Rice with peas and carrots

Name: Rice with peas and carrots
Total time: 1 h
Yield: The quantity is enough for 5 people.
Cuisine: Syrian
Ingredients: Ingredients:; 450g frozen or fresh peas (I prefer frozen); 0.5kg minced meat (or you can use vegetarian ghee with 3 tablespoons or half a cup of Mazola oil if you prefer); 4 cups rice (approximately 1kg); 2 medium carrots (approximately 200g); 4 cups boiling water; 3 medium onions (approximately 400g); 1 teaspoon black pepper; 1 tablespoon salt

A vibrant rice pilaf cooked with sweet green peas, diced carrots, and tender meat cubes. A nutritious family classic traditionally served with yogurt.

⏲️ Time: 1 hour

🍽️ Servings: The quantity is enough for 5 people.

📂 Category: Vegetable Dishes

📱 Open in ASK App Get the full experience — offline timer, voice mode & more

🥄 Ingredients

Ingredients:
450g frozen or fresh peas (I prefer frozen)
0.5kg minced meat (or you can use vegetarian ghee with 3 tablespoons or half a cup of Mazola oil if you prefer)
4 cups rice (approximately 1kg)
2 medium carrots (approximately 200g)
4 cups boiling water
3 medium onions (approximately 400g)
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon salt

👩‍🍳 Instructions

Wash and soak the rice, whether it's short-grain Egyptian or basmati, and leave it aside for at least an 1 hour.
Peel and finely chop the onion. Add it to the meat, ghee, or oil, depending on the type of cooking you're using. Let the onion cook until it's tender and turns golden brown in the oil or ghee.
If the peas and carrots are frozen, place them in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Leave them to thaw until ready to use (remove them from the freezer 1.5 hour beforehand). Do not thaw the peas and carrots without boiling water; this will cause them to lose all their flavor and nutritional value.
Once the meat is cooked or the onions are browned, add the peas and carrots to the mixture, stir, sprinkle with black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 cup of boiling water. Cover and let it cook for 15 minutes. Now, prepare 3 cups of boiling water. Place the rice on top of the mixture and pour the water over it. Stir until well combined. Add 1 tablespoon of salt (or to taste), cover, and bring to a boil. When the water level drops slightly below the top of the rice, reduce the heat to medium for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting and let it cook for another 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it sit, covered, for another 10 minutes.
After that, turn the dish out onto a serving platter and fluff it up with a fork so the rice doesn't stick together and looks appetizing. After this, you can return it to the pot and cover it if it's not ready to eat.

✨ Chef's Secret

I always recommend that in dishes containing rice and vegetables, whether it's Maqluba, rice with beans, or rice with peas, the rice should be boiled separately in a pot with salt and a little oil or ghee. When it's almost cooked, drain the water, leaving it slightly moist, and then mix it with the meat or onions, depending on the dish. This way, the rice stays fluffy and looks better than when cooked with all the vegetables. However, be careful with this method. When you add the rice, the heat should be high for only two minutes, then reduce it to the lowest setting for five minutes. Turn off the heat and let it sit for ten minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Now, transfer the rice to a serving dish as I explained.

🌹 Decoration

Sprinkle black pepper on top and garnish with green peppers and tomatoes. Serve this dish with a side of cucumber and yogurt, ayran, or plain yogurt.

📱 Open in ASK App