Paneer Pulao

This Paneer Pulao is a one-pot dish that is very easy to make and can be done in less than 30 minutes. You can replace the paneer with soya chunks. Also, we can also add other veggies like carrots, green peas, and potatoes. But for this recipe, I have kept it simple with just paneer as the main ingredient. 

Ingredients:

1. Jeeragasala rice or basmati rice - 2 cups
2. Paneer - 200 gms 
3. Onion - 1 medium 
4. Tomatoes - 2 medium 
5. Ginger - garlic paste - 1 tablespoon 
6. Mint leaves - 1 handful 
7. Cilantro - 1 handful 
8. Chili powder(Kashmiri) - 1-2 teaspoon 
9. Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon
10. Garam masala  - 1/4      teaspoon
11. Cardamom - 3 nos.
12. Cinnamon - 1 small stick
13. Cloves - 6 nos.
14. Bay leaves - 2
15. Salt to taste
16. Ghee - 1 tablespoon
17. Oil - 1 tablespoon

Method:

1. Wash and soak the rice for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil and ghee in a pressure cooker. 
3. Add cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and bay leaves and saute till it turns aromatic.
4. Add thinly sliced onions and saute till they turn translucent.
5. Add ginger-garlic paste and mint leaves. Saute till the raw smell of ginger garlic paste goes away.
6. Add chili powder and salt to taste. 
7. Drink 2 tomatoes and add the paste to it. Cook till the oil separates.
8. At this stage, add cubed paneer and drained rice and mix for a couple of minutes.
9. Add 3.5 cups of hot water to this and put the lid on.
10. Pressure cook for 1 whistle on medium flame.
11. Let the pressure subside manually and open the pressure cooker.
12. Serve this paneer pulao with cucumber-yogurt salad and pickle.

"Shhhhh Cooking  Secretly" is a monthly challenge in the Facebook group. At the beginning of the month, a theme is chosen by one of the participants and all the participants are grouped in pairs. The participants will exchange 2 secret ingredients with their partners who are supposed to prepare a dish that matches the theme of that month.

This month's theme was "Exotic Biriyani and Pulao" and it was chosen by Swaty Malik who blogs at Food Trails. She made a very exotic Jackfruit Biriyani for this theme. Also, I can't wait to try her Zafrani Pulao. My partner for Sep 2021 is Kalyani Sri. She gave me fennel seeds and onions as my secret ingredients. I gave her saffron and ghee and she made an Instant Pot vegetable biriyani. Do check her blog for a large collection of recipes. I cant wait to try her Avalakki Bisibelebhath.