This Paneer Matar Pulao is a delicious rice dish made with basmati rice, paneer, green peas, fresh herbs, and a blend of Indian spices, all cooked effortlessly in an Instant Pot Pressure Cooker.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 5 minutes
  • Cook time: 20 minutes
  • Total time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 3
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

For Marinating Paneer

  • 1 cup paneer (cut into 1-inch cubes)
  • 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
  • salt (to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
  • 1 teaspoon oil

For Pulao

  • 1 cup basmati rice
  • 2 tablespoons ghee
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 green chilies
  • 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
  • 1/2 cup green peas
  • 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
  • 2 tablespoons coriander leaves (chopped)
  • 2 tablespoons mint leaves (chopped)
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • salt (to taste)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Whole Spices

  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 inch cinnamon
  • 3 cardamom
  • 4 cloves
  • 1 star anise
  • 1 mace
  • 1/2 teaspoon jeera

Method

  1. Cut the paneer into 1-inch cubes. Add some red chili powder, salt, ginger-garlic paste and oil. Mix everything well. Marinate for 15 minutes. Note: Spicing up the paneer enhances the taste, however, you can skip and just fry the plain paneer in oil and add it to the fried rice.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Once the oil is hot, add marinated paneer cubes. Saute for 4-5 minutes until paneer turns golden brown on all sides. Remove them from the pan and keep aside. You can also roast the paneer in the Air Fryer.
  3. Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Heat ghee (or oil), and add in the whole spices like cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, star anise, and mace. Saute for a few seconds or till aromatic.
  4. Next, add onion, and green chilies. Saute till the onions are soft and light brown.
  5. Then add ginger garlic paste and saute for a few seconds.
  6. Next, add in the green peas, and garam masala and saute for a minute.
  7. Then mint and coriander leaves, and cook for a minute until the leaves wilt.
  8. Next add rinsed basmati rice, water, and salt. Mix everything well.
  9. Close the lid securely, and turn the vent to " SEALING ". Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL (High Pressure) setting and set the cooking time to 5 minutes. When the instant pot beeps, do a quick pressure release before removing the lid.
  10. Add some lemon juice, and sauteed paneer, and mix gently with a ladle.
  11. Instant Pot Peas pulao or Matar pulao ki recipe is ready, serve with yogurt, raita, or any curry.

Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method

  1. Follow the same steps as Instant Pot and Pressure cook the paneer pulao for 2 whistles on a medium-high flame and turn off the flame. Allow the pressure to release naturally.

Stovetop Pan Method

  1. For preparing this dish in a stovetop pan. Follow the same steps, close the lid, and cook on low flame until all liquid is absorbed and the rice is fluffy. Note: Use 2 cups of water for 1 cup of rice for the stovetop method.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.