Peas Pulao

These days the vegetable market is flooded with fresh, tender and very sweet green peas and priced very affordably. Green peas can be used in a variety of dishes like Aloo Mutter, Paneer Mutter & Peas Patties, Mushrooms and Peas. One can also make a yummy Peas Palau which can be had as a meal with just Raita, Papad, Pickle or accompanied by a gravy dish or Cuchumber Raita. Enjoy Peas this winter and try the Peas Palao when you want a quick and tasty meal accompaniment.
Ingredients:
• 1 cup Basmati Rice
• ½ cup shelled green peas
• 2 green chillies chopped
• ½” piece ginger chopped
• ½ tsp. cummin seeds
• ¼ tsp. turmeric powder
• ½ tsp. coriander powder
• 1 medium sized tomato chopped
• Salt to taste
• 2-3 tbsps. oil
• Few coriander leaves chopped (optional)
Procedure:
Wash and soak rice in a bowl of water for 15 – 20 minutes. In a thick-bottomed pan heat oil. Add ginger, green chillies and cummin seeds. When cumin seeds splutter, add curry leaves and peas and mix well. Now add all other dry spices and stir for a minute or too. Add chopped tomato, cover pan and reduce flame. After about 5 minutes mix well. Now add rice, salt, coriander leaves and 2¼ cups water. Cook on high flame with pan uncovered, till all the water dries up and you see holes in the rice. Reduce flame, cover pan with tight lid and cook on lowest flame for about 5minutes. Open lid, rice well, cover and cook for another 5 minutes till rice is done. It should be steaming, soft, yet not lumpy. Serve hot with pickle, raita and papad.