ready to serve.

Pressure cooker method to make Peas Pulao

- Soak 2 cups uncooked basmati rice in water for 30 minutes
- In a pressure pan, add the ghee and spices. Let them roast until fragrant
- Now add the peas and soaked rice along with required amount of salt
- Top up with about 4.5 cups water and close the pressure cooker lid
- Cook for 20 minutes or until the cooker whistles twice
- Turn off heat and wait for the pressure to leave the cooker
- Gently mix the rice when still warm and set aside until ready to serve

Rice cooker method to make Peas Pulao

If your rice cooker can be turned on and kept open, you can follow the same instructions as the pressure cooker method except that you would use your rice cooker pan.

Due to my personal preference, I do the pre-cooking on the stove and then transfer to the rice cooker for final cooking of the dish. Here are the steps:

- Soak 2 cups uncooked basmati rice in water for 30 minutes
- In a pan, add the ghee and roast all the spices
- Transfer this ghee and spice mixture to the rice cooker vessel and add the peas, uncooked rice, and salt
- Add 4.5 cups water (or the usual amount you use in your rice cooker to cook rice)
- Cook until done, this is usually automatic in a rice cooker

You can also use the first method I've described and cook the rice along with the peas in the covered pan. This will take a lot longer though so keep an eye on the rice by stirring occasionally.

No matter what method you choose, peas pulao is one of the easiest pulao recipes. Enjoy!

Cauliflower Green Peas Curry with Coconut,

Cauliflower green peas curry in a coconut base, a perfect South Indian vegetarian side dish for rice and even chapatis.

Cauliflower and green peas are quite a match and this simple South Indian style curry with coconut really hits the spot, especially if you are a cauliflower lover. The recipe is not particularly 'authentic' or anything, just something I made up as I went but the result surely suggests it's a keeper!

Cauliflower is one of TH's favourite vegetables and on days he goes to pick up vegetables and I don't give a list saying what exactly to get, you can be sure I'll be staring at a large head of cauliflower when he gets back. Somehow he gravitates towards it, knowing that I will turn it into a nice gobi manchurian, cauliflower biryani, or something similar.

On Saturdays I cook more than any other day of the week. Breakfast is simple with eggs usually and I quickly move on to lunch which is almost always rice with two types of vegetable sides (one with coconut and one without), one kuzhambu or rasam, and papadom or chips for the crunch. Curd and pickles are a staple anyway so that's a given too. For the coconut-based curry, I default to a Kerala thoran because I love the flavour of ground coconut, shallots and cumin but this particular Saturday, I had to deal with some cauliflower which doesn't transform itself very well into a thoran. I needed a coconut based curry so this is what ended up happening. Threw in a handful of frozen peas, ground up some coconut paste, and the resultant side dish was super flavourful and paired really well with mor kuzhambu and roasted potatoes.

The more dry version of gobi peas masala is a great recipe too and doesn't use coconut so check that out if that's more to your liking.

Other easy Indian cauliflower recipes you may like:
Aloo gobi
Gobi manchurian
Gobi paratha
Gobi mushroom masala
Gobi kheema

CAULIFLOWER PEAS COCONUT CURRY RECIPE

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:
5 cups of cauliflower florets, cleaned and washed
1/2 cup of green peas, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup of onions or shallots, sliced
2 tbsp of oil
1/2 tsp of black mustard seeds
1 tbsp of tomato paste (or 1/2 cup tomato puree)
1 tsp of coriander powder
1/2 tsp of red chilli powder
1/2 tsp of cumin powder
2 tbsp of plain or Greek yogurt
1/4 tsp of turmeric powder
A few curry leaves
For the coconut paste:
1 cup of grated coconut (thawed if using frozen coconut)
1 green chilli
2" piece of ginger
3 cloves of garlic (or 1 tsp minced garlic)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Make the coconut paste first. Add the coconut, garlic, ginger, and chilli to a spice mixer or small jar of your mixer grinder.

Add 1/2 cup water and grind to a smooth paste. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a pan and add the black mustard seeds. When they pop, add the sliced onions. Cook until the onions turn a light golden brown.

Now add the ground coconut paste to this.

Mix well and add the tomato paste or tomato puree, whatever you are using. Mix again. and add the spice powders - turmeric, chilli, coriander, and cumin.

