Peas Pulao or Mattar pulao is a dish that Mompa makes regularly for lunch when peas are in season. Looking back I think that I have only had peas pulao made by him until I started making it myself. I am pretty sure he is the one that got me into cooking North Indian cuisine at all. It is a delicious one-pot meal that can be prepared quickly. Serve it with a side of spicy potato fries and you have got yourself a perfect lunchbox dish.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon Butter or Clarified butter(Ghee)
- 2 Bay leaves
- 2 Star anise
- 2 inches Cinnamon
- 2-3 Cloves
- 1 Onion, sliced
- 2 Green chillies, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Ginger, minced
- 1 tablespoon Garlic, minced
- 1 cup fresh Peas
- 1 1/2 cups Basmati Rice
- 1 3/4 cups Water + more
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt or as needed
Preparation:
Set Instant pot to Sauté mode and add butter. Add bay leaves, star anise, cinnamon and cloves. Fry the spices in the butter and add the sliced onions. After they turn translucent add the green chillies, ginger and garlic. Fry till the raw smell of ginger and garlic leaves.
Add in the Peas and salt. Mix through.
Take rice in a bowl and rinse till the water runs clear. Drain it and add it to the pot. Fry them through the peas mixture slowly without breaking the rice for a couple of minutes. Cancel the Sauté mode.
Add 1 and 3/4 cups of water and check for salt. Add more if required. Make sure the rice is not sticking to the bottom of the pot. Close the lid and set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook. Set the pressure level as high and timer to 5 minutes.
Once it is done, release the pressure manually after 5 minutes. Fluff the pulao with a fork and serve hot.
