Matar Pulao (Peas Pilaf)
Blog: cookingwithnelo.com
Servings: 4
Ingredients
Blended Mixture
- 5 cloves garlic - peeled
- 1 inch piece of ginger - peeled
- 3 small green chilies - I use Thai/Birds eye chilies (Note A)
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds - aka sabut zeera
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds - aka sabut dhaniya
- 2 green cardamoms - aka choti elaichi
- 1 black cardamom - aka bari elaichi
- 2 cloves - aka laung
Other Ingredients
- ⅓ cup cooking oil
- 1 medium (100 g) onion - finely chopped
- 1 inch piece of cinnamon - aka dalchini
- 1 star anise - aka badiyan ka phool
- 2 cups (300 g) green peas - aka matar, frozen or fresh (Note B)
- 1 chicken cube - aka chicken bouillon cube
- 1 medium (100 g) tomato - finely sliced, I use Roma tomatoes
- ¼ cup finely chopped mint - aka pudina (Note C)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons salt - regular white/table salt
- 2 cups (400 g) sella/parboiled basmati rice - washed, soaked 2 hours, then drained (Note D)
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients listed under "blended mixture", along with ¼ cup water and process until completely smooth. Set aside.
- Heat cooking oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add finely chopped onion and cook until it starts to turn golden around the edges. Then add cinnamon, star anise, and stir 30 seconds.
- Add the prepared "blended mixture", stir for 30 seconds. Add peas and ¼ cup water. Cook for 5 minutes on low heat. Stir frequently.
- Pour in 3 cups of water, add crumbled chicken cube, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, add tomato, mint, lemon juice and salt. Also add rice, gently stir to mix.
- Partially cover the pot with lid and let liquid reduce over medium-high heat (or medium if your burner is strong). Don't stir yet, just keep an eye. At first, the bubbles on the surface will be big and vigorous. As the liquid cooks down further, you'll start to see small bubbles and steam holes across the surface. That’s your cue to give a brief, gentle stir. Some liquid (around 10 to 20 percent) will still be left, which is intended.
- Cover completely with lid right away, and reduce heat to the lowest setting. Let it steam 15 minutes. If using regular basmati instead of sella basmati, steam 10 minutes instead. DO NOT remove the lid. No peeking, no stirring.
- Turn off the heat. DO NOT remove the lid yet and leave the pot on the same burner. Let the rice rest for 15 minutes so it finishes cooking in residual heat.
- After the resting time, remove the lid, plate the rice using a flat, wide utensil like a rice paddle, and enjoy.
Notes
Note A: Green Chilies – I use Thai green chilies, but you can swap in other kinds and adjust quantity to taste.
Note B: Peas – Measure fresh peas as shelled peas, not in pods. No need to thaw if frozen, just rinse to remove any surface ice.
Note C: Mint – When measuring, pack the chopped leaves tightly into the measuring cup.
Note D: Rice – Regular basmati can be used instead of sella, but it’s less forgiving and can turn mushy quickly if mistakenly overcooked. Soak it for 30 minutes and steam for 10 minutes instead of 15. Everything else in the method stays as is.