Peas Pulao / Pattani Sadham / Mattar Pulao - Restaurant Style

    Today I am posting my favorite recipe,Peas Pulao . Pulao or Briyani was my all time favorite. 

    I can have these dishes for all the three meals a day. All the pulovs are my favorite , as they are tasty and easy to make one pot meal.

  Pilaf ( also known as pilau , peleau and pulov ) is a dish in which rice is cooked in a seasoned broth. Depending on the local cuisine , it may also contain meat or vegetable.

Pilaf and similar dishes are common to Balkan , Middle Eastern , central and south Asian , East African , latin American and Caribbean Indian cuisines.

   The English term pilaf is borrowed directly from the Turkish pilav , which in turn comes from ( classical ) Persian polow and ultimately derives from Sanskrit pulaka – lump of boiled rice . The English term is further influenced by modern greek pilafi. Due to the vast spread of the dish , there exist variations of the name in many languages , including plov , polou , palov , pilau etc.

  In south Asia , pulao ( sometimes spelt pulav ) is a dish consisting of rice and commonly including peas , potatoes , French beans , carrots , mutton or chicken. It is usually served on special occasions and weddings and is very high in food energy and fat.

  Briyani is another rice dish similar to pilaf , introduced to South Asian cuisine during the mughal period . It is made from basmati or similar aromatic rice.

  Peas are easily available in fresh during the season and in dry form throughout the year. I used dry green peas to make this pulao. I sprouted it and used in making the pulao to make it more nutritious.

 This pulao can be served along with any spicy gravy like panner butter masala , dum aloo or chicken curry. Onion raita can also goes well with this rice.

It will be an excellent rcipe for lunch boxes and in parties.

  Usually basmati rice is used in making the pulao, I used normal cooking rice , I didn’t find any difference in the taste.

Requirements :

Rice – 1 cup

Onion – 1

Soaked green peas – ¾  cup

Green chillies – 2

Mint leaves – a handful

Coriander leaves – a handful

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbs

Salt as required

Oil + Ghee – 2 tbs

Bay leaf – 1

Cinnamon – a small stick

Cloves – 2

Cardamom – 1

Star anise – 1

Cumin seeds – ¼ tsp

Method :

If using dry peas means , soak it overnight , the previous day itself.

Wash and soak the rice for 15 minutes.

Chop the onion into thin slices.

Slit the green chillies.

Heat the oil + ghee in a pressure cooker.

Add the cumin seeds, cinnamon , cloves , cardamom ,star anise , bay leaf and fry for a minute.

Add in the sliced onion and sauté till the onions become translucent.

Add the slit green chillies and ginger garlic paste  , sauté well.

Add in the green peas and mix once.

Add in the mint leaves and coriander leaves, sauté for two minutes.

Drain the water from the rice and add in the rice to the cooker.

Sauté the rice well for two minutes.

Add 2 cup of water and required salt , mix well.

Close the lid and cook for 2 whistles.

When the pressure subsides , open the lid and mix gently.

Peas pulao is ready to serve.

Serve with onion raita or any spicy gravy.

Note :

Tomato can be added to this pulov.

Instead of green chillies , garam masala can be added , but the color of the pulao will be changed.

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                       Kids lunch box recipes 

Capsicum in Spicy Peanut Gravy / Shimla mirch ka salan

 Capsicum is called in India as Shimla Mirch , whereas in west it is know as peppers / Bellpeppers.

 I like this vegetable a lot for its unique flavor and mild heat ie ; spice level.

 Capsicum is widely used veggie around the world. There are green , red and yellow peppers. Check out my post on Multicolour capsicum Pulov.

 This gravy with the combination of flavorful capsicum pieces in the creamy peanut sauce will be best combo with plain rice / roti.

 The ingredients list may seems long , well the recipe was simple and quick to make. This recipe was some what similar to Hyderabadhi Mirchi ka salan. Well , we can call it as shimla mirchi ka salan. Salan means gravy / curry.

The crunch of the capsicum pieces in the gravy was a notable one.

Requirements :

Capsicum –  1

Cummin seeds –  ½ tsp

Oil – 2  tbs

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Onion – 1

Tomato – 2

Salt as required

For masala :

Ginger – 1” piece

Garlic – 5 – 6 cloves

Red chilli – 4

Sesame seeds – 2 tbs

Peanut / Groundnut – ¼ cup

Coriander powder – 1 ½ tbsp

Urad dhal / Blackgram dhal – 1 tsp

Cummin – ½ tsp

Grated coconut – 2 tbs

Pepper corns – 5

Tamarind – marble size

Method :

For masala :

Heat a spoon of oil , add the cummin , pepper , sesame seeds ,urad dhal and saute till it crackles.

Add in the dry chilli , peanut and roast.
Now , add the coconut and toss once. Let it cool.

Grind it along with ginger , garlic , tamarind  and with little water to a fine paste.

Making of salan :

In the same pan , add the remaining oil , add the chopped onion and saute till it becomes translucent.

