Matar Pulao

Ingredients

• 400 g basmati chawal (basmati rice) (Washed and soaked 20 minutes)
• 1.5 cups matar (green peas) (Fresh or frozen — frozen peas are perfect here, no thawing needed)
• 1 large pyaz (onion) (Thinly sliced — one onion for this simple dish is enough)
• 1 tsp zeera (cumin seeds) (This is the primary flavour — use good quality whole cumin)
• 1 tsp sabut garam masala (whole spices) (Bay leaf, 2 cardamom pods, 1 small cinnamon piece — just a light touch)
• 1 tsp adrak lehsan paste (ginger garlic paste) (Just a small amount — this is a subtle dish)
• 3 tbsp ghee ya oil (Ghee gives much better flavour for a simple dish like this)
• to taste namak (salt) (Season the cooking water — taste it before adding rice)
• 600 ml pani (water) (1:1.5 ratio for 400g rice)
• 2 pieces hari mirch (green chillies) (Slit whole — adds warmth without making the dish hot)
• 600 ml pani (water) (1:1.5 ratio for 400g rice)

Instructions

1. TARKA BASE: Heat ghee in a medium pot over medium heat. Add zeera and sabut garam masala — let them sizzle 30 seconds. Add sliced onion and cook until golden, about 10 minutes. Add adrak lehsan paste and fry 1 minute. HINT: For matar pulao, the tarka is deliberately light — you're building a background hum of flavour, not a foreground roar. The peas and cumin are the lead characters.
2. ADD PEAS AND WATER: Add peas to the tarka and stir 1 minute. Add 600ml water and salt. Bring to a boil and taste the water — it should be well-seasoned. HINT: Frozen peas go in straight from frozen — they'll thaw almost immediately in the hot water. Fresh peas take slightly longer to cook so add them 2 minutes before the rice.
3. ADD RICE AND COOK: Add soaked, drained basmati to the boiling seasoned water. Stir once. Bring back to boil, then reduce to absolute lowest heat, cover tightly, and cook 18 minutes. Rest 8 minutes. HINT: Resist the urge to stir or peek. The peas will naturally distribute through the rice. One stir means broken grains and sticky patches.
4. FLUFF AND SERVE: Open the pot and fluff gently with a fork. The peas should be perfectly cooked — tender but still bright green and holding their shape. The rice should be fluffy and separate. HINT: If any peas look a little pale, that's fine — they were frozen to begin with. As long as they're tender and sweet, the pulao is perfect.
5. CHECK THE RICE: After the 8-minute rest, open the pot carefully. The rice should be fully cooked and fluffy. If you see any unabsorbed water at the edges, cover for 5 more minutes on very low heat. HINT: Matar pulao should have completely dry, separate grains. Any residual moisture means the pot needed either slightly less water or slightly more cook time.
6. FLUFF, GARNISH, AND SERVE: Use a fork to gently fluff the rice, lifting from the bottom. The peas should be distributed throughout, vibrant and tender. Scatter hari mirch on top for colour. HINT: For a more festive presentation, fry a few extra tablespoons of sliced onion until crispy and scatter over the top as birista. It elevates this simple dish to something worth serving at a small gathering.