Peas and Cottage Cheese Pulao (Matar Paneer Ki Tahri)

This easy, delicious one-pot meal with just a few basic ingredients comes together in under 30 minutes. I rely on recipes like this for days when I am not inspired to cook. Traditionally, cottage cheese is not added to tahri. I include it because the meat-loving teen is never satisfied with an all-vegetarian meal sans paneer. The cottage cheese can be replaced with cubed potatoes/tofu (and the ghee can be replaced with oil) for a vegan version of this spiced pulao. A bowl of boondi raita, some pickled onions and roasted poppadoms are the only accompaniments needed to complete this simple meal.

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Recipe

Peas and Cottage Cheese Pulao

(Serves 4-6)

Ingredients

2 cups basmati rice
2 tbsp ghee
1 bay leaf 
1 big cardamom (badi elaichi), pounded open
1 tsp cumin seeds (zeera)
1/4 tsp asafetida powder (hing)
2 cups fresh/frozen green peas, washed and drained 
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
2 level tsp coriander powder (dhania)
1/2 tsp garam masala powder 
1/2 tsp red chilli powder or 2 green chillies, slit lengthwise
1/4 tsp fennel seeds (saunf), coarsely pounded
2 tbsp cashew halves (optional)
1 tbsp raisins (optional) 
200 gms cottage cheese (paneer), cubed
4 cups water (more for soaking the rice) 
2 tsp lime juice
Salt to taste
2 tbsp chopped cilantro for garnish

Method

Rinse the rice well, then soak in 4 cups of water for 30 minutes. Drain the, discard the water and set aside.

In a heavy-based pan, melt the ghee over medium heat. Add the bay leaf, cardamom, cumin seeds and asafetida. Once the cumin seeds start to splutter, add the peas along with the dry spice powders, crushed fennel seeds, cashews and raisins. Stir fry for 5 minutes.

Add the drained rice and gently stir to coat the grains with the ghee.

Add the cottage cheese, water, lime juice and salt to taste. Give the mixture a gentle stir and allow it to come to a boil, uncovered. Continue to boil until almost all the water has evaporated.

Turn down the heat to the lowest setting, cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the pulao rest for an additional 10 minutes (do not remove the lid at this point).

After 10 minutes, remove the lid taking care to let the steam escape gently. Use a fork or spatula to gently fluff up the rice ensuring that everything gets evenly mixed.

Garnish the pulao with chopped cilantro and serve hot.