Paneer pulao

My mom loves paneer and I cant stop myself enjoying a paneer dish, this dish is a frequent guest at our home...

Ingredients

Basmati rice : 250 gms

Paneer/Indian cheese : 150 gms

Bay leaves : 2 nos

Star anise : 1 

Mace/javitri : 1 

Cloves : 4 nos

Cinnamon stick : 2 (1" stick)

Green cardamom : 2 (powder the seeds)

Shahi jeera : 1 tsp

Onion : 1 medium

Ginger garlic paste : 1/2 tbsp

Mint leaves : fistful

Coriander leaves : few

Green chillies : 2 nos (adjust to taste)

Salt : to taste

Oil/butter : 1 tbsp

Method

Rinse and soak basmati rice for 30 mins. Drain the rice and keep it aside. 

In a pan add oil when hot add bay leaves, shahi jeera, star anise, mace/javitri, cloves, cinnamon stick, green cardamom and fry for a minute. Then add finely chopped onion, chopped green chillies, ginger garlic paste fry till onions are golden brown. In a non-stick pan add oil and slightly fry paneer and keep them aside.

Add water (I added 250 ml water, 1;1 ratio water for soaked basmati rice). when water starts boiling add drained rice, salt, mint leaves and stir well, cook on low flame until rice is cooked. Turn off the flame and add paneer pieces gently stir. 

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with salan or raita.

*I use electric rice cooker to cook pulao and biryani which makes my job much easier.