The fastest and easiest way to cooking food is with a pressure cooker. You save on time, energy plus due to shorter cooking process, minerals and vitamins are retained. Have a busy schedule or caught up in a meeting, don’t know what to cook??? A quick and easy dish is the pea pulao cooked in a pressure cooker. No need of soaking the rice and within 30 minutes, you can enjoy steaming hot pulao. Add in some more vegetables like carrots, green beans and potatoes to make it more hearty. Key to cooking perfect pulao in a pressure cooker is accurate timing to prevent the rice from overcooking or undercooking.
Green peas are a powerhouse packed with vitamins, minerals and fibre. They are loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients. Also, regulate blood sugar, a good source of omega-3 fat in the form of alpha-linolenic acid making them heart healthy. So next time, don’t underestimate the small green pea.
Green peas are a powerhouse packed with vitamins, minerals and fibre. They are loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients. Also, regulate blood sugar, a good source of omega-3 fat in the form of alpha-linolenic acid making them heart healthy. So next time, don’t underestimate the small green pea.
Quick Pea Pulao In Pressure Cooker
(Serves 6)
Ingredients:
2 cups basmati rice
1 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
8 peppercorns
6 cloves
4 green cardamoms
3 cinnamon sticks (1.5”)
2 large garlic cloves (minced)
1" piece of ginger (grated)
2 vegetable bouillon cubes (10 g each)
3 1/2 cups water or vegetable stock
1 1/2 large onions (chopped, around 3 cups)
2 green chillies (sliced)
1 large tomato (chopped)
4 tablespoons canola oil
salt
Method:
Wash and drain rice.
Heat one cup water or stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes. Keep aside.
In a large wide bottomed pressure cooker, heat the oil and add onions along with peppercorns, cloves, cardamoms and cinnamon sticks. When onions are light brown, add the garlic and ginger. Fry for a while and then add the turmeric powder, green chillies and tomato. Once the tomato is soft and pulpy, add the rice and stir to coat every grain with oil.
Then add the above 1 cup of bouillon liquid along with the balance 2 1/2 cups water or stock, salt and green peas. Stir, close cooker, put the weight and cook on medium flame. After the first whistle, shut off the flame. Only one whistle and do not remove the weight or open cooker for 15 minutes. After the indicated time, remove weight, open the cooker and serve steaming hot pulao with papad and pickle.
Note:
(Serves 6)
Ingredients:
2 cups basmati rice
1 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
8 peppercorns
6 cloves
4 green cardamoms
3 cinnamon sticks (1.5”)
2 large garlic cloves (minced)
1" piece of ginger (grated)
2 vegetable bouillon cubes (10 g each)
3 1/2 cups water or vegetable stock
1 1/2 large onions (chopped, around 3 cups)
2 green chillies (sliced)
1 large tomato (chopped)
4 tablespoons canola oil
salt
Method:
Wash and drain rice.
Heat one cup water or stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes. Keep aside.
In a large wide bottomed pressure cooker, heat the oil and add onions along with peppercorns, cloves, cardamoms and cinnamon sticks. When onions are light brown, add the garlic and ginger. Fry for a while and then add the turmeric powder, green chillies and tomato. Once the tomato is soft and pulpy, add the rice and stir to coat every grain with oil.
Then add the above 1 cup of bouillon liquid along with the balance 2 1/2 cups water or stock, salt and green peas. Stir, close cooker, put the weight and cook on medium flame. After the first whistle, shut off the flame. Only one whistle and do not remove the weight or open cooker for 15 minutes. After the indicated time, remove weight, open the cooker and serve steaming hot pulao with papad and pickle.
Note:
- The rice to water ratio for every 1 cup of rice is 2 cups of water. I always add 1/2 cup less water or stock. Rice cooks perfectly with the moisture and steam in the cooker.
- India Gate classic basmati rice was used for making this pea pulao. The grains are quite long and fragrant.
- Always use a wide bottomed pressure cooker to cook pulao. This gives the rice grains enough room to spread and bloom. I cooked two cups rice in a 5 litre prestige pressure cooker.
- Instead of turmeric powder, you can add a pinch of saffron.
- To make cabbage pulao (pictures below), replace green peas with two cups of shredded cabbage.
