Paneer Fried Rice Recipe

The best thing about cooking rice is that you can customize the rice according to the ingredients you have and your personal preferences. The recipe that I am going to share today is a very typical north Indian home-style cooking and has two of our favourite ingredients, which are rice and paneer as the star ingredients. It is the paneer fried rice recipe. You can either prepare this with leftover rice or can make it with fresh rice as I have done in this recipe. And without any further due let’s get started with the recipe.

Ingredients:

• For cooking the rice:
• Rice- 1 cup, heaped (basmati or regular)
• Water- 1 ¾ cup
• Oil- ½ tsp.
• Salt -1/4 tsp.
• Other ingredients:
• Oil- 2 tbsp.
• Cumin/jeera- ½ tsp.
• Onion- 1, medium sized (finely chopped)
• Ginger-garlic paste- 1 tsp.
• Tomato- 1, large (chopped)
• Carrot- 1, medium sized (finely chopped)
• French beans- 9-10 (finely chopped)
• Capsicum- 1, small sized (finely chopped)
• Paneer- 250 gm (cubed)
• Black pepper- ½ (crushed)
• Red chilli powder- ¼ tsp.
• Garam masala- ½ tsp.
• Salt as per taste

Procedure:

1.  Rinse the rice under running water really well and then soak the rice in water for 30 minutes.
2.  After the rice has soaked rinse the excess water and transfer the rice to a pressure cooker. Add the 1 ¾ cup water, salt and oil to the rice and stir.
3.  Put on the lid and pressure cook the rice for 10 minutes. Turn off the flame and let the pressure settle down. Once the pressure is released open the lid and with the help of a fork fluff up the rice.
4.  Take out the rice on a plate and let it cool down. This way the rice will retain its shape and texture while making the fried rice.
5.  Now in a kadhai, heat up some oil and add the cumin to it. Toast the cumin seeds a little.
6.  Now add the finely chopped onions and cook them till they are slightly golden in colour. Add the ginger garlic paste and cook it for a minute or two.
7.  Add in the chopped tomatoes and mix well. let the tomatoes soften and get mushy. Now add the French beans and cook for 2-3 minutes.
8.  Now add the sliced carrot and cook for few minutes.
9.  Add the capsicum and paneer cubes and sauté for a few minutes.
10.  Sprinkle the black pepper, chilli powder and the garam masala. Mix everything really well.
11.  Now add the cooked rice and salt. Mix the rice gently with the vegetables and paneer.
12.  Check the seasonings. Cook the rice for 2 minutes and then turn off the flame.
13.  Serve your paneer fried rice with raita and papad.

Image Source: amaravathiusa