Matar Pulao Recipe | Easy Green Peas Pulao

Matar Pulao is a simple, aromatic Indian rice dish made with fragrant basmati rice, fresh green peas, whole spices, onions and herbs. It is an easy one-pot meal that can be prepared for lunch, dinner or as a delicious side dish with curry, raita or dal.

The combination of sweet green peas and aromatic spices makes Matar Pulao a comforting dish that is both simple and flavorful.

Whether you are looking for an easy Matar Pulao recipe, a quick lunch idea or a delicious rice dish for a family meal, this recipe is easy to follow and requires simple ingredients.

What Is Matar Pulao?

Matar Pulao, also known as Green Peas Pulao, is a rice preparation made by cooking basmati rice with green peas and aromatic whole spices.

Unlike biryani, pulao is generally prepared by cooking the rice and other ingredients together, allowing the spices and vegetables to infuse their flavour into the rice.

A classic Matar Pulao usually includes:

• Basmati rice
• Green peas
• Onion
• Ginger and garlic
• Green chilli
• Bay leaf
• Cinnamon
• Cardamom
• Cloves
• Cumin or shahi jeera
• Fresh coriander
• Ghee or cooking oil

It is one of the easiest ways to turn basic rice and peas into a flavorful meal.

Easy Matar Pulao Recipe

Ingredients for Matar Pulao

• 2 cups basmati rice
• 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1–2 green chillies, slit
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tbsp ghee or cooking oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1-inch cinnamon stick
• 3–4 green cardamoms
• 3–4 cloves
• ½ tsp cumin seeds or shahi jeera
• 4 cups water, approximately
• Salt to taste
• ¼ cup fresh coriander leaves
• 1–2 tbsp mint leaves (optional)

Optional Ingredients:

• 8–10 cashews
• 1 tbsp raisins
• 1 small carrot, diced
• ½ tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

How to Make Matar Pulao

1. Wash and Soak the Rice
Wash the basmati rice thoroughly until the water becomes relatively clear. Soak the rice in water for around 20–30 minutes. Drain the rice completely before cooking. Soaking helps the rice cook evenly and makes it easier to achieve long, separate grains.

2. Prepare the Green Peas
If you are using fresh peas, rinse them thoroughly. If using frozen peas, you can use them directly after briefly rinsing them. There is no need to completely cook the peas separately because they will cook along with the rice.

3. Fry the Whole Spices
Heat ghee or oil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and cumin seeds. Sauté for about 30 seconds until the spices become fragrant. This is an important step because frying the whole spices in ghee or oil helps release their aroma.

4. Sauté the Onion
Add sliced onions. Cook over medium heat until the onions become soft and lightly golden. Do not burn the onions. For a simple Matar Pulao, you don't need deeply caramelized onions. Lightly golden onions provide enough sweetness and flavour.

5. Add Ginger, Garlic and Green Chilli
Add ginger-garlic paste and slit green chillies. Sauté for approximately 30–60 seconds until the raw aroma disappears. If you prefer a milder pulao, reduce the amount of green chilli.

6. Add the Green Peas
Add 1 cup of green peas. Mix well with the onions and spices. Cook for approximately 2 minutes. If you are adding carrots or other vegetables, add them at this stage as well.

7. Add the Soaked Rice
Drain the soaked basmati rice completely and add it to the pot. Gently mix the rice with the peas and spices. Be careful not to break the rice grains. Sauté for about 1–2 minutes.

8. Add Water and Salt
Add approximately 4 cups of water and salt according to taste. Mix gently once and bring the water to a boil.

9. Cook the Matar Pulao
Once the water starts boiling, reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Cook until the rice has absorbed the water and the grains are completely cooked. Avoid repeatedly opening the lid while the rice is cooking.

10. Rest the Rice
Once the rice is cooked, turn off the heat. Keep the pot covered for approximately 5–10 minutes. This allows the steam to settle and helps the rice grains firm up.

11. Garnish and Serve
Open the lid and gently fluff the rice with a fork. Add fresh coriander and optional mint. You can also add a little lemon juice for freshness.

Your easy Matar Pulao is ready to serve.