Then , add the chopped tomato and saute well.

Add the capsicum pieces and saute once.

Now , add the grounded masala and saute for two minutes.

Add about two cup of water and required salt. Let it boil for five minutes or till the gravy thickens.

Take off from flame and serve.

Capsicum in spicy peanut sauce is ready to serve.

Serve with roti , phulka or plain Rice.

Note :

 Don’t overcook the capsicum . It can be sauteed separately and added at the last.

Jeera Rice / Punjabi Jeera pulao

 Jeera means cumin , this was a pulao which gets its flavor from the cumin seeds added to it. Jeera rice / Zeera rice is an Indian and Pakistani dish consisting of rice and cumin seeds. This rice dish is known as Zeera rice in Pakistan. It is easy to prepare unlike a briyani . Jeera is the hindi word for cumin seeds.

 This rice goes well with any spicy gravy. This was a easy to make rice with cumin and other spices cooked along with the rice.

Cumin is good for digestion and it is a coolant to our body.

Requirements :

Rice – 2 cup

Cumin seeds – 1 ½ tbs

Butter – 2 tbs

Oil – 1 tsp

Cinnamon – a stick

Cloves – 3

Bay leaf - 1

Salt as required

Method :

Wash and soak the rice for 15 minutes.

Heat the butter and oil together in a pressure cooker.

Add the bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and cumin seeds. Let all the spices fry in oil for a minute.

Add the soaked rice and fry for two minutes.

Add about 4 cups of water and required salt.

Close the lid and pressure cook for two whistles.

When the pressure subsides , open the lid and stir gently.

Jeera rise is ready to serve.

Serve with any spicy gravy of your choice.

We had it with malai kofta curry.

Note :

Cashew and onion slices can be added while frying the spices.

Mixed vegetables in Tomato Gravy

This was yet another gravy with the mixed vegetables in the tomato sauce.

 The color of the gravy was so tempting with its bright orange color. This was nutritious gravy which goes well with rice , roti or phulka.

 It was easy to make with the easily available ingredients in everyone’s home.

 Vegetables used may vary according to everyone’s wish.

Requirements :

Tomato – 2

Carrot +peas+ cauliflower

+ potato +Beans         -  1 cup

Cumin seeds – ½ tsp

Onion - 1

Green Chilli – 2

Coriander powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

Garam masala – 1 tsp

Garlic – 2 cloves

Ginger – ½ inch piece

Salt as required

Oil – 1 tsp

Method :

Wash the vegetables and chop into pieces of equal size.

Add the tomatoes in the boiling water and let it be for few minutes.

When the tomatoes are cooled drain the water out and peel the skin off.

Blend the tomatoes into a smooth puree.

Heat oil in a pan, add the cumin seeds and let it crackle.

Add in the chopped onion and green chillies and sauté till the onions become translucent.

Now, add the chopped garlic and ginger, sauté well.

Add in the chopped vegetables and sauté for two minutes.

Add in the coriander powder, turmeric powder and required salt, mix well.

Add about half a cup of water and cook the vegetables in medium flame with closed lid.

When the vegetables are half boiled , add the tomato puree , garam masala and cook in simmer for few more minutes.

If the gravy seems thick , can add more water.

When the vegetables are cooked , take off from flame and serve.

Mixed vegetables in tomato gravy is ready to serve.

Serve with plain rice , roti , poori or idli and Dosa.

Gobi matar Keema (Vegetable Keema)

  Gobi matar Bhurji or keema as it is called , is a quick and easy to make side dish. Gobhi means cauliflower in hindi while matar means green peas.

Keema is nothing but minced , that is very fine pieces of mutton or any vegetables used to make a spicy dish.

  This will goes well with rice , roti even dosa too. I had it with dosa it was so tasty.

Requirements :

Cauliflower florets – 2 cup

Peas – ½ cup

Onion – 1

Tomato – 2

Garlic – 2 cloves

Red chilli powder – ½ tsp

Turmeric powder – ¼ cup

Coriander powder – ½ tsp

Garam masala – ½ tsp

Salt as required

Oil – 2 tbs

Method :

Chop the cauliflower into fine pieces . It can be grated.

Chop the onion and tomato to fine pieces.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a nonstick pan , add the chopped cauliflower and sauté.

Sauté well till it is partial cooked that is slightly brown in colour.

Take off from flame and keep aside.

In the same pan , add the remaining oil and add the chopped onion and sauté well till it becomes translucent.

Add in the crushed garlic and tomato and sauté well .

When the tomato is mashed well , add in the chilli powder , coriander powder and turmeric powder and sauté for a minute.

Now, add the green peas and mix well.

Add in a quarter cup of water and let it cook in medium flame.

If using dry peas, soak it and cook before adding in.

When the peas is cooked , add the required salt and mix well.

Add in the sauted cauliflower pieces and garam masala and let it boil for a minute.

Take off from flame and add kasuthi methi. I didn’t add it.

Serve hot with Roti / dosa.

Gobhi matar keema is ready to serve.