Soya Chunks Biryani Recipe | Soya Chunks Recipes

I love Pulaos and Biryanis for the fact that they are one pot meal and can be prepared quickly,while few Biryani recipes are bit complicated and time consuming. I reserve the Dum Biryanis for occasions and always adopt a simple one pot pressure cooker method for daily basis. These kind of one pot dishes are ideal for lunch box or for a week end lunch.

 I usually add soya chunks even to my vegetable pulaos but in moderate amounts. Soya chunks is also known as 'Nutrela' or 'Meal Maker'.Soya chunks has meaty texture and is a very good source of proteins for vegetarians, hence I include it in many of the gravies and pulaos on daily basis. As Soya chunks are bland in taste you need to spice it up a bit but they observe the flavours beautifully and make the dish delicious. We get soya chunks in two sizes and I prefer to use the mini soya chunks over the bigger ones. I follow more or less a similar recipe for most of my one pot biryanis and love the flavourful outcome all the time. Pair it with Onion-Tomato raita and papad and enjoy the delicious meal with your family.

Check out similar biryani/pulao recipes here  - Veg Dum Biryani, Babycorn Pulao, Mint Pulav /Pudina Rice, Mixed Vegetable Pulav, Baby Potato Biriyani and Capsicum-Potato Pulav.

Soya Chunks Biryani Recipe:

Serves 2

Prep time: 10 mins | Cooking time: 20 mins | Total time: 30 mins

Cuisine: Indian | Category: Pulao/Biryani - Main Course

Ingredients:

1 heaped cup Basmati rice

3/4 cup mini Soya Chunks

1/3 cup fresh/frozen Green peas

2 cups Coconut Milk(medium consistency,see notes)

1 large Onion,finely sliced

1 tsp Biryani Masala or 1/4 tsp Garam masala

1/2 tsp Red chili powder

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

few mint leaves

1 Bayleaf

1/2" Cinnamon

2 Cloves

1 Cardamom, slightly crushed

1 tsp Shahjeera(black Cumin seeds)

Salt to taste

2 tbsp Oil

1 tbsp Ghee

to grind:

1 Tomato,chopped

2 Green chillies

1/4 cup Mint leaves

1/8 cup Coriander leaves

4-5 Garlic pods

3/4" Ginger,chopped

1/2" Cinnamon

2 Cloves

1 tsp Fennel seeds(saunf)

Method:

• Grind all the ingredients mentioned under 'to grind' to a smooth paste and keep it aside. 

• Wash and soak basmati rice in water for 10 mins.
• Boil 2-3 cups of water in a vessel and add soya chunks and boil for 2-3 minutes or immerse in hot water for 7-8 mins.Drain them and drop them again in cold water and squeeze them and repeat the cold bath once again and squeeze them and keep aside.This process ensures to remove the raw smell from soya chunks. 

• Heat oil and ghee in a cooker and add bayleaf followed by shahjeera, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon and fry for half a minute. 

• Add sliced onions and fry well until they turn pink color.
• Add green peas and boiled and squeezed soya chunks and fry well for a minute. 

• Now add ground masala and fry well for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
• Now add turmeric powder, red chili powder or Garam masala(or biryani masala) and fry for a minute again.

• Add soaked and drained basmati rice and fry for a minute until the moisture in the rice dries.Do not roast for long as the rice would break.

• Add coconut milk to it, mint leaves and salt and bring it to a boil and cover it and pressure cook for 1 whistle and simmer it for 7-8 mins.Switch it off and let the pressure drops on its own.Fluff up the rice with a fork.

Serve it hot with Tomato-Onion raita and papad.

Notes:

• If you use tinned Coconut milk which is of thick consistency you can dilute 1 cup of coconut milk with 1 cup of water to get 2 cups of thin coconut milk.You can even mix coconut milk powder in hot water to get the desired consistency as mentioned on the pack.
• You can use water instead of coconut milk in the recipe. In that case I recommend you to add 2 tbsp beaten curd before adding water and fry slightly.
• Along with soya chunks,you can add vegetables like carrots, beans, potatoes, cauliflower, capsicum and reduce the quantity of soya chunks in the recipe.

