Basmati rice with peas is a delicious side dish that pairs well with many meals. Made in a single pan over the stovetop in less than 20 minutes.
For the longest time, a few years in fact, I mostly made plain rice with no extra flavor as a side for our meals.
One day, my husband said, “I don’t like basmati rice.” After chatting, I realized it wasn’t the grain he disliked but the lack of flavor. I had been keeping rice plain to make it as low-fat as possible, but it was time to bring the flavor back, something I’m actually great at.
So I started getting creative with rice again. My family and I love rice and eat it almost daily. Sometimes I’ll make fragrant turmeric basmati rice or long bean rice as a simple side. On busy weeknights when I’m short on time, I throw together an oil-free veggie fried rice that’s ready in a jiffy.
This version is inspired by my local Indian restaurant: fluffy, flavorful, and the perfect side. We enjoy it with curries like my easy black bean curry, dal made with yellow split peas, or chickpea peanut butter curry.
After serving this rice, the feedback changed to, “That rice is amazing.” I couldn’t help but smirk and think, “Yep, it’s basmati rice, and I won!”
Ingredients
The complete list of ingredients with measurements, can be found in the full recipe card below.
The ingredients are fairly simple and vegan friendly, I've used vegetable ghee for tempering the fennel seeds, you can use oil instead if your prefer.
This will help to release the flavor from the seeds into the white basmati rice which is stirred through along with frozen peas and salt. I also make sayadieh without fish using this rice.
Janelle’s Tips
I've made basmati rice with peas and used different seeds similar in shape to fennel seeds, such as cumin or caraway. All variations are delicious, but I tend to favor the fennel seeds.
Did you make this? I'd love to know! Leave me a comment below with a ★★★★★ star rating or tag @plantbasedfolk on social media.
Recipe
Basmati Rice with Peas
Ingredients
- 1½ cups White basmati rice
- 2 tablespoons Vegetable ghee or oil
- 2 teaspoons Fennel seeds see above article for other seeds I've used
- 1½ teaspoons Salt or to taste
- 1½ cups Frozen peas
- 2¼ cups Water
Instructions
- In a bowl, wash the white basmati rice thoroughly until the water runs mostly clear. Drain the rice using a sieve and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the vegetable ghee. Add the fennel seeds and sauté until a few seeds darken slightly.
- Immediately add the drained rice, frozen peas, and salt. Stir well to ensure every grain is coated with ghee.
- Add water and stir again to make sure the rice is fully submerged. Cover the saucepan and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, stir once more, reduce the heat to low-medium, and let it simmer for 10 minutes or until the water is fully absorbed.
- Turn off the heat and leave the lid on for an additional 5 minutes to allow the rice to steam. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve hot.
Video
Nutrition
N.B., nutrition info is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. This will vary based on the specific ingredients you use.
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