The peas pulao is another family favorite Sujata’s mom made on a vegetarian day. We find it a quick fix for a busy weeknight dinner as frozen peas and rice are staples in our pantry.
Frying whole spices in the ghee adds a delicious aroma to the pulao without overwhelming the other spices. The aroma in the kitchen while making this pulao will make everyone in your family hungry.
Being from Konkan, we are all fond of coconut and prefer to have coconut in all our dishes in some form or the other. Coconut adds richness and a natural sweetness to any dish. Of course, it is a matter of personal preference. Cooking this rice in coconut milk makes it delicious and unique in its taste. However, the use of coconut milk is optional.
The sweetness of peas and coconut milk perfectly balances the flavors of a variety of whole spices in the pulao. To make the pulao vegan replace the ghee with olive oil.
Peas Pulao/Pilaf
Ingredients
- 1 cup Basmati rice
- 3 tbsp ghee divided, (clarified butter) or butter or olive oil, if vegan
- ½ cup raw cashews (optional)
- 1 cup onions thinly sliced
- 2 cups peas fresh or defrosted frozen
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 2 tsp salt or per your taste
- 2 cups hot water
- ¼ cup coconut milk (we use one can) (optional)
Whole Spices
- 3 cloves
- 3 green cardamom pods
- ½ tsp whole black peppercorns
- ½ in cinnamon stick
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Wash the rice in several changes of water and drain. Then, soak it in water for at least half an hour, drain and set it aside.
- Heat one tablespoon of ghee in a heavy pot and fry the cashew pieces until they are lightly golden on medium-low heat. Since cashews are delicate, keep an eye on them while frying. They burn easily. Set the fried cashews aside.
- In the same pot, heat the remaining ghee and add the whole spices and let them sizzle for 30-40 seconds. Then, add the sliced onions and fry until they are soft and turn brown on the edges.
- Add the drained rice, peas, turmeric powder, chili powder, garam masala, cashews and salt and fry for two minutes. Stir and sauté gently for 2 to 3 minutes until the rice and peas are coated with the spices and ghee.
- Add the hot water to the rice mixture and bring it to a boil. Then add the coconut milk, stir once and reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Cover the pot with a tight lid and let it cook for 10 minutes. Do not open the lid during the cooking time. Turn the heat off and let the pot sit for another five minutes. Stir gently before serving. The pulao goes well with papad, mango pickle and plain yogurt.
