I love peas! No, I mean I LOVVVEEE peas - always have, and hopefully, always will. I go through a 2 lb bag of frozen peas every 2-3 weeks.
With the cold weather creeping up so steadily, I find that my cravings for rice has increased tremendously. Maybe its the comfort that comes from a big bowl of warm rice, I really don’t know. So its no surprize that I find myself cooking more varieties of rice-based dishes in winters as compared to warmer months.
Often, I make a big batch of plain rice over the weekend, and spruce it up during the week. Of the many variations of rice dishes I make from (purposely) left-over rice, some of my all-time easy-breezy favourites can be seen here, here and here.
When I decided to make dinner last night, I knew I would once again be cooking what else, but rice. So I settled for a recipe that was simple and so delicious - Pulao or as some call it, Pilaf. Pulao is very common in the North Indian cuisine. It is often served as a side to exotic curries and salads.
So that was it then, I was craving for Pulao. But not just any Pulao, I wanted Peas Pulao!
Matar Pulao (Peas Pilaf)
Ingredients:
2 cups Basmati rice 1 cup frozen peas 4 cups water 1 small onion, thinly sliced 5-6 cloves 5-6 black peppercorns 1-2 bay leaves 1 tsp cumin seeds salt, to taste a pinch of saffron, mixed in 2 tbsp water 1 tbsp cooking oil Method:
- Heat oil in a non-stick pan and saute cumin seeds and sliced onions, till tender and slightly browned.
- Add rice, water, salt, peppercorns, cloves, and bay leaves, and cover cook on medium-low heat till rice is tender.
- Add in peas and saffron water and cover cook for another 5-6 minutes till peas heat through.
Best eaten warm with any curry or on its own!
January 20th, 2006
I’m going to buy some basmati rice. I’d like to have this for dinner!
I like your new banner and tag line, but I sorta miss the peppers.
But everything looks GREAT! I love how you always improve this site.
Have a good weekend,
Paz
January 20th, 2006
wow looks delicious, how did u manage to get that color in the pilaf is it coz of the saffron?
January 21st, 2006
Hi Meenakshi, Not exactly my first time here, but definitely the first comment if i recall correctly.
First up, congrats on the Award win.
Second, great to see that the list of recipes have gone up since I visited last. Have been a regular at Nupur’s blog for quite some time now. And will surely try all your goodies here. Staying alone, bachelor, I am always in lookout for good and easy Indian recipes - prefer veggies more when it comes to cooking. Thankfully, after a year and a half of self-coooking I have learnt a few basics, which i m sure will help when i try out the great stuff here.
Already, I hv just finished making a variety of ur Matar Paneer. Since I didnt hv paneer, so did a variation and made ‘alu mattar’ with same method. Turned out great
And ur ‘alu tamatarwale’ looks so tempting - esp since it is very easy to make. I do keep making ‘jeera aaalu’ as a sort of ‘filler food’ when I am not in mood for cooking
Will keep coming in and asking/disturbing as and when I dont understand or need some variation (As i said, i stay alone and hv a bit of limited resources sometimes :-))
January 21st, 2006
One query - what is aniseed? Hindi name?
January 22nd, 2006
Sorry for nearly spamming your blog but honestly am too excited to find it. Earlier I have tried almost everything on Nupur’s blog, and now i hv found a new haunt for myself.
So today’s Sunday lunch is ‘chick-peas’ curry from ur post
Just tasted it , its turned out marvellous.
And as a side dish, i m gonna make ‘alu tamatarwale’ - too tempting to resist making it further on…aaj ekdum mood hai cooking ka
Many many thanks for the wonderful dishes!
January 23rd, 2006
Your new look is fab! I really like it and yes, I have a weakness for rice too.
January 26th, 2006
Paz: Thanks Paz! I like this coulore combo too. Do try out the recipe, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.
Priya: Hi Priya! Yup, it is certainly due to the saffron. It gives amazing colour as well as flavour and aroma! Just awesome!
Deepak: Thanks for stopping by Deepak! Do try out all the recipes and let me know how they turn out.
Aniseed is called “Saunf” in Hindi.
MM: Thanks M!
June 17th, 2007
HI just came across ur site and loved the recipes i tried ur egg curries and they came out great just wanted to say thank you u do make cooking easy
sree