Matar (peas) Pulao is typically made with white basmati rice and almost never with brown rice. I can see why that’s the case – white basmati rice has a fragrance of its own, not to mention a delicate, fluffy texture. Typically, most North Indian flavored rice recipes use white basmati rice. My goal here was to substitute with brown rice as its far healthier, although it is trickier to cook and does not have the fragrance.
Whole Spices
Interestingly, this dish is entirely flavored by whole spices like saffron, bay leaf, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon. It is mildly spiced, since there are no hot peppers of any kind, added to the dish. In fact, this is what made me want to try brown rice, since whole spices add enough flavor.
Whole Spices (Bay leaf, Saffron, Black Cumin, Cinnamon, Cloves, Cardamom)
How To Cook Amazing Brown Rice in Instant Pot (IP)
Yes, that’s correct. You can cook great brown rice in your IP (or in a regular pressure cooker). Getting the water-to-rice ratio and cook time correct, needs a bit of adjustment. I typically use a pot-in-pot method, as it is easier to clean and to handle. The trick with brown rice is to wash and soak it for at least an hour before cooking. This helps soften the outer layer of the grains, so they cook faster and better. I use the 35 minutes ‘pressure cook’ option on the IP. If you don’t have this on your IP, simply set it to 35 minutes on manual mode and allow for natural pressure release.
Pot-In-Pot Method
Brown Rice Matar (Peas) Pulao
Generally, peas pulao made with basmati rice is cooked in one go, in a rice cooker or a pressure cooker. Since I cooked with brown rice, I had to soak and cook the rice first and let it cool down. I cooked spices, onions, and peas in a large pan on a stove top, so I had enough room to mix the cooked rice and spices well. All in all, I consider this a simple dish, flavorful and wholesome. It is great with dishes like Chana Masala, Dal Makhni, Palak Tofu or Rajma Masala.
The hull and bran in brown rice provide “natural wholeness” to the grain and are rich in proteins, thiamine, calcium, magnesium, fiber, and potassium. The combination of vegetables used here also brings in a wealth of nutrients.
Try our other healthy and delicious brown rice/quinoa recipes:
- Brown Jeera Rice
- Jeera Quinoa
- Savory Brown Rice Pongal
- Brown Rice Khichdi
- Mexican Rice
- Quinoa Vegetable Pulao
- Egg Tomato Spicy Rice
- Brown Rice Vegetable Pulao
- Summer Quinoa Salad
- Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash
- Soft Kefir-Quinoa-Rawa Idli
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Brown Rice Matar (Peas) Pulao
Ingredients
- 2/3 Cup Brown Rice - Organic
- 1/2 Cup Green Peas - Fresh or frozen
- 1/2 Cup Onion - Sliced thin
- 1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt - Or to taste
- 1 Teaspoon Olive Oil
- 1.5 Cups Filtered water
Whole Spices
- 1 Inch Cinnamon - Bark
- 1 Pinch Saffron - Strands
- 2 Cloves - Whole
- 2 Pods Cardamom - Green, Whole
- 1/2 Teaspoon Black Cumin
Instructions
- Wash and soak brown rice in a bowl for 1 hour. Drain water.
- Add filtered water, salt, olive oil and saffron strands to the rice. Add 3/4th cup water to Instant Pot (IP), set the rice bowl in IP. Close lid and set on pressure cook mode for 35 minutes. Allow for natural pressure release. Transfer cooked rice to a plate, fluff it with a fork and allow it to cool.
- Meanwhile, add oil to a pan on stove top, set to medium heat. Once oil is hot, add whole spices (bay leaf, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, and black cumin) and sauté for a minute. Add onion and cook till slightly brown.
- Add green peas, mix well, and cook for a minute.
- Add cooked brown rice and mix well. Ensure there are no lumps.
- Serve hot with your favorite curry and salad.