Technorati Tags: soya chunks biryani recipe, how to make soya chunks biryani, meal maker recipes, soya chunks recipes, easy biryani recipes, one pot biryanis, lunch box recipes, pulao varieties, soya chunks pulao, nutrela pulao recipe

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Arbi Roast | Chamadumpa Vepudu

According to me, Arbi(Taro root) is one of the most tastiest vegetables and I prepare it almost every weekend as TH is also very fond of it. I make mostly dry preparations like arbi fry,arbi roast to pair with rice or as marinated dahi arbi roast or arbi ajwaini which pairs nicely with rotis.Arbi fry tastes best when it is deep fried and as I do not use much oil in my cooking I prefer to do it in my oven which not only saves my time but also consumes very less oil. I use my oven often in my cooking and it helps in preparing most of the vegetable fries - potatoes, ladies finger, raw banana, yam with very less oil.

Check out other fry recipes in my blog.

• Akakarakaya Vepudu | Kantola(Indian Teasel Gourd) Fry
• Alu Fry | Potato Fry
• Bendakaya(Ladies-finger) Fry 
• Dondakaya(Tindora) Stir fry
• Spicy Potato Roast | Crispy Alu Fry 
• Yam(Kandagadda) fry

Arbi(Taro root) Roast | Chamadumpa Vepudu:

Serves 2

Prep time: 10 mins | Cooking time: 30 mins | Total time: 1hr(with cooling time)

Cuisine: South Indian | Category: Stir fry|Curry

Ingredients:

250 gms Arbi(Taro root)

1 tbsp Rice flour

1 tsp Red chili powder

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Amchur powder(optional)

Salt to taste

1 tbsp Oil

to temper:

1 tsp Urad dal

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

2 Red chillies,broken 

a sprig of Curry leaves

1 tbsp Oil

Method:

• Soak arbi in water for some time and rub it nicely to remove extra dirt and wash it  properly in few changes of water.Pressure cook arbi with enough water for 1 whistle.Let them cool completely.Peel the skin and chop them into big chunks.
• In a bowl add chopped taro root(arbi) and sprinkle rice flour, red chili powder, turmeric powder, amchur powder, salt and oil to it and gently mix so that the spice mix coats all the pieces nicely.You can add more rice flour if you need and also adjust the seasonings according to your wish.
• Now follow any of these 3 methods which I mentioned below.I followed the oven method which is healthy and less calorie version and also yields very crispy fry.

method1:

• Line the baking tray with silver foil and arrange these slices in a single layer and sprinkle some oil over it and bake in oven at 160 deg for 20-25 mins.Keep an eye after 20 mins so that they will not get burnt.If the edges are crispy and changes its color means its done.Do not over bake them,they will become tough.

method2:

• Deep fry them in oil until golden brown and crisp.

method3:

• In a wide non-stick kadai heat 2 tbsp oil and arrange the taro root pieces in a single layer and let them fry for 12-15 mins until crisp.Give a stir in between so that they don't get burnt.
• Heat the kadai and add 1 tbsp oil and heat it.
• Add mustard seeds and let them crackle and then add urad dal,red chillies and curry leaves to it.
• Add fried taro root chunks (prepared by following any of the three methods mentioned above) and fry them on medium-high flame for 2-3 mins.

Serve them hot with rice or as a side dish for sambar/rasam with rice.

Notes:

1. These kind of roasts/fry will loose their crispiness after a while,so its better to serve immediately.
2. In case you want to serve later you can roast them again in the same pan for 4-5 mins on medium flame to get the crispiness back at the time of serving.
3. You can follow the same process for potatoes,baby potatoes and Raw Bananas.
4. You can replace rice flour with besan(chickpea flour).
5. You can add sambar powder along with red chili powder in the recipe.
6. Do not cook for long as the taro root will get mushy.

Technorati Tags: arbi roast, taro root fry, how to make arbi roast, arbi recipes, arvi recipes, arbi sabzi, side dish for rice, crispy arbi roast, chamagadda fry, chamadumpa fry

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Pacchi Pulusu | Raw Tamarind Rasam | Easy Rasam Varieties

'Pacchi Pulusu' in Telugu literally translates to 'Raw Stew'. We even call it as 'Pacchi Chaaru' or 'Pacchaaru'. It is a raw tamarind stew where the tangy taste of tamarind is balanced with spicy one  from green chillies and sweetish tinge from jaggery. Finely chopped raw onions are added to it for extra crunch.This is the the usual method of preparing pacchi pulusu,but at my MIL's place they add roasted urad dal powder to it and it is called 'Minapa pindi Pachi Pulusu ' (Urad dal powder tamarind stew).The addition of urad dal powder not only adds thickness but also helps balances the taste of Pacchi Pulusu. It is though optional to add the tempering to the rasam.This is an ideal preparation if you are craving for something tangy to tickle your taste buds.You can check out another version of pacchi pulusu called 'Aratikaya(Raw Banana) Pacchi Pulusu' in my blog.