Cook on low flame until the gravy thickens a bit and the spices lose their raw smell.

Add the cauliflower florets and peas, top up with 1-2 cups water.

Mix well to combine.

Cook covered for 10-12 minutes on low flame until the cauliflower is cooked but not mushy. You can add water as needed but don't add too much, we want only a semi-gravy type situation.

Final step - add the yogurt, salt, and curry leaves. Mix again.

All done! I like this dish to have just a small amount of gravy but you can obviously adjust it by adding more or less water according to your preference.

Serve cauliflower peas curry with steamed rice or rotis, nan.

For gobi matar curry recipe in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, etc please use the Google translate button in the sidebar.

Dry Mushroom Peas Masala Recipe, Step by Step .

Mushroom peas masala with onions and spices - a dry preparation of mushrooms and peas to with pulao or rotis and dal. This recipe works best with fresh mushrooms. I have used shiitake mushrooms but you can use whatever mushrooms you prefer os are available. If you have fresh peas as well, nothing like it, but I tend to use frozen peas mot of the time for its convenience.

Other recipes with mushrooms and/or peas you may want to try:
Mushroom korma
Dingri dolma (with mushrooms and paneer)
Mushroom peas curry
Mushroom tikki
Gobi mushroom masala

I went through a phase of making dry vegetable dishes with minimum spices and lots of onions with a dash of kasuri methi. I made this mushroom peas masala during a similar time when we used to hit the fresh farmers' market every weekend in Sydney. I never knew fresh shiitake mushrooms could be so delicious and non-stinky. The ones I find in the supermarkets in Singapore tend to be a slimier and has a strong smell. Anyway, long story short, if you like the combination of mushrooms and peas, definitely give this easy recipe a try.

DRY MUSHROOM PEAS MASALA

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves 2

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup of sliced red onions
2 cups of mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup of green peas
1/2 tsp of grated ginger
1/2 tsp of crushed garlic
1/2 tsp of red chilli powder
1/4 tsp of turmeric powder
1 tsp of coriander powder
1/4 tsp of cumin seeds
1 tsp of kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
1/2 tsp of amchur powder (optional)
1 tbsp of oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds.
2. When they turn a golden brown, add the sliced onions.
3. Fry until the onions are nicely browned.
4. Add the mushrooms and give everything a good stir.
5. Then add the spice powders - turmeric, chilli, amchur, coriander, along with the kasuri methi, ginger and garlic.
6. Mix well and continue to cook/roast on a low flame until fragrant.
7. The vegetables will turn a nice golden brown and then you're done.
8. Add salt and remove from flame.
9. Serve hot.

Step by step pictures to make mushroom peas masala:

Heat oil and add cumin seeds. When they sizzle and turn brown, add the onions. Fry until browned.

Add the mushrooms and peas and stir well.

Now add the turmeric, chilli, amchur, coriander, ginger, garlic, and kasuri methi. You can add salt at this stage or a bit later. Roast well on low flame.

Note that if you keep the flame too high or cook covered, the mushrooms will let out a lot of water and that won't roast the spices well.

Continue to cook on low flame until the mushrooms are nicely roasted and the peas are cooked. Sprinkle water if needed during the cooking process. You may not need to do this since the mushrooms will give out the required moisture.

That's it! Easy side dish with mushrooms and peas, right? Serve hot with rice and dal.

Notes:

- Amchur is dry mango powder. It lends the dish sourness which I love. If you don't cook Indian food often, buying this ingredient may not be worth it so you can either substitute with a dash of lemon juice, 1 tsp tomato paste or just leave out any souring ingredient.
- Kasuri methi is dried fenugreek leaves and has a slightly bitter taste and strong flavour. It adds a lot of depth to this dish so I'd say go out and get a pack. It lasts quite long in the refrigerator and is quite versatile, finding its way into most North Indian curries.

Matar Paneer Recipe - Mattar Paneer - How to Make Mutter Paneer Masala

Learn how to make Matar Paneer (also called Mattar Paneer or Mutter Paneer Masala), a popular vegetarian Indian side dish recipe with paneer and green peas in an onion-tomato-cashew gravy. Mattar Paneer is a fantastic side dish for roti and pulao, perfect for when you have guests.

