Paneer Tawa Pulao - Veg Tawa Pulao
Paneer Tawa Pulao is a very flavorful, spicy, and delicious rice recipe. The rice is made by combining colorful veggies, paneer, and is seasoned with aromatic Indian spices.
Equipment
- Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 cup Basmati rice
- 1 medium Onion chopped
- 1 medium Potato boiled, diced
- 1/2 inch Ginger crushed
- 2 large Garlic cloves crushed
- 2 medium Green chili finely chopped
- 1 medium Tomato chopped
- 1/4 cup Tomato puree
- 1/4 large Green bell pepper finely chopped
- 1/4 cup Green peas frozen
- 1/2 medium Lime optional
- 1/2 cup Cilantro chopped
- 100 grams Paneer cut into small pieces
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp Red chili powder
- 1/4 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder optional
- 1 tsp Coriander powder
- 1.5 tsp Pav bhaji masala
- 1.5 tsp Salt or as required
- 1 tbsp Oil
- 2 tbsp Butter divided, I used Amul butter
Instructions
Instant Pot Rice
- Triple wash the rice in the inner pot of an instant pot.
- Add 1.5 cups of water, ⅛ tsp salt, and ½ tsp ghee.
- Close the lid on your Instant pot, making sure the valve is set to sealing.
- Turn on the MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK button (High Pressure) and set the timer to 6 minutes.
- Let the pressure naturally release (NRP) for 15 minutes.
- Once the pressure is released, fluff the rice with a fork and set aside.
Stovetop Rice
- Triple wash the rice in a pot and set aside.
- Bring 5-6 cups of water in a stock pot with ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp ghee.
- Lower the heat to medium low, transfer the washed rice, and let it cook for about 15 minutes.
- Transfer the cooked rice to a colander and discard the water. Set the rice aside until ready to use.
Prepping The Paneer
- In a bowl, add 2 cups of warm water, and soak the paneer pieces for about 7-10 minutes to soften them.
- Squeeze out all the water from the paneer and set it aside.
Tawa Pulao
- Heat some oil on a tawa/skillet on medium heat along with some butter.
- Add the cumin seeds and let them splutter.
- Transfer the chopped onion, green chillies, ginger, garlic, and green bell peppers. Sauté until the onions turn slightly brown.
- Transfer the tomatoes, tomato puree, green peas, and 1.5 tsp salt.
- Cover the pan with a lid. Let the tomatoes cook for about 3-5 minutes until they turn soft and mushy.
- Transfer all the spices, potatoes, and cook them for 3 minutes.
- Add some cilantro, paneer, butter, and mix everything well.
- Transfer the cooked rice and cilantro, and mix everything well. Cook for 3-5 minutes and garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve hot with some lime.
Notes
- Use long grain basmati rice, which has perfect texture to keep the rice fluffy and separated, rather than clumped together.
- Cook the rice in advance to make the paneer tawa pulao in a jiffy for a quick lunch.
- Boil the vegetables a day before to make the rice pretty quickly.
- Tomato puree gives an incredible color to the dish so don’t skip adding it. You can buy a readymade tomato puree or make your own by simply blending the tomatoes in a blender jar.
- Do not skimp on butter if you are looking for a street style tawa pulao recipe. I have used very little butter in the recipe but you can add a couple of tablespoons of extra butter if you wish.