How to Make Restaurant-Style Matar Pulao

If you want your homemade green peas pulao to look and taste more special, follow these simple tips:

• Use good-quality basmati rice: Long-grain basmati rice gives Matar Pulao a beautiful aroma and helps create separate grains.
• Use ghee: Ghee adds richness and enhances the aroma of the whole spices.
• Don't overcook the rice: Overcooked rice can turn the pulao soft and sticky.
• Don't add too much water: Excess water is one of the most common reasons pulao becomes mushy.
• Use fresh herbs: Fresh coriander and mint give the pulao a fresh aroma.
• Add fried cashews: For a richer version, lightly fry cashews in ghee and add them before serving.

How to Make Fluffy Matar Pulao

The biggest secret to good pulao is separate rice grains. Follow these steps:

1. Wash the rice properly.
2. Soak it for 20–30 minutes.
3. Drain it completely.
4. Use the appropriate amount of water.
5. Avoid stirring the rice repeatedly.
6. Cook on low heat after the water boils.
7. Allow the rice to rest after cooking.
8. Fluff gently with a fork.

This helps prevent the rice from becoming sticky or mushy.

Fresh Peas vs Frozen Peas for Matar Pulao

You can use either fresh or frozen green peas.

• Fresh Green Peas: Fresh peas are naturally sweet and work particularly well when they are in season.
• Frozen Green Peas: Frozen peas are convenient because they are available throughout the year and require very little preparation. For a quick weekday Matar Pulao, frozen peas are an excellent option.

Can You Add Vegetables to Matar Pulao?

Yes. Although traditional Matar Pulao focuses primarily on rice and green peas, you can add other vegetables to make it more substantial. Try adding:

• Carrots
• French beans
• Cauliflower
• Sweet corn
• Capsicum
• Potatoes

This turns the dish into a simple vegetable pulao.

Matar Pulao Variations

• 1. Aloo Matar Pulao: Add small cubes of potato along with the peas.
• 2. Paneer Matar Pulao: Add lightly fried paneer cubes before serving.
• 3. Vegetable Matar Pulao: Add mixed vegetables such as carrots, beans, peas and cauliflower.
• 4. Jeera Matar Pulao: Increase the quantity of cumin and keep the recipe simple with peas and aromatic basmati rice.
• 5. Matar Pulao with Cashews: Fry cashews in ghee and add them to the finished pulao for a richer version.
• 6. Spicy Matar Pulao: Add green chilli, red chilli or a small amount of garam masala for extra heat.

What to Serve with Matar Pulao

Matar Pulao can be served as a main dish or a side dish. Best accompaniments include:

• Cucumber raita or Boondi raita
• Plain curd
• Dal Tadka or Dal Fry
• Rajma or Chole
• Paneer curry or Vegetable curry
• Chicken curry or Mutton curry
• Pickle and Papad
• Fresh salad

For a simple meal, serve Matar Pulao with cucumber raita and papad. For a more elaborate meal, pair it with a flavorful curry.

Matar Pulao vs Vegetable Pulao

If you want a simple rice dish with minimal ingredients, Matar Pulao is an excellent choice.

Quick Matar Pulao Using Netra's Instant Pulao

Want the flavour of pulao without starting from raw rice? Netra's Instant Pulao can be used as a convenient base for a quick green-peas pulao variation.

Instead of cooking basmati rice with whole spices from scratch, prepare Netra's Instant Pulao and add green peas to create a quick Matar Pulao-inspired meal.

How to Make It

Step 1: Prepare Netra's Instant Pulao according to the package instructions.

Step 2: Heat a little ghee in a pan.

Step 3: Add 1 cup green peas. If using frozen peas, cook until they are heated through and tender.

Step 4: Add a little ginger-garlic paste and green chilli if desired.

Step 5: Add the prepared Instant Pulao.

Step 6: Gently mix the peas with the pulao.

Step 7: Add fresh coriander and a small amount of lemon juice.

Step 8: Serve hot with raita or your favourite curry.

Why Use Netra's Instant Pulao?

Traditional Matar Pulao requires you to wash rice, soak rice, measure water, prepare whole spices, sauté onions, cook rice, and monitor the cooking process.

With Netra's Instant Pulao, the aromatic rice base is already prepared. You can simply add cooked green peas and a few fresh ingredients to create a quick meal.

This makes it useful for:

• Busy weekday lunches
• Quick dinners
• Students & bachelors
• Working professionals
• Easy family meals
• Last-minute meal preparation

How to Make Matar Pulao More Nutritious

For a more balanced meal, serve your pulao with protein and vegetables. You can:

• Add paneer
• Serve it with dal
• Add mixed vegetables
• Serve with yogurt or raita
• Add a side salad
• Control the amount of ghee or oil

Green peas also add texture and plant-based nutrients to the dish.

