Lima beans are commonly known as butter beans. It’s called so because it has a buttery texture when cooked.
It’s very rich in protein, dietary fibre, iron, calcium, magnesium ,B complex vitamin and folate.
It has the ability to stabilise blood sugar.

Two days back, I bought fresh butter beans. Fresh butter beans are seasonal.
I made a simple pulao with butter beans and green peas. The pulao came out very well. The buttery textured beans complimented the crisp peas and the rice very well 🙂

Ingredients

Butter beans – 1 cup
Green peas – 1 cup
Basmati rice – 1+1/4th cup
Butter – 1 tbsp
Bay leaf – 1
Cloves – 3-4
Cinnamon- 1 inch
Cardamom- 4
Cumin powder- 1 tsp
White pepper powder – 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

Butter beans

Method

Wash and soak the rice for 15-20 mins.

Boil the butter beans and peas in salted water till it’s just cooked ( 8-10 mins).
Drain and keep it aside.

Heat butter in a pan. Add bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom and sauté for few seconds. Drain and add the rice. Add cumin and pepper powder and mix well. Sauté for a min.

Add 2+1/2 cups of water and salt to taste. Mix gently. When the water starts simmering, reduce the flame and close the pan with a lid. Cook till the rice is 3/4th done. Now add the cooked beans and peas and mix gently. Close the pan again and Cook till rice becomes dry.

Serve the pulao hot with dal / vegetable gravy and raita 🙂