Pacchi Pulusu | Pacchi Chaaru | Raw Tamarind Rasam Recipe:
(serves 2)

Ingredients:
1 big lemon sized Tamarind
2-3 tbsp grated Jaggery
2 tbsp roasted Urad dal powder*(optional,see notes)
2-3 Green chillies
1 Onion,finely chopped
Salt to taste

to temper(optional):
1 tsp Oil/Ghee
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
a sprig of Curry leaves

Method:

• Soak tamarind in water for 10-15 mins and extract the pulp and dilute the tamarind pulp with approx 1- 1 1/4 cups of water.
• Add grated jaggery,urad dal powder(if using) and salt to it and mix and make sure that no lumps are formed.
• Traditionally green chillies are squeezed directly with hand in the above mixture.This process might create some burning sensation in your palms,hence I usually use my mortar and pestle to crush the slit chillies a bit and add to the rasam.You do not need to grind the chillies to a paste,just crush it roughly and add.
• Now mix everything well and taste the rasam at this point.Adjust the consistency of rasam and also the sweet,spicyness,tangyness and salt in it.The taste depends on individual taste buds and hence adjust it according to your taste buds.
• Add finely chopped onion to it and mix well.The more the onions the better the taste is.
• This step of tempering is optional but I do it sometimes.Heat oil/ghee in a small tempering pan and crackle mustard seeds and add curry leaves and fry them and add them to the rasam.
• Let it stand for half an hour for the flavors blend well.If you wish you can serve immediately.

Serve it with hot rice and papad/fryums.This rasam would be at room temperature as we do not heat it.

*making urad dal flour:

• Dry roast whole urad with skin(or white urad dal) over medium flame until you get nice aroma and well roasted ,it takes around 4-5 mins and let it cool and then powder them into a smooth powder.
• This can be refrigerated 3-4 months and can be used to prepare Andhra famous sweet called  'Sunnunda' and this 'Pacchi pulusu'.

Notes:

1. Usually in regular 'Pacchi Pulusu' we do  not add roasted urad dal powder.If I have the roasted urad dal powder in hand I usually add it otherwise it is optional.It adds the thickness as well as the taste to Pachhi Pulusu.
2. I have mentioned in the method about how to crush green chillies.So do not attempt doing it using your hands unless you are used to it.
3. This recipe depends on your taste buds and there are no actual measurements to make this rasam.You need the adjust the consistency,spicyness,tangyness,sweetness and salt according to your wish.

You can check out another version of pacchi pulusu called 'Aratikaya(Raw Banana) Pacchi Pulusu' in my blog here.

Technorati Tags: pacchi pulusu recipe, raw taamrind rasam, tamarind stew, minappindi pacchi pulusu, raw tamarind and onion stew, rasam varieties, chaaru recipes, side dish for rice, south indian rasam recipes

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Vegetable Idli Recipe | Idli Varieties | Breakfast Recipes

I always look for interesting Breakfast options as that is my favorite meal of the day.I cannot stick to the same dish every time as I get bored of it.I like to eat Idli but I do not prefer to eat it in the same form in a row for breakfast.I always try to prepare various options with it and make it more interesting.If you are someone like me, try this Vegetable Idli for a change instead of regular idli.It is a great way to sneak vegetables for your kids.

