Matar paneer pulao is a easy to make main course dish prepared with flavored rice, green peas, cottage cheese and other ingredients using pressure cooker. This type of pulao can be made with any other variety of rice. If brown cardamom is not available, one can use green cardamom in place of brown cardamom. (Instead of 1 brown cardamom you can use 3 green cardamoms) Any other vegetables like beans, carrots, corn can be used in this dish.
Ingredients
1 cup basmati rice
2 cups paneer cubes
1 cup green peas
1 large sized onion, chopped
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp turmeic powder
4 garlic flakes, crushed
½” ginger piece, crushed
1 tsp garam masala / goda masala
few coriander leaves, chopped
few lemon pieces
2 tbsp ghee (adjust accordingly)
salt to taste
For the Marinade :
½ cup curd
½ tsp salt
½ tsp chilli powder
Whole Spices for Tempering
7 cloves / lavang
4 cinnamon sticks / dalchini
2 bay leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds / jeera
2 brown cardamoms / 6 green cardamoms ( slit from one side)
Method
- Whole spices for tempering / TadkaWash and drain the rice and keep it aside for 10 minutes.Heat some amount of oil in a frying pan over a medium high flame and stir fry the paneer cubes for 5 minutes. Remove and keep it aside.
- Mix together the curd, chilli powder and salt in a large bowl and beat it lightly till smooth paste.
- Marinate the stir fried paneer cubes and keep them aside for 10 minutes.Heat ghee in a frying pan over a medium high flame and add the whole spices for tempering except cardamom.
- When they crackle nicely, add onions, ginger and garlic. Fry till the raw smell of the ginger and garlic disappears and onions become soft.
- Once the onions become soft, add the red chilli powder, turmeric powder and garam / goda masala and cardamoms. Saute for a while. Now add the rice and saute for a minute.
- Add green peas and saute for a minute. Add marinated paneer cubes. Saute for a minute and mix well.
- Transfer this rice mixture to a pressure cooker, pour 2 cups of hot water over it, add coriander leaves and salt. Mix well. Cover the cooker with a lid, place it over a medium high flame, take 2 whistles and switch off the flame.
- When the pressure goes, remove the lid, fluff the rice with a fork. Serve hot with lemon and any tasty side dish such as subzi, salad, raita, pickle, papad, bhajji, curd etc.While eating, squeeze the lemon juice over the pulao, mix it using the spoon and enjoy it.
ishma siddiqi 