Common Matar Pulao Mistakes

1. Using too much water: This can make the rice mushy. Fix: Measure the water according to your rice variety.

2. Overcooking the rice: This causes the grains to break and stick together. Fix: Cook until just done and allow the rice to rest.

3. Stirring too much: Repeated stirring can break the rice grains. Fix: Mix gently and only when necessary.

4. Burning the spices: Whole spices can become bitter if fried for too long. Fix: Sauté them briefly until fragrant.

5. Using too much salt: Remember that some accompaniments, such as curry or pickle, may already contain salt. Fix: Season gradually.

6. Opening the lid repeatedly: This releases steam and can affect the cooking process. Fix: Keep the pot covered while the rice cooks.

Matar Pulao FAQs

1. What is Matar Pulao?
Matar Pulao is an Indian rice dish made with basmati rice, green peas, onions and aromatic whole spices.

2. Which rice is best for Matar Pulao?
Long-grain basmati rice is an excellent choice because it gives the pulao an aromatic flavour and separate rice grains.

3. Can I use frozen peas for Matar Pulao?
Yes. Frozen green peas are convenient and can be added directly to the recipe after rinsing.

4. How do I keep Matar Pulao from becoming sticky?
Use properly washed and soaked rice, avoid excess water, don't overcook the rice and allow it to rest after cooking.

5. Can I make Matar Pulao without onion?
Yes. You can skip onion and increase the amount of whole spices, ginger, green chilli and fresh herbs for flavour.

6. Can I make Matar Pulao in a pressure cooker?
Yes. Matar Pulao can be prepared in a pressure cooker, but water quantity and cooking time need to be adjusted to prevent overcooking.

7. Can I add potatoes to Matar Pulao?
Yes. Small potato cubes can be added along with green peas to make Aloo Matar Pulao.

8. What can I serve with Matar Pulao?
Matar Pulao pairs well with raita, dal, paneer curry, vegetable curry, chicken curry, mutton curry, pickle and papad.

9. Is Matar Pulao the same as Vegetable Pulao?
No. Matar Pulao mainly uses green peas, while vegetable pulao generally contains a combination of vegetables.

10. Can I add paneer to Matar Pulao?
Yes. Lightly fried or sautéed paneer cubes can be added to make Paneer Matar Pulao.

11. Can I make Matar Pulao with brown rice?
Yes, although the texture and cooking time will be different from basmati rice. Follow the cooking instructions for the specific rice variety.

12. Can I make Matar Pulao without ghee?
Yes. You can use cooking oil instead of ghee.

13. How can I make Matar Pulao more flavorful?
Use whole spices, fresh ginger, green chilli, coriander, mint and a little ghee. Fried cashews can also add richness.

14. Can I make quick Matar Pulao with Netra's Instant Pulao?
Yes. Prepare Netra's Instant Pulao, sauté cooked green peas separately and gently combine them with the pulao. Finish with coriander and lemon juice.

15. Is Matar Pulao good for lunch?
Yes. It is an easy lunch option and can be served with raita, dal or a curry to create a more complete meal.

Quick Matar Pulao Recipe at a Glance

1. Wash: Rinse 2 cups basmati rice.
2. Soak: Soak for 20–30 minutes.
3. Spice: Heat ghee and sauté bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and cumin.
4. Onion: Add sliced onion and cook until lightly golden.
5. Aromatics: Add ginger-garlic paste and green chilli.
6. Peas: Add 1 cup green peas.
7. Rice: Add drained basmati rice.
8. Water: Add approximately 4 cups water and salt.
9. Cook: Cover and cook on low heat until the rice is done.
10. Rest: Keep covered for 5–10 minutes.
11. Garnish: Add coriander and optional mint.
12. Serve: Enjoy hot with raita, dal or curry.

Final Thoughts

Matar Pulao is proof that a simple combination of rice, green peas and aromatic spices can create a satisfying meal.

The key to making excellent Green Peas Pulao is simple: use good-quality rice, control the water, avoid overcooking and let the rice rest before serving.

For a traditional homemade version, prepare the pulao from scratch using basmati rice and whole spices.

For busy days, Netra's Instant Pulao provides a convenient aromatic rice base that can be combined with green peas for a quick Matar Pulao-inspired meal.

Serve it with raita, dal or your favourite curry and enjoy a comforting Indian rice meal with minimal effort.

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