Also check out other interesting Idli varieties:

• Kanchipuram(Kanchi) Idli | Spicy Idli 
• Khara Idli / Onion Masala Idli
• Idli Upma - using left over Idlis  
• Masala Idli Fries
• Tri Color Cocktail Idlis

Vegetable Idli Recipe:

yields: 12 idlis

Prep time: 10 mins | Cooking time: 20 mins | Total time: 30 mins + cooling time

Cuisine: South Indian | Category : Breakfast

Ingredients:

3 cups Idli batter

12-15 Cashew nuts,split into two halves

1/4 tsp cooking soda

1 tbsp Ghee

for vegetable mixture:

1 medium Carrot,finely chopped

1/4 cup Cabbage,finely chopped

10-12 French Beans,finely chopped

1 small Capsicum,finely chopped

1/4 cup fresh/frozen Green Peas

2 tbsp grated fresh Coconut

1 medium Onion,finely chopped
2-3 tbsp chopped Coriander

a sprig of Curry leaves,chopped

2 tsp Green chilli paste
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp Oil

Salt to taste

Method:

to prepare Vegetable mixture:

• Heat ghee in a kadai and add halved cashew nuts and fry them until light golden in color.Remove and keep them aside.
• Heat oil in a kadai and crackle mustard seeds and add finely chopped onions,curry leaves and saute until it is slight pink in color.Add green chilli paste to it and fry well.
• Add chopped carrots,beans and green peas and fry well for 4-5 mins until they are slightly cooked.
• Add chopped cabbage and capsicum and fry for another 2-3 mins.You don't need to make the vegatables really soft,if they are slightly crunchy its fine as we steam the batter they will get cooked nicely.
• Add enough salt and mix well.
• Switch off the flame and let the mixture cool a bit.
• Add coriander,grated coconut to it and mix well. 

to prepare Vegetable Idli:

• Add fried vegetable mixture to the batter and mix well.
  Add cooking soda to a ladle and mix it with a tsp of water and add this to the batter and mix it well,the batter becomes bit light.
  Grease the idli plates with oil and place roasted cashew nuts and pour a ladle of idli batter until each impression is filled 3/4th.
  Steam it in idli steamer or pressure cooker(with out whistle) for 10-12 mins.Let it rest for another 5 mins.
  With a idli spoon cleanly remove the idlis.Dip the idli spoon in water in between which helps to remove the idlis easily from the plate.

Serve them hot with coconut chutney/Tomato-Onion Chutney/allam pachadi/sambar.

 

Notes:

• You can use the same batter to make vegetable dosa.Make the dosas bit thick like uthappam and roast until crisp on one side.
• Adding cooking soda is a must otherwise the idlis come out hard.So in order to get soft and fluffy idlis we should add cooking soda to the batter.
• You can use idli batter either prepared with Idli rice or Idli rava to prepare these idlis.But I prefer to use the batter made up of Idli rice.

Technorati Tags: vegetable idli recipe, idli varieties, breakfast recipes, idli recipes for kids, kids tiffin box recipes, kids friendly recipes ,idli recipes, south indian breakfast varieties, how to make idli 

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Brinjal Sambar Recipe | Vankaya(Kathirikai) Sambar | South Indian Sambar Recipe

Sambar is the most popular south Indian accompaniment which pairs nicely with rice as well as the breakfast  idli/dosa varieties. The preparation process of Sambar slightly differ  for breakfast varieties and rice because of the combination of vegetables and also the sambar masala used in the recipe. A freshly ground Sambar masala is used in breakfast variety sambar where as we use Sambar powder with/without coconut in the sambar recipe which is paired with rice.

Few varieties of vegetables  go well with Tiffin Sambar and few varieties go well with sambar variety for rice. This Brinjal sambar pairs nicely with breakfast varieties or rice. I like to prepare this sambar slightly thick and also with less tamarind in the recipe which makes it taste delicious to pair with idli or dosa.You can adapt the same process of preparation for preparing sambar with other vegetables like drumstick, brinjal, yellow cucumber,potato and radish. I have used Andhra style Sambar powder in this recipe which makes it suitable for both rice and breakfast varieties. The preparation process for Karnataka style sambar is slightly different because of the addition of ground paste with freshly roasted spices and fresh coconut, which I would post some time later.

Check out other Sambar recipes in my blog here - Gummadikaya(Red Pumpkin) Sambar and Mullangi(Radish) Sambar-with freshly made masala.

