Paneer Biryani - Pulav Style!

Paneer Biryani - Pulav Style, simple and quick!

Today was rainy and dull, wanted something quick to boost my sleepy spirits! Here goes, Paneer Pulav, such a simple recipe and perfect every time. I had added a carrot and a handful of peas, which you can keep or skip when you make. You could adapt the same recipe with other vegetables, baby mushroom (you can add it whole - no chopping) or Chicken.

I used no tomatoes in this recipe. If you have a pack of fried onions, you could skip it as well. Kids loved the carrots and called it carrot coins :)

Here goes, do try and let me know!

Ingredients:

Paneer - 250gms (cubed to bite size)
Onion - 2 small chopped
Carrot - 1 sliced as rings
Peas - handful
Curd - 2 Tbsp
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Tandoori masala - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Chilli Powder - to taste
salt to taste
Oil - 2 Tbsp
whole spices (Bay leaf, cinnamon stick, sombhu, cardamom, cloves)
Basmati rice - 2 cups
Water - 4 cups

Method:

1. Soak Basmati rice in water
2. In a bowl add curd, turmeric powder, tandoori masala, garam masala, chilli powder, salt and beat to mix
3. Mix in the paneer, the curd mix, the chopped carrots and peas
4. In a cooker/rice cooker/pan add the oil, add chopped onions and fry till brown.
5. Remove onions in a plate.  
6. Add the whole spices and let the spices release the fragrance in the same oil
7. Add the paneer/veg mix in the oil, let it cook for a minute. 
8. Add soaked rice, and water.
9. Adjust salt to taste and lemon juice
10. Finally add the fried onions and let it cook for 20 minutes in low flame. 

My notes!

If you are in short of time, you could do it in pressure cooker and cook to one whistle (Just add 3 and a half cups of water for 2 cups basmati rice)

If you have more time, cook till step 7, and layer it with cooked Basmati rice. I add 5 cups of water if I am cooking the rice separately and would drain excess water in a sieve. It might take about 10 minutes more than this recipe, considering the cooking time of rice. 

Potato and peas masala

Peas and potato masala is one of my family's favorite recipe. It goes well with almost any dish. Be it calorie conscious chapathis or flavor rich pulav. Even with plain sambhar or curd rice this dish tastes divine! 

Now being season for fresh green peas it can easily make your day..

Do try out!

Ingredients:

Potato or baby potato - 250gms 

Onion - 1 big chopped

Tomatoes - 1 big chopped

Green chilli - 2 or 3 slit 

Chilli powder - 1tsp

Turmeric - 1tsp

Coriander powder - 1tsp

Salt to taste

Oil - 1tbsp

Mustard -1tsp

Jeera- 1tsp

Curry leaves few

Coriander leaves to garnish

How to proceed:

Boil potatoes and peel them. We can add baby potatoes as whole and big ones can be mashed up lightly to make small pieces.

In a wide pan or kadai add cooking oil and temper mustard and jeera and add few curry leaves

Saute onion and green chillies until glassy onion is glassy

 Add tomato and green peas and cook until tomatoes get soft

Now add all powders, viz chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt

when raw smell of chilli powder changes add boiled and peeled potatoes

Mix well and let it cook for few min

Garnish with coriander leaves

Notes:

A little amchur or chat powder can be added for extra zing

When fresh peas are not available soaked up dry peas can be used.

Happy cooking and eating!