Matar Paneer Pulao – the vibrant and aromatic dish prepared with soft paneer cubes and sweet green peas cooked to perfection with fragrant basmati rice and a blend of spices.
Whether you’re hosting a dinner party or looking for a comforting midweek meal, this paneer peas pulao is a perfect choice. Serve it with raita, mild to medium spicy curry or with a simple potato side dish.
Ingredients
- Spices: Cloves, green cardamom, cassia, bay leaf, star anise, kalpasi (dagad phool), salt, turmeric, red chilli powder, garam masala powder and cumin.
- Liquids: Water and oil to cook pulao. I used olive oil but you can use any cooking oil that you use regularly in the kitchen.
- Paneer: I have used .
- Vegetables: Onion, ginger garlic paste, frozen green peas and green chillies.
- Rice: I have used extra long grain basmati rice, but you could use normal basmati rice.
- Herbs and Nuts: Fresh coriander leaves, mint leaves and cashew nuts.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Place 2 cups basmati rice in a deep-bottomed bowl and wash it under cold tap water 2-3 times, or until the water becomes clear.
Step 2: Add fresh water and soak the rice for 15 minutes.
Step 3: Meanwhile, place chilli powder, turmeric, salt, garam masala in a bowl and mix well with a spoon.
Step 4: Now add paneer cubes and oil to the bowl and toss until they are coated with spice mixture.
Step 5: Plug in an instant pot pressure cooker, turn the sauté mode ON and add oil.
Step 6: When the oil is hot, add the bay leaves, cassia, cloves, green cardamom, kalpasi, star anise, cumin and fry briefly until the spices become aromatic.
Step 7: Now, add cashews and fry until they turn light brown.
Step 8: Next, stir in green chillies.
Step 9: Now add onion and sauté until the onion turns translucent.
Step 10: Now add the ginger garlic paste and sauté for a minute.
Step 11: Stir in spice coated paneer and cook for a couple of minutes.
Step 12: Stir regularly to prevent the paneer and onion from sticking to the base of the pot.
Step 13: Now add garam masala, salt, mint leaves, thawed green peas and fresh coriander leaves.
Step 14: Stir well and press the CANCEL button.
Step 15: Add the rice, water and gently stir. Check the taste and add more salt if necessary.
Step 16: Secure the pot with the lid and move the pressure valve to the SEALING position.
Step 17: Press the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL button and set the timer for 4 minutes.
Step 18: Initially, the instant pot shows ON and the timer begins when the pressure is built up.
Step 19: Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes after the timer goes off.
After 10 minutes, move the pressure valve to VENT to release the pressure manually.
Once the small knob beside the pressure valve goes down open the pot, give it a 5-minute wait, and then fluff the rice with a fork.
Enjoy scrumptious one-pot matar paneer pulao with onion salad, cucumber raita, jeera aloo or any side dish of your choice.
Substitutions and Variations
Vegetable Stock: Try vegetable stock instead of water for added flavour.
Ginger Garlic Paste: You can use freshly grated ginger and garlic instead of ginger garlic paste.
Vegetables: Consider sneaking in vegetables like carrots, beans, cauliflower, potatoes, or squash for a nutritional boost.
Serving Suggestions
Matar paneer pulao goes well with onion raita or gravy such as plain salna.
It is a perfect dish to serve with curries such as green peas curry, mixed vegetable kurma with coconut milk, baby corn masala or paneer korma.
This is a great dish to pack in a lunch box along with zucchini corn fritters or vegetable pakoda.
Storage
Fridge: Paneer peas pulao stays fresh for 2-3 days in the fridge when stored properly in an airtight container. Transfer the leftover rice to an airtight container and then store it in the fridge.
Reheat: Place the rice in a heatproof micowave safe container and heat it in the microwave until it’s piping hot. Pause at intervals, remove the bowl from the microwave and stir the rice using a spoon for even heating.
Top tip
Wash Rice: Rinse and wash the rice under cold running water for at least 3-4 times until the water is clear.
Soak Rice: Soaking the rice for 15-20 minutes reduces the cooking time. However, if you soak it longer for over 30 minutes, reduce the liquid slightly to compensate, otherwise, the rice may become a little mushy.
Remove Whole Spices: While serving, try to remove the whole spices as they are used to impart a lovely flavour and aroma to the pulao rice. These spices taste quite strong and leave an unpleasant aftertaste.
