Basella (Braised Pea Stew over Rice)
Last Updated on March 12, 2023 by Jacqueline Rafidi
As I’ve mentioned many times throughout my blog and my YouTube channel, my family has never been huge on meat, especially red meat. In fact, it wasn’t until my late teens or early twenties that I learned basella (meaning “peas” in Arabic) is typically served with meat! You can absolutely add carrots or potatoes to it to give it more substance as a vegetarian/vegan version or customize it for the lahme (“meat”) lovers, but I love the simplicity of it as is! This is best served over Ruz W Sharieh (Vermicelli Rice Pilaf) which I have a blog post and YouTube video for. My best friend is Filipino but we always joke that she is 50% Palestinian because she loves our food and this is one of her favorite dishes – she even makes it herself! This is one of the easiest and most comforting pantry/freezer based meals I hope you give this dish a try and don’t forget to share with me on Instagram when you do! Enjoy!
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups frozen peas
1 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon corriander
¼ cup tomato paste OR 8 oz can tomato sauce (not marinara)
2 cups water
Salt & Pepper to taste
Optional: Carrots or Potatoes
Directions:
In a medium sauce pan, heat the olive oil. Add in the onions and cook till translucent, add in the garlic and the peas and stir, breaking apart any chunks of frozen peas. Add in the spices and cook for 30 seconds. Add in the tomato paste or sauce and stir to deglaze the pot from the spices. Add the water (if using tomato sauce, you only need 1 ½ of the 2 cups). Stir to combine.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower and let simmer for 25-30 minutes with the lid halfway on. At this point, make your rice – I have a vermicelli pilaf (Ruz w Sha3rieh) on my YouTube channel and blog. Once finished, the sauce will be darker in color and slightly thicker. Serve over rice and enjoy!
Basella (Braised Pea Stew over Rice)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 cups frozen peas
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon corriander
- ¼ cup tomato paste OR 8 oz can tomato sauce not marinara
- 2 cups water
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Optional:
- Carrots or Potatoes
Instructions
- In a medium sauce pan, heat the olive oil. Add in the onions and cook till translucent, add in the garlic and the peas and stir, breaking apart any chunks of frozen peas. Add in the spices and cook for 30 seconds. Add in the tomato paste or sauce and stir to deglaze the pot from the spices. Add the water (if using tomato sauce, you only need 1 ½ of the 2 cups). Stir to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower and let simmer for 25-30 minutes with the lid halfway on. At this point, make your rice – I have a vermicelli pilaf (Ruz w Sha3rieh) on my YouTube channel and blog. Once finished, the sauce will be darker in color and slightly thicker. Serve over rice and enjoy!
