This Paneer Matar Pulao is a flavorful South Indian rice recipe made with coconut milk, peas, vegetables, and a few spices in the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker. Vegan and Gluten-Free.
A vegetarian Indian meal isn't complete until there's rice on the table. Pulao is the ideal food that is neither too heavy nor too light or bland, like plain rice, making it the ideal substitute for people who don't like plain rice.
Even when you have company around, making pulao at home is not a tough effort and yet provides a delicious addition to the meal. The sheer diversity of veg pulao will most likely keep you satisfied for a very long time if you are the type of person who enjoys cooking experiments.
You may find a variety of pulao recipes, such as soya pulao, coconut milk pulao, and mixed veg pulao. In this article, we bring you a delicious paneer pulao recipe.
To make this recipe, all you need to do is take a pressure cooker, add soaked rice, and fried paneer chunks, with spices, and wait until the cooker gets 2-3 whistles. For the complete recipe, read below.
Ingredients
- Rice: I prefer to use long-grain and fragrant white basmati rice to make this Paneer matar pulao recipe. You may also use other grains like quinoa, millet, or brown rice.
- Paneer: You will need fresh store-bought or homemade paneer.
- Green Peas: I always use frozen green peas as fresh peas are not available all year round. If you get fresh peas, use them, they taste the best.
- Onion: Use thinly sliced onions.
- Ginger and garlic: I used a paste made from fresh ginger and garlic. You can also mince and add them.
- Green chilies:Â I used Thai green chilies for the heat. You can increase or decrease according to your preference.
- Ghee: For best results, use homemade ghee. You can also use any cooking oil instead of ghee.
- Herbs: I used fresh herbs like mint and coriander leaves.
- Whole spices:Â I used cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom, star anise, and mace in this recipe. If you don't have whole spices, simply add extra garam masala at the end.
How to Make Paneer Pulao
Cut the paneer into 1-inch cubes. Add some red chili powder, salt, ginger-garlic paste and oil. Mix everything well. Marinate for 15 minutes.
Note: Spicing up the paneer enhances the taste, however, you can skip and just fry the plain paneer in oil and add it to the fried rice.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Once the oil is hot, add marinated paneer cubes. Saute for 4-5 minutes until paneer turns golden brown on all sides. Remove them from the pan and keep aside. You can also roast the paneer in the Air Fryer.
Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Heat ghee (or oil), and add in the whole spices like cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, star anise, and mace. Saute for a few seconds or till aromatic.
Next, add onion, and green chilies. Saute till the onions are soft and light brown.
Then add ginger garlic paste and saute for a few seconds.
Next, add in the green peas, and garam masala and saute for a minute.
Then, mint and coriander leaves are added, and the mixture is cooked for a minute until the leaves wilt.
Next, add rinsed basmati rice, water, and salt. Mix everything well.
Close the lid securely, and turn the vent to "SEALING". Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL (High Pressure) setting and set the cooking time to 5 minutes.
When the instant pot beeps, do a quick pressure release before removing the lid.
Add some lemon juice, and sauteed paneer, and mix gently with a ladle.
Instant Pot Peas pulao or Matar pulao ki recipe is ready, serve with yogurt, raita, or any curry.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Instructions
Follow the same steps as Instant Pot and Pressure cook the paneer peas pulao for 2 whistles on a medium-high flame and turn off the flame. Allow the pressure to release naturally.
Stovetop Pan Instructions
For preparing this dish in a stovetop pan. Follow the same steps, close the lid, and cook on low flame until all liquid is absorbed and the rice is fluffy.
Note: Use 2 cups of water for 1 cup of rice for the stovetop method.
What to Serve with Paneer Peas Pulao?
Paneer pulao tastes great on its own or with a side of mango pickle, kachumber salad, papad, and raita (like boondi raita, onion tomato raita, or cucumber raita).
You can also pair it with curries like matar paneer, palak paneer, mushroom curry, or lentil dishes like dal fry, dal makhani.
Storage Suggestions
Fridge: Store the leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days in an air-tight container.
Reheat: Sprinkle some water and reheat the matar paneer rice in the microwave or stovetop until it warms through.
Tips
- Type of Rice: Paneer Pulav tastes best when long-grain basmati rice is used, but you can use any premium-quality short-grain rice.
- Paneer: Use homemade paneer for the best texture and flavor. It is recommended to add sauteed paneer to the cooked rice mixture. Pressure-cooking the paneer may sometimes yield a chewy and hard paneer.
- Green Peas: You can use either fresh or frozen peas for this recipe. Fresh peas taste the best.
- Water Quantity: To make non-sticky, fluffy paneer pulao, adjust the water correctly, as it depends on the type of rice used and quality. I have used basmati rice in this recipe.
Variations
- Vegan: Vegans can use any vegetable oil. However, Paneer Pulao tastes better with ghee. You can substitute paneer with sauteed tofu.
- Other Veggies: You may add other veggies like diced potatoes, carrots, and beans.
- Herbs: I have used fresh mint (pudina) leaves to enhance the flavor, but you can either replace them with dried mint or totally skip it.
- Coconut Milk: You can substitute water with thