Matar paneer is a very classic combination and many delicious curries , snacks and rice preparations are made with this combination. I love making different variety of rice for lunch and to pack in lunch boxes. These type of rice preparations needs just some yogurt and salad to make a comforting meal.
Making this pulao is very easy and quick. You don’t need many ingredients so no need to chop the veggies. Do try to use good quality fresh paneer and fresh or good frozen peas for making this pulao. Some times frozen peas do have some strange smell so I always either blanch them in boiling water or wash with hot water.
Ingredients2 cup Rice / chawal
2 Green chilies / Hari Mirch
250 gms Cottage cheese / Paneer
2 cup Green Peas / Hari Matar
1.5 tbsp Ginger / Adrak sliced
1 tbsp Chili flakes / Kuti hui laal mirch
1 tomato chopped
to taste Salt / Namak
5 tbsp Clarified Butter / Desi Ghee to shallow fry
2 Black Cardamom / Badi Elaichi
5 Green Cardamom / Hari Elaichi
5 Cloves / Lavang
1/2 inch Cinnamon / daalchini
12 Whole pepper corn / Sabut Kali Mirch
2 Bayleaves / Tejpatta
1 tsp Cumin Seeds / Sabut Jeera
Method* Wash and soak rice for 15 minutes.
* Heat 5 tbsp ghee in a pan and shallow fry paneer cubes to a light golden colour
* Now add cumin seeds and all the whole spices in the ghee and let them splutter.
* Drain water from the soaked rice and then add in the pan.
* Saute rice for few minutes till it get cooked with ghee and get a nice glaze .
* Add slit green chilies and chopped ginger, salt ,chili flakes and stir to mix.
* Add the green peas, stir fried paneer and chopped tomato and 3.5 cups of water.
* When the water start boiling , cover the pan with a lid.
* Cook on low heat till done.stir in between 2-3 times so it will not stick to the bottom.
* Fluff the rice with a fork and serve hot with raita and salad.