Brinjal Sambar Recipe:

Serves 3-4

Prep time:10 mins | Cooking time:30 mins | Total time: 40 mins

Cuisine: South Indian | Category: Side dish for Rice - Main Course

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Toor dal

5-6 small or 2 large Eggplants(Brinjals)

1 large Onion, diced or 7-8 Shallots

1 large Tomato, finely chopped

a small gooseberry size Tamarind

1/2 tsp grated Jaggery,optional

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

2 tbsp. Andhra style Sambar powder

1 tbsp. chopped Coriander leaves

2 tsp Oil

Salt to taste

to temper:

2 tsp Ghee/Oil

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1-2 Red chillies

a sprig of Curry leaves

a pinch of Asafoetida

Method:

• Wash and soak toor dal for 10 minutes in 1.5 cups of water. Add turmeric powder and pressure cook for 3 whistles. Once the pressure drops slightly mash the dal with a wooden ladle.
• Cut Brinjal into four quarters or if you are using long variety ones cut them into 2" long pieces and split into four pieces. Immerse them in salted water for 10 mins.
• Soak tamarind in water for some time and extract pulp from it and keep it ready.
• Heat oil in a big kadai/pan and add diced onions and fry until they turn translucent. Add brinjal pieces and fry for 4-5 mins and then add chopped tomatoes and fry until they become pulpy.
• Add 1 cup water roughly and boil it for 2-3 mins. Now add tamarind pulp, salt, sambar powder( mix it in 2 tbsp. water before adding to avoid forming lumps), jaggery and mix nicely and boil it until the raw smell of the sambar powder is gone and the vegetables are cooked nicely.
• Add cooked and slightly mashed dal and add some more water if required. Boil it for 3-4 mins until the sambar thickens. Taste the sambar once and adjust the seasoning if needed. Sambar thickens slightly when it sits, so adjust the consistency according to your requirement. Add coriander leaves at the end.
• Heat ghee/oil in a small tempering pan and crackle mustard seeds and add red chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida and fry for half a minute and add the tempering to the sambar at the end and mix well.

Serve it hot with steamed Rice and fryums and a vegetable stir fry. You can even serve it with  Idli/ Dosa.

Notes:

• One can follow the same recipe and prepare sambar with various vegetables like Drumstick, Radish,  Potatoes, Carrots, Sweet Pumpkin, Yellow Cucumber and Bottle gourd.
• After you fry the vegetable pieces you can add tamarind pulp and pressure cook for 1 whistle if you want to make it quick.
• Always add tempering at the end to retain the flavour of sambar and close it immediately.
• I prefer to add ghee for tempering as it lends a nice flavour to sambar.

Technorati Tags: how to make sambar, south indian sambar recipe, brinjal sambar recipe, vankaya sambar, kathirikai sambar recipe, sambar recipe for breakfast varieties, south indian recipes

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Chana Dal Paratha | Stuffed Paratha Recipes

We usually prefer parathas for dinner and I started preparing extra filling so that I can have the same for lunch the next day and also can make it into a post if possible. The idea is not bad right?? At last I am able to share few paratha recipes in my space.

The filling options for Parathas are very versatile ranging from regular vegetables, greens to dals and pulses or dairy products like paneer and tofu or soya granules, the options and flavors are endless. I usually prepare parathas at least once a week and each time I prepare a new filling variation so that we would not get bored of it. Dal fillings come handy if you do not have vegetables or you want to prepare something different from the usual vegetable parathas.There are few variations in dal parathas like one can use the whole dal while making paratha or the cooked dal mixed with the flour or a stuffing like the usual stuffed paratha. Today I am sharing a Stuffed Dal paratha version and would like to share the other versions some time later.

Dal based stuffed parathas are protein packed and hence can be served as a meal.I usually prepare fillings with various dals and pulses like moong dal, chana dal, rajma and chole. These dal stuffed parathas are very filling and hence a couple of them is enough for lunch or dinner.

If you are interested to check other paratha recipes - check them here.

