From the recipe box
Paneer Pulao
Rice, dal, legume, and soup formats cooked in a single vessel — the weeknight comfort lane.
- Protein
- Paneer
- Meal format
- One-Pot Wonder
- Base
- Rice, Millets, Grains
Carrot, Potato, Frozen Peas, Onion, Cauliflower, Green Beans
From my kitchenCook this meal
Ingredients & method
- Prep
- 15 mins
- Cook
- 28 mins
- Total
- 43 mins
- Serves
- 2
Rice, Paneer & Vegetables
- ½ cupbasmati rice
- ½ cupswater
- ½ cuppaneer, cut into bite-sized cubes
- 1small carrot, diced
- 1small potato, diced
- ¼ cupfrozen peas
Optional additions:
- 1small onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cupcauliflower florets
- ½ cupgreen beans, chopped into small pieces
Whole Spices & Tempering
- 1 tablespoonghee or oil
- 1 teaspooncumin (jeera) seeds
- 1small cinnamon stick
- 2cloves
- 1bay leaf
- 1star anise
Seasoning
- to tasteSalt
- ¼ teaspoonturmeric powder
- ½ teaspooncoriander powder
- ½ teaspoongaram masala
- ½red chili powder
For Garnishing
- 2 tablespoonsroasted cashews
- 2 tablespoonsfried onions
Step by step
Method
- 01
Wash the basmati rice 3 times with fresh water and drain well. Soak the rice for 10–15 minutes if desired for softer, fluffier grains.
- 02
Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Add the ghee or oil.
- 03
Add cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, bay leaf, and star anise. Let the spices become fragrant.
- 04
Add onions (if using) and sauté until soft and lightly golden.
- 05
Add the carrots, potatoes, peas, and any optional vegetables. Add a handful of fresh mint leaves while sautéing the vegetables. The mint adds a wonderful freshness and depth of flavor to the pulao.
- 06
Add the washed basmati rice and gently mix with the vegetables and spices.
- 07
Add water, salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and green chilies (if using). Mix gently.
- 08
Close the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and cook on Pressure Cook (High) for 6 minutes.
- 09
Allow the pressure to release naturally for about 10 minutes, then carefully release any remaining pressure.
- 10
While the pulao is cooking, sauté the paneer separately on a nonstick pan/tava until lightly golden. Paneer does not need any extra oil if using a good nonstick pan.
- 11
Fluff the pulao gently with a fork. Add the sautéed paneer on top of the rice rather than pressure cooking it together. This keeps the paneer soft with a better texture. (If you prefer softer, crumbly paneer mixed into the pulao, you can add it before pressure cooking.)
- 12
Garnish with roasted cashews, fried onions, cilantro, and a few fresh mint leaves before serving.
