Pulaos and bhaat are my favourite items to pack for lunch box. Ideal to just heat up and eat without any mess. Being made of rice I generally restrict this affair to once a week. Not that we do not consume rice but it’s mostly in the form of curd rice (done! stamped! my absolute fav!). This methi matar paneer pulao is special and I make it once in a while.
An easy one-pot rice dish from FOI once again. It has fragrant whole garam masala making it extremely flavourful. This methi matar paneer pulao has not 1 not 2 but 3 protagonists as is apparent from the name of the dish!
Fresh methi, pop-in-the-mouth peas and soft golden-fried paneer pieces all sounds festive! Indeed it is special and festive, these three ingredients work so well together. They complement each other well and add to the texture.
Serve methi matar paneer pulao with cucumber raitha or mixed veg raitha! Try pudina pulao from FOI…More methi dishes and paneer dishes!
Methi thepla, methi stalks chutney, menthya soppina bhaat, methi malai paneer – more methi dishes 🙂
- ½ Cup basmati rice
- 1 black cardamom
- ½ Tsp jeera
- 1 small piece cinnamon
- 2 laung
- 4-5 black pepper
- 1 Tbsp oil
- 1½ Cup chopped methi leaves
- ¼ Cup fresh/frozen green peas/matar
- ½ Cup paneer cubes
- 1 onion sliced
- 1 clove garlic grated/paste
- 1" ginger grated/paste
- 1 green chilli finely chopped/paste
- 1 medium sliced onion
- ½ Tsp turmeric,
- ¼ Tsp red chilli powder
- ½ tsp coriander powder
- ¼ Tsp garam masala
- Salt to taste
- Wash and soak basmati rice 4-5 times, soak for 15 minutes, drain water keep aside
- Get methi washed, ready and chopped up. Get ginger, garlic and green chilli paste or chop them up finely
- Gather whole garam masala
- After the prep, heat oil, add whole spices, saute
- Next add sliced onions, saute till almost golden
- Add garlic and ginger paste along with green chillies, fry
- Drop in chopped methi leaves and saute till methi wilts
- Cover and cook for a minute or 2
- Green peas can go in next, mix well
- Add dry masala powders, turmeric, coriander powder, red chilli powder
- Tip in soaked and drained rice, mix well
- Sprinkle salt and garam masala
- Pour in twice the amount of water (1 cup here) as much as rice (1:2 rice:water) ratio
- Cover and cook till rice absorbs all water
- Meanwhile when rice is cooking, lightly toast paneer pieces in a few drops of ghee/oil
- Fluff up rice when it is done, spread a few toasted paneer pieces
- Serve with cucumber raitha
Add a bay leaf or 2 if you like
Try not to skip whole garam masala, that is what adds the taste
Do not over toast the paneer pieces, they turn hard and chewy quickly toss and mix with cooked fluffed up rice
Methi Matar Paneer Pulao Stepwise:
Wash and soak basmati rice 4-5 times, soak for 15 minutes, drain water keep aside
Get methi washed, ready and chopped up. Get ginger, garlic and green chilli paste or chop them up finely
Gather whole garam masala
After the prep, heat oil, add whole spices, saute
Next add sliced onions, saute till almost golden
Add garlic and ginger paste along with green chillies, fry
Drop in chopped methi leaves and saute till methi wilts
Cover and cook for a minute or 2
Green peas can go in next, mix well
Add dry masala powders, turmeric, coriander powder, red chilli powder
Tip in soaked and drained rice, mix well
Sprinkle salt and garam masala
Pour in twice the amount of water (1 cup here) as much as rice (1:2 rice:water) ratio
Cover and cook till rice absorbs all water
Meanwhile when rice is cooking, lightly toast paneer pieces in a few drops of ghee/oil
Fluff up rice when it is done, spread a few toasted paneer pieces
Serve with cucumber raitha
Hi Vindhya…
Nice recipe.
Thanks Sneha!