• Palak Paneer Paratha
• Tofu Alu Paratha
• Paneer Bhurji Paratha
• Methi Aloo Paratha
• Mooli Paratha
• Palak Aloo Paratha
• Gobi Paratha

Chana dal Paratha Recipe:

Yields 6-7 Parathas

Prep time: 15 mins | Cooking time:30 mins | Total time: 45 mins + soaking time

Cuisine: North Indian | Category: Parathas/Flat Breads - Main Course

Ingredients:

for dough:

1 1/2 cups Wheat flour

Salt to taste

2 tsp Oil

Water,to mix

for filling:

1 cup Chana dal,soaked for 3-4 hrs

1 medium Onion,finely chopped(optional)

3-4 Green chillies

3/4" Ginger

2 tbsp chopped Coriander

1 tsp Amchur(dried mango) powder

1 tsp Coriander powder

1/2 tsp Red chili powder

1/4 tsp Garam masala

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

2 tbsp Oil

Wheat flour,for rolling

Ghee and Oil,to roast parathas

Method:

to make dough:

• Mix in the salt with wheat flour and add 1 tsp oil and mix well.
• Add little water(if needed) and knead it into a smooth and soft dough.The dough should be slightly softer than the regular chapati dough for parathas as it will not only make easy to stuff the filling it will help in easy and even rolling of parathas.
• Apply oil on top of the dough and cover it and keep it aside for at least half an hour.

to make filling:

• Wash and soak chand dal for 3-4 hrs.Drain the excess water and grind it along with green chillies and ginger to a coarse mixture in the whipper mode.Do not grind it to a fine paste.
• Heat oil in a kadai(pan) and add chopped onions and fry until they turn translucent.
• Add the ground chana dal mixture and fry for 7-8 mins until the raw smell disappears.In case if the chana dal mixture has become bit watery add 1 tbsp of chickpea flour to make the mixture dry.Make sure the mixture id slightly dry and cooked nicely.
• Add amchur powder, red chili powder, garam masala, turmeric powder, salt and coriander powder and mix well and fry for  2-3 mins.Cool the mixture completely.Add chopped coriander leaves and mix.

to make paratha:

• Pinch the dough and take a big size lemon sized dough and place the dough in your left hand palm.

• Using your right hand fingers in the flour and try to make a cup shape(which can hold 3-4 tbsp filling) out of the dough by moving your fingers pressing with the thumb in the center.Take care that the edges should be slightly thinner and in the center it should be thick.

• Fill the cup with 3-4 tbsp filling and seal the two sides of the dough(it would look like Karanji now) and gently press the corners to get a big round ball out of it.See the pictures for better idea.

• If you stuff the filling in the dough in this way you will get evenly filled paratha and it also forms like pocket.If you find all the above process bit difficult,you can easily roll a 3" circle out of the dough and place the filling in the center and pleat the dough and seal it by gathering the dough around the edges.

• Slightly flatten the dough(stuffed with filling) with hands and dip it in the wheat flour and gently roll it to a 6" disc of 1/2" thickness.You should not apply more pressure while rolling,so roll it gently.

• Carefully place it on the hot tawa and fry it until you see bubbles on one side and flip the other side.
• Apply oil/ghee generously and roast on the other side.
• Fry the parathas on both sides until you get crisp brown patches on both sides.

Serve them piping hot with Aam ka Achar, Mirch ka Achaar, Mixed Vegetable Achar, curd or masala dahi and sliced onions.

Notes:

1. You can replace chana dal with moong dal and follow the same recipe.
2. You can even par boil chana dal until they turn soft but holds its shape and grind it and follow the same process.
3. Rajma can also be used to make parathas,in that case you need to pressure cook it for 3-4 whistles and cool it and grind to a coarse paste and follow the same process.

Technorati Tags: chana dal paratha, dal paratha recipes, paratha recipes, various paratha filling, dall fillings for parathas, punjabi paratha recipes, paratha stuffing ideas,o ne pot meal,indian parathas, paratha ideas, stuffed paratha recipes

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Paneer Pulao | Paneer Recipes

I usually add Paneer to many of my Pulao Varieties as DH is a die hard fan of paneer. Most of the paneer pieces though find its way into his plate and the less preferred veggies like carrots etc would end up in mine- not fair right!!!What if I prepare Pulao with only Paneer in it,both of us would then have to share the paneer pieces and enjoy the meal thoroughly. Well that's how this Paneer Pulao came into existence in my house.I prepare this Pulao just like my usual Vegetable Pulao with minor changes and I replace the vegetables with Paneer.I like to add green peas to this pulao as it goes really well with paneer and helps balance the texture and flavors of pulao.I always grind fresh masala for the pulao along with the addition of spices directly while tempering helping make the pulao taste better.In my opinion, this taste cannot be replicated by the addition of Garam masala and hence I suggest you to try this process once and I am sure you would be hooked on to it.

