Green Peas Pilau

Green Peas Pilau with Spicy Garbanzo Curry

Pilau, Pulao, Pilaf....so many different terms to describe the same thing.  A Middle Eastern or an Indian rice dish cooked with spices and has added meat or vegetables. There are numerous types of pilaus out there - Beef Pilau, Chicken Pilau, Spiced Pilau, Vegetable Pilau and so on.

Green Peas Pilau is a specialty of my friend Amutha who wowed us two Fridays ago during our potluck lunch at my abode (See picture below). I was grateful for her Green Peas Pilau which served as a main dish. Otherwise, it would have been more of a potluck tea with so many other sides!! She makes a mean Lentil Fritters (Medhu Vadais)  too  accompanied by an equally unbelievable Coconut Tamarind Chutney. My other friends from Temasek Primary School in Singapore  (where my girls had their elementary education) would vouch for that. Right, ladies? :)

​Thanks for showing up my dear friends - each time we make an effort even with our super busy schedules, we all contribute to the growth and strength of our friendship. We have known each other for more than 6 years. Along the way, new friends have joined in, some have left and one has even moved to Sydney.  Nevertheless, may God bless the remaining us with an even closer friendship as we age and our kids leave our nest :) I am sure we'll need each other even more then.

Anyway, Amutha's Green Peas Pilau was quite delicious with the nuts, crunchy fried onions and the subtle flavour of coriander and mint leaves in the basmati grains. It married very well with the Spicy Garbanzo Curry I served during the lunch. Green Peas Pilau would go with many other types of curry too because of its mild delicious flavour. Here is her mouth watering recipe :

Ingredients (Serves 4)
1.5 cups Basmati Rice​​
4.5 cups of water
1  cup coriander leaves
1 cup mint leaves
1.5 cups grated coconut
5 green chillies​​​

2 tbsp. oil
1 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
1 tsp cumin seeds
1.5 tbsp. ginger garlic paste
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
10 pieces cashewnuts
10 pieces almonds
1 cup green peas
1/2  (half) cup of mixed coriander & mint leaves
​​​​​​​​​​​​​Salt to taste
2 tbsps. fried onions
Extra coriander and mint leaves for garnish.
​
Method
Blend 1 cup each of coriander and mint leaves with the green chillies and grated coconut. Pour in 4.5 cups of water to your blender and use this as a base for cooking your rice. Set aside.

In a medium sized pan, heat the oil and fry the dry spices - star anise, cinnamon stick, bay leaf​ ​and cumin seeds.
Then add in the ginger garlic paste followed by the sliced onions.
When a lovely aroma of fried onions, spices  and ginger garlic spreads in your kitchen, add the cashew nuts and almonds.

After a few minutes of stirring, add in the ​green peas and salt.
Toss in the 1/2 cup of mixed coriander and mint leaves in now and let it cook for a few minutes. Let the flavors blend together.

Then, add in the basmati rice followed by the 4.5 cups of blended mixture.
increase the heat to medium and let it come to a light boil in about 10 mins or so.
Transfer to your rice cooker and cook as you usually do.
​
Serve garnished with fried onions and more coriander or mint leaves.

Thanks for sharing your recipe with us dear Amutha :)​ ​​​​​​ ​

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From left : Ena (seated), Amutha, Me, Teresa, Jenny and Angie. Rose showed up later.