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Matar Chawal - Green Peas Pulao Rice in Pakistani Style

Matar Chawal, which means green pea rice is an essential sundry in Pakistani cuisines. This simple rice dish is packed with piquant flavour from whole spices with some delicate sweetness of green peas.

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
15 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 187 kcal
Course: Main Course , Lunch , Dinner
Cuisine: Pakistani

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups basmati rice.
  • ½ small brown onion finely chopped.
  • ½ teaspoon whole cumin seeds.
  • 2 black cardamom seeds.
  • 1- inch cinnamon stick/ quill.
  • 2 bay leaves.
  • ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns.
  • ½ teaspoon Himalayan salt see the note.
  • ½ cup green peas fresh or frozen.
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil.
  • 2 ¼ cups hot boiling water from the kettle.

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Wash and rinse the rice several times. Then soak with plenty of water. Set aside
  2. Heat the oil in a cooking pan, then place the chopped onion in. Fry until the onion turns soft and translucent. 
  3. Add the whole spices in and cook further for a few minutes until it all release aroma.
  4. Drain the rice using a colander or a large sieve. Then carefully add it in the spices. Toss around and stir fry for a few minutes. 
  5. Carefully pour in the hot boiling water to the rice. Give it a good stir to make sure there is no grain sticking on the bottom of the pan.
  6. Then add the frozen peas.
  7. Cook at medium-high heat. You can put the lid on to quicken the process until the water reboils. Once it reaches the boiling point again, take the cover off. And stir the rice every now and again. So the rice will not get stuck on the sides or bottom of the pan.
  8. Leave it to cook until all the liquid evaporates. Then turn the heat to low. Line the lid with a tea towel or a kitchen towel and put it back on the pan. Cook further at low heat until steam comes out. 
  9. When it starts, let it steams for a few minutes before you turn the heat off. Leave the lid on until all the steam has gone before you open the lid and serve the rice.

Notes

  • I use Himalayan pink salt these days for health reasons. If you don’t have it, you can always use any salt you prefer. And you can put it according to your taste, although ½ teaspoon is enough for this recipe. Do adjust to your liking if you need to. 
  • If you use fresh green peas, add them before the water evaporates completely as they cook quite quickly.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1g Calories 187kcal (9%) Carbohydrates 27g (9%) Protein 3g (6%) Fat 7g (11%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 6g Sodium 199mg (8%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 2g (4%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 187

% Daily Value*

Serving 1g
Calories 187kcal 9%
Carbohydrates 27g 9%
Protein 3g 6%
Fat 7g 11%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 6g 35%
Sodium 199mg 8%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 2g 4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.