Name: Peas Pulao
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 500 grams basmati rice (washed, soaked in water for half an hour); 500 grams green peas; 1 tbsp cooking oil; 2 pieces cinnamon sticks (1 inch in size each); 2 pieces star anise; 1 tsp cumin seeds; ½ tsp black pepper powder; 6 pieces green cardamom (whole pods); 2 pieces black cardamom (whole pods); 6 pieces cloves; 2 pieces bay leaves; 1 piece onion (large, finely sliced); 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste; 1 tbsp green chilies (crushed); 1 piece tomato (medium size, finely chopped); 2 pieces dry red chilies (torn in half); 1 tbsp coriander seeds (crushed); 1 tbsp fennel seeds powder; 2 tsp salt; 5 cups water; ½ tsp nutmeg and mace powder; 3 pieces green chilies (whole); Coriander and mint leaves (a handful, finely chopped); 1 tsp kewra water (optional); 1 tbsp clarified butter (ghee)

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There is this common notion floating around that a great rice dish really needs hours of layering or a dozen different spices and meat tossed in. Peas pulao proves that wrong. Rather than being the sidekick to some big, serious main course, this recipe takes the simple green pea and makes it the headline.

First, you work on basmati rice and you let it absorb the whole spices like star anise, black cardamom, and bay leaves. Then, you mix everything up with crushed coriander seeds and a pinch of fennel powder. After that comes fresh mint and chopped coriander leaves, and a drizzle of ghee with a spoon of kewra water in the end to lock in the flavor as it steams. The result is fluffy and fragrant rice with each grain staying separate like it is supposed to. The spice level is just right, enough to keep it lively but not pushy. Read my recipe to learn the steps to make peas pulao or matar pulao at home.

Table of Contents

At a Glance

It’s not one of those fiery pulaos — the heat here comes gently, from whole spices like star anise, black cardamom and bay leaves rather than any chili powder.
Takes about 45 minutes start to finish, and the batch is generous enough for 13 servings, so it’s a good one to make when you’ve got people over.
The peas actually get cooked first in their own little spiced base before the rice goes in — that’s what keeps every grain separate instead of turning the whole thing sticky.
A last-minute drizzle of ghee and a touch of kewra water (skip it if you don’t have it) is what really rounds off the smell and flavor right before serving.
Goes really well with a simple raita or some achaar on the side, or really any dry curry you’ve got going.
If you like this one, you’ll probably also enjoy vegetable pulao, paneer pulao, Kashmiri pulao or mushroom pulao — same idea, different star of the show.

The Ingredients:

500 grams basmati rice (washed and soaked in water for half an hour)
500 grams green peas
2 tbsp cooking oil
2 pieces cinnamon sticks (1 inch in size each)
2 pieces star anise
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp black pepper powder
6 pieces green cardamom (whole pods)
2 pieces black cardamom (whole pods)
6 pieces cloves
2 pieces bay leaves
1 piece onion (large, finely sliced)
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 tbsp green chilies (crushed)
1 piece tomato (medium size, finely chopped)
2 pieces dry red chilies (torn in half)
1 tbsp coriander seeds (crushed)
1 tbsp fennel seeds powder
2 tsp salt
5 cups water
½ tsp nutmeg and mace powder
3 pieces green chilies (whole)
Coriander and mint leaves (a handful, finely chopped)
1 tsp kewra water (optional)
2 tbsp clarified butter (ghee)

Before my wedding, I learned from my mother how to prepare this dish. She cooked it on the occasion of my birthday and the smell attracted me. The pulao looked good and the great taste made everyone of us want to have more of it. I wanted my mother to show me how to prepare the dish and she gladly took the time to share everything with me. She explained what ingredients are required and how to go step by step. I jotted it down in the very same notebook that I still use.

Today, when I cook this matar pulao at home and serve it to my children and husband, they give similar compliments to those people gave to my mother. This fills me with joy. It is a great feeling to witness the happiness of my family as they enjoy the pulao just as I did before I got married. To say that this dish is dear to them is an understatement. I usually make this pulao when we have company at our place.

How to Make Peas Pulao? (Step by Step Guide with Images)

Step 1: Fry 2 pieces of cinnamon sticks (1 inch in size), 2 pieces of star anise, 1 tsp of cumin seeds, ½ tsp of black pepper powder, 6 pieces of green cardamom, 2 pieces of black cardamom, 6 pieces of cloves and 2 pieces of bay leaves in 2 tbsp of cooking oil on a medium flame for 1 minute, stirring continuously.

Step 2: Add 1 piece of onion (large, finely sliced) and fry until slightly golden.

Step 3: Add 500 grams of green peas, 1 tbsp of ginger garlic paste and 1 tbsp of crushed green chilies on a high flame for a minute. Mix 1 piece of tomato (medium size, finely chopped), 2 pieces of dry red chilies (torn in half), 1 tbsp of crushed coriander seeds and 1 tbsp of fennel seeds powder on a medium flame.

Step 4: Add 1 tsp of salt. Mix nicely. Add 1 cup of water. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes to bring it to a boil.

Step 5: Add 4 cups of water more. When it boils, add 500 grams of basmati rice (washed and soaked in water for half an hour), 1 tsp of salt, 3 pieces of whole green chilies, ½ tsp of nutmeg and mace powder along with a handful of finely chopped coriander and mint leaves. Mix, cover and cook on a high flame for about 5 to 6 minutes.

Step 6: Add 1 tsp of kewra water and 2 tbsp of clarified butter (ghee). Do not mix. Cook it on a low flame for about 15 minutes.

Step 7: Gently mix it one last time and transfer it to a plate to serve.

Step 8: Your delicious and slightly spicy homemade peas pulao is ready.

Peas Pulao Recipe FAQs & Fixes

1. My rice came out kind of mushy and sticky, not really fluffy; what went wrong?

This usually is from over-soaking or over-stirring, and sometimes there is just too much water. Try the 30-minute soak and drain the water well before the rice hits the pot. Also, when you do those parts in Steps 5 and 7, do not go wild; use a flat spatula and sort of slice through the rice, instead of stirring around in circles, because that breaks the grains apart.

2. The water is gone, but the rice still feels hard in the centre; what do I do now?

Do not pour cold water in at this stage; seriously it ruins the texture. Just add 2-3 tablespoons of warm water on top, cover the pot tight or if you feel like it, wrap the lid with a kitchen towel for a better seal, then steam it on the lowest heat for another 5 to 7 minutes.

3. How can I keep my peas from turning dull or mushy?

Peas lose their color and that nice bite if they sit on heat too long early. Do not over-sauté them in Step 3. And if you are using frozen peas instead of fresh ones, you can skip the boiling in Step 4 entirely; just add them with the rice in Step 5 so they stay bright and hold their shape.

4. My pulao tastes bland; how do I rescue it?

The fix is getting the water seasoned well before the rice soaks it all in. Right after you add the rice and salt in Step 5, taste the boiling water — it should be almost like seawater, like a little too salty by itself. If it tastes flat, add another half-teaspoon of salt, or a touch more fennel powder.

5. The rice on the bottom keeps burning during the final steam; what is the trick?

If your burner is too big for the pot, or the pot has a thin base, the direct heat can scorch that lowest layer. Put a flat griddle or tawa on the flame first, then set your pulao pot on top of it. It helps spread the heat out more evenly, so the rice steams softly instead of browning too fast.