Matar Pulao
مٹر پلاؤ
Matar pulao is the rice that sits happily next to almost anything: a bowl of chicken qorma, shami kebabs, or just raita and salad. It needs no meat and no stock, and it is ready in about 40 minutes. The flavour comes from two things: onions fried slowly to a deep golden colour, and bloomed in the oil before the water goes in.
- ⏱ Total: 45 min
- Prep: 10 min
- Cook: 35 min
- Easy
- Serves 4
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Heat the oil in a heavy over medium heat. Fry the sliced onion, stirring often, for 8–10 minutes until evenly golden brown. Lift out a spoonful for garnish.
Add the cumin, cloves, peppercorns, both cardamoms, cinnamon and bay leaf. Let them sizzle for 30 seconds until fragrant, then stir in the for a minute.
Add the peas and green chilies and fry for 2–3 minutes so the peas take on the flavour of the spiced oil.
Pour in the water, add the salt and bring to a rolling boil on high heat. Taste the water: it should be noticeably salty.
Add the drained rice, stir once and boil uncovered on high heat for 7–8 minutes, until the water has dropped below the surface of the rice and small steam holes appear.
Cover tightly and put on over the lowest heat for 12–15 minutes, until the grains are tender and separate.
Rest for 5 minutes with the heat off, then fluff gently with a fork. Scatter the reserved fried onion on top and serve with raita.
Kitchen notes
The colour of the pulao comes from the onion. Pale onions give white pulao; well-browned onions give a light golden one with more flavour.
Frozen peas can go in straight from the freezer; don't thaw them or they turn mushy.
The everyday pulao
Matar pulao is what many Pakistani homes cook when the main dish is a curry and plain boiled rice feels too ordinary. It is especially common in winter, when fresh peas are cheap and sweet, and it shows up on weekend tables next to qorma, kebabs or a bowl of daal. Because it contains no meat, it is also a natural choice for a light meal with yogurt.
Golden onions and blooming the spices
There are only two techniques to get right. First, fry the onion slowly over medium heat until evenly golden; rushing it on high heat leaves some slices raw and others burnt. Second, add the to the hot oil before any water. Thirty seconds of sizzling releases their oils into the fat, and that fat then coats every grain of rice.
After that it is a standard absorption pulao: measured water, a high boil until the water sinks below the rice, then a sealed on the lowest flame.
Variations
- Matar gajar pulao: add a diced carrot with the peas for colour.
- Yakhni base: replace the water with chicken stock for a richer, dawat-style pulao.
- Ghee: using desi ghee instead of oil gives a deeper, nuttier aroma.
- Shahi touch: a few fried cashews or almonds and a pinch of garam masala before dum make it festive enough for guests.
Storing and serving
Serve hot, straight from the pot. Leftovers keep for 2 days in the fridge; reheat covered with a sprinkle of water so the rice steams back to softness.
Questions people ask
How much water do I need for matar pulao?
For soaked basmati, use 1½ cups of water per cup of rice. Older, drier rice may need a few extra tablespoons.
Can I use chicken stock instead of water?
Yes. Stock makes it richer, but reduce the salt because most stocks are already salted.
What do you serve with matar pulao?
Raita and kachumar salad at minimum. It also goes well with chicken qorma, aloo gosht, shami kebabs or a simple daal.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 490
- Protein
- 9 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Carbs
- 82 g