Total Cooking Time: The pressure cooking time is not the whole cooking time. Before the timer starts to clock down, the instant pot takes some time to build up pressure. It calculates the time depending on the quantity inside the pot. The total time to prepare this pulao rice includes sauteing vegetables and spices, coming to pressure, countdown time, and natural pressure release.
Deglaze: To avoid getting a BURN message, make sure to deglaze the pot before covering it.
FAQ
Of course, if you have plenty of leftover rice, freeze it. Divide the rice into portions, transfer it into freezer-safe containers or resealable bags and store them in the freezer.
Thaw pulao the night before you want to serve it. Take a portion out of the freezer and put it in the fridge.
More Rice Recipes
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Matar Paneer Pulao
Equipment
- 1 Bowl
- 2 spoons
Ingredients
1 Cup = 250ml ; 1 Tablespoon = 15ml ; 1 Teaspoon = 5ml
For Spiced Paneer
- 250 gms Paneer cut into 1 x 1 inch cubes
- ⅕ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Garam Masala
- Salt as required
- 1 Teaspoon Oil
For Pulao
- 2 Tablespoons Oil
- 1 Bay Leaf
- ½ inch Cassia
- 5 Cloves
- 3 Green Cardamom
- 1 Star Anise
- small piece Black Stone Flower/Kalpasi
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 7-8 Cashews
- 1 medium Onion peeled and finely chopped
- 5 Green Chillies each slit into 2 pieces
- 1 Teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
- 1 Teaspoon Garam Masala
- Salt as required
- 3 sprigs Mint Leaves remove leaves from the stem, wash and chopped
- 10-12 sprigs Fresh Coriander Leaves washed and chopped
- 160 gms (or) 1 Cup Frozen Green Peas thawed
- 670 gms (or) 3 cups Extra Long Grain Basmati Rice
- 4.5 Cups Water
Instructions
- Place 2 cups basmati rice in a deep-bottomed bowl and wash it under cold tap water 2-3 times, or until the water becomes clear.670 gms (or) 3 cups Extra Long Grain Basmati Rice
- Add fresh water and soak the rice for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place chilli powder, turmeric, salt, garam masala in a bowl and mix well with a spoon.⅕ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder, 1 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder, ½ Teaspoon Garam Masala, Salt
- Now add paneer cubes and oil to the bowl and toss until they are coated with spice mixture.250 gms Paneer, 1 Teaspoon Oil
- Plug in an instant pot pressure cooker, turn the sauté mode ON and add oil.
- When the oil is hot, add the cumin, bay leaves, cassia, cloves, green cardamom, star anise, kalpasi and fry briefly until the spices become aromatic.2 Tablespoons Oil, 1 Bay Leaf, ½ inch Cassia, 5 Cloves, 3 Green Cardamom, 1 Star Anise, small piece Black Stone Flower/Kalpasi, 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- Now, add cashews and fry until they turn light brown.7-8 Cashews
- Next, stir in green chillies and then add onion and sauté until the onion turns translucent.1 medium Onion, 5 Green Chillies
- Now add the ginger garlic paste and sauté for a minute.1 Teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
- Stir in spice coated paneer and cook for a couple of minutes. Stir regularly to prevent the paneer and onion from sticking to the base of the pot.
- While the paneer is cooking, drain water from the soaked rice.
- Now add garam masala, salt, mint leaves, thawed green peas and fresh coriander leaves.1 Teaspoon Garam Masala, Salt, 3 sprigs Mint Leaves, 10-12 sprigs Fresh Coriander Leaves, 160 gms (or) 1 Cup Frozen Green Peas
- Stir well ensuring not to break paneer cubes.
- Now press the CANCEL button.
- Add the rice, water and gently stir. Check the taste and add more salt if necessary.4.5 Cups Water, 670 gms (or) 3 cups Extra Long Grain Basmati Rice
- Secure the pot with the lid and move the pressure valve to the SEALING position.
- Press the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL button and set the timer for 4 minutes.
- Initially, the instant pot shows ON and the timer begins when the pressure is built up.
- Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes after the timer goes off.
- After 10 minutes, move the pressure valve to VENT to release the pressure manually.
- Once the small knob beside the pressure valve goes down open the pot, give it a 5-minute wait, and then fluff the rice with a fork.
- Enjoy scrumptious one pot matar paneer pulao with cucumber raita, jeera aloo or any side dish of your choice.
Notes
Nutrition
Welcome to Flavours Treat. I share vegetarian recipes made with wholesome, mostly fresh ingredients. Every recipe has easy-to-follow instructions with process shots (detailed step-wise pictures), a short video and lots of tips to help your cooking journey. Read more