I usually saute the soft Paneer variety and immerse in warm water and cook along with rice for the paneer pulao. This helps the paneer stays soft and absorb the flavors well after it is cooked.Frozen Paneer is not recommended as it makes the paneer rubbery after it is cooked,instead of frozen paneer I suggest you to try with fresh home made paneer.I had paired it with Kashmiri dahi Baingan,papad and salad and it was a perfect lunch on our weekend.

If you are interested check out other Pulao varieties in my blog - Methi Pulao, Vegetable Pulao, Mint Pulao, Tawa Pulao, Peas Pulao and Spicy Corn Pulao.

Paneer Pulao | Paneer Pulav Recipe:

Serves 2

Prep time:15 mins | Cooking time:30 mins | Total time:45 mins

Cuisine:North Indian | Category:Pulao Varieties - Main Course

Ingredients:

1 heaped cup Basmati Rice

150 gms Homemade Paneer (Cottage cheese) (or store bought) ,cut into cubes

1/3 cup fresh/frozen Green Peas

1 Onion,finely sliced

juice of 1/2 Lemon

2 Green Cardamoms ,slightly slit

2 Cloves

1/2" Cinnamon

1 Bay leaf

Salt to taste

2 tbsp Oil

1 tbsp Butter/Ghee

2 cups Water

to grind:

2 Cloves

1/2" Cinnamon

1-2 Marathi Moggu

4-5 Garlic pods

3/4" Ginger

10-12 Mint leaves

2 tbsp chopped Coriander leaves

3-4 Green chillies

Method:

• Wash and soak basmati rice in water for 10-15 mins.
• Grind all the ingredients mentioned under 'to grind' in whipper mode to a coarse paste.Do not make it into a smooth paste,it will make the paneer pulao green.Just pulse it for a couple of time until you get coarse mixture.

• Heat oil and ghee together in a pan(or pressure cooker) and add cubed paneer pieces and fry them for few minutes until they turn golden on one side.Turn them over and fry on the other side too until golden color.Drop them in warm water until its usage,this will make it soft.
• In the same oil add bay leaf,green cardamom,cloves and cinnamon and fry for a minute.

• Add sliced onions and fry until they turn translucent.
• Now add fresh/frozen peas and fry for a couple of minutes.

• Add the ground masala and fry for 2-3 mins
• Add soaked and drained basmati rice and fry gently for a couple of minute until the moisture in the rice evaporates.Do this process gently taking care that the rice does not get broken.

• Slightly squeeze the paneer pieces and add to the rice and mix it gently.
• At this point you can follow any of the following 3 methods.
  option-1:If you are using pressure cooker you can add 2 cups of water,salt and lemon juice and pressure cook it for 1 whistle and simmer it for 5-6 mins.
  option-2:If you want to prepare in kadai add 2 cups of boiling water,salt and lemon juice and cover it and cook for 10-12 mins until done.
  option-3:Transfer all the rice mixture into the rice cooker and add 2 cups of hot water,salt and lemon juice and cook it until done.I always follow this process while making pulaos and biryanis as they come out perfect in rice cooker.

• Do not get tempted to open the lid immediately after it is done.Leave it for 10 mins,this helps the rice to absorb all the flavors and stay fluffy. 

• Using a fork fluff the rice gently.

Serve it hot with a gravy of your choice or Raita and papad.I served it with Kashmiri Dahi Baingan.

Notes:

1. You can even add paneer pieces in the end after the rice is cooked,but I prefer to cook it along with the rice and masalas so that it absorbs flavors well.
2. Use fresh paneer,the frozen variety is not suitable for pulaos as they become rubbery after they get cooked.
3. For a south Indian touch you can add 1/3 cup grated coconut while grinding the masala for pulao.
4. Marathi Moggu gives a nice flavor to puloas,however it is optional as it is not easily available everywhere.

Check out other paneer recipes in my blog:

• Kadai Paneer - Restaurant style 
• Paneer Butter Masala - Restaurant style!!
• Paneer Modak Peda
• Paneer Tikka 
• Paneer Bhurji
• Paneer Jalfrezi
• Paneer Sabzi | Simple Paneer Curry
• Palak Paneer
• Paneer Makhani/Paneer Makhanwala
• Grilled Corn-Palak Paneer | Makai Palak Paneer
• Matar Paneer

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