The first time I made a Paneer Peas Masala at home was many years ago, in our first home in Singapore. Cooking with paneer was new to me then and since TH loves it so much, I was experimenting with a recipe that came out wonderfully, in my novice opinion. Since then, I have made Mattar Paneer countless times, almost always when entertaining, and I felt I owed you guys an updated recipe with step by step pictures.

Anything with paneer is a definite win in our home, especially if it's homemade paneer. I love experimenting with different paneer recipes but tend to default to tried and tested recipes - like this paneer butter masala, kadai paneer, or chilli paneer - when it comes to cooking for guests. This time around, I wanted to use up the frozen peas in the freezer and wanted something with a mild gravy for the kids in the group so ended up making this delicious Mattar Paneer. It went really well with rotis and the vegetable pulao that were part of the meal. Check notes to see how I prepare Matar Paneer for guests by splitting up the cooking process.

Check out all Paneer Recipes here.

MATAR PANEER RECIPE

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups of sliced onions
1 tsp of minced garlic
1 tsp of grated ginger
1 tsp of red chilli powder
2 tsp of coriander powder
1/2 tsp of cumin powder
1/2 tsp of turmeric powder
1.5 cups of chopped, ripe tomatoes
1/2 cup of cashew nuts, soaked in water for 30 mins
1 heaping tsp of canned tomato paste
3/4 cup of fresh or frozen shelled green peas
1.5 cups of cubed paneer
1 pinch of kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
1 tsp of garam masala (I use Kitchen King masala)
1 tbsp of cream
1/4 cup of chopped coriander leaves (cilantro), for garnish
2 tbsp of oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat oil in a large pan and saute the onions onion the edges start turning brown.

2. Add the ginger and garlic and saute again for a minute.

3. Add the chilli powder, coriander powder, and cumin powder, along with the turmeric. Saute for 30 seconds until fragrant.

4. Add tomatoes. Mix and cook until the tomatoes turn soggy and soft.

5. Top off with the tomato paste and mix again well.

The tomato paste gives a nice depth to the dish and also gives the matar paneer some colour. You can omit if you want but I highly recommend adding some. You can transfer the remaining paste to an air tight container and keep in fridge for up to a week. Add to any tomato-based gravy, you won't regret it.

6. Turn off flame and leave the above mixture to cool. Meanwhile, grind the soaked cashew nuts with some water. to a smooth paste. Set aside.

7. Saute the paneer cubes in some oil until all sides are light golden brown. Drain and set aside.

8. Once the tomato onion mixture is cool, grind to an almost-smooth paste.

9. Return this to the stove in the same pan along with the cashew paste and peas.

10. Add about 1.5 cups water and bring to a boil. Let it simmer for 5-6 mins or until the peas is cooked. You can add more water if the gravy is too thick.

11. Add the kasuri methi, cream, required amount of salt, and garam masala. Mix well.

12. Finally add the fried paneer and coriander leaves. Mix gently until the paneer is well covered in the gravy.

Steaming hot Matar Paneer is ready!

Notes:
- The cream is optional but I like adding some for flavour. If you don't have any, don't go out and buy it just for this dish. You can also add a dash of milk for some flavour
- When I prepare Matar Paneer for guests, I make the gravy in advance the previous day (until step 8 above). I also leave soaked cashews in the fridge. On the day, just grind the cashew paste and proceed. Also fry the paneer on the day of serving so it stays spongy and fresh

Green Peas Sundal - South Indian Navaratri Recipes

Sundal and Navaratri festival are almost synonymous but I don't limit something as nutritious and easy to prepare as a sundal to festival season alone. Pretty much all sundals have a similar recipe and the green peas sundal is no different. The only thing that you would need to remember to do ahead is the soaking. I used dried green peas for making this green peas sundal and soaked it for about 4 hours in warm water.

Generally, fresh peas is not used for sundal since it has too much moisture and the consistency won't work well. My mom makes a thoran with fresh peas though, which is delicious and follows a slightly different recipe. So for this recipe, use dried peas - either green or white - soak it and pressure cook it before turning it into this easy and lovely sunday for your navratri cooking and preparations.

Also check out - kadalai paruppu sundal, chana sundal, mochai sundal, and green peas sundal with raw mango.

GREEN PEAS SUNDAL RECIPE

Preparation time: 4 hours
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup of dry green peas
2 tsp of oil
1/2 tsp of black mustard seeds
2 dry red chillies, halved
A few curry leaves
1/4 tsp of hing
1/3 cup of grated coconut

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Soak the peas for about 4 hours in warm water. Pressure cook with enough water to cover them for about 15 mins or 1 whistle. We just want to cook the peas, not turn them to a mush.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When they pop, add the rest of the ingredients except coconut and cooked peas. Saute until the red chillies turn a darker shade - about 20 seconds.

3. Add the cooked peas and some salt to this. Mix well.

5. Top off with the coconut and turn off flame. Mix well again and let the flavours mingle for about an hour before serving.

Done! Easy green peas sundal is now ready.

While sundal is a popular navratri dish, you can serve it as a snack or even with rice and curry for lunch or dinner. Pretty much any legume can be made into sundal - it's light and healthy.

Methi Matar Malai - Methi Leaves Cooked with Matar and Malai (For Roti, Pulao)

Methi Matar Malai - there's something musical about the name of this popular North Indian side dish made with methi leaves, matar or peas, and malai or cream. While I have no issues adding cream to my dishes (paneer butter masala, anyone?), I decided to make a version of methi matar malai with no cream by using magaz or white melon seeds. You can very well use cashew nuts instead but I loved the nuttiness of magaz in my paneer makhani so decided to use up the rest in this methi matar malai - or should I say methi matar no malai.

Methi Matar Malai with Methi Thepla

The methi matar malai you get in restaurants has a white base since most don't add tomatoes. I wanted a bit to give my version a bit of tang so used a bit of canned tomato sauce which lends itself well to a smooth gravy for the curry. You can definitely omit the tomatoes. I also didn't add too much masala to the methi matar malai, deciding to keep it simple and let the flavours of the methi, peas, and base spices ingredients shine through.

Looking for more methi leaves recipes? Check out my top 3 favourites - methi pulao, aloo methi, and methi paratha.

METHI MATAR MALAI RECIPE

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves 2

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup of onions, cubed
1/2 cup of onions, sliced thin
2-3 cloves of garlic
1" piece of ginger
2 green chillies
1 tsp of jeera or cumin seeds
1/3 cup of canned tomato sauce or 1/2 cup pureed tomato - optional
3 tbsp of magaz or melon seeds or 1/4 cup cashew nuts, soaked in water for 15 mins
2 cups of packed methi or fenugreek leaves
1/2 cup of green peas
1 cup of milk
1 tsp of garam masala or Kitchen King masala
2 tsp of ghee or butter or oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Grind together the cubed onions, green chillies, ginger, and garlic to a smooth paste.

Add the magaz or cashew nuts and grind further to a smooth paste, adding a few spoonfuls of water.

2. Heat the ghee (or butter or oil) in a pan and add the cumin seeds. When they splutter and turn fragrant, add the sliced onions and saut� until lightly browned.

3. Add the ground paste and tomato sauce (if using) to this and simmer for 3-4 mins.

4. Meanwhile, pick the leaves of the methi and wash well. Chop roughly and add to the simmering paste along with the green peas (matar).

5. Add the milk and some salt. Mix well.

6. Cook covered for about 10 mins until the peas is cooked soft.

7. Uncover and add the garam masala and more salt if needed.

8. Mix and remove from fire. If the gravy is too thick, add more water or milk and bring to boil again before removing from flame. If too watery, you can simmer it longer but remember that the gravy will thicken as it sits.

Hot Methi Matar Malai is best served with nan, paratha, rotis, or pulao like veg pulao or jeera pulao.

NOTES:

1. Methi matar malai is a lovely blend of sweet + bitter + salty. Adding a pinch of sugar won't be a bad idea but mostly the sweetness will come from the onions
2. Use frozen methi leaves if you can't find any fresh ones. You can also use kasuri methi soaked in water instead of the fresh leaves. Reduce quanity to about 1 cup if so since dried methi leaves are much more intense in flavour than the fresh leaves
3. You can, of course, omit the magaz or cashews and add cream in the end along with the garam masala to make restaurant-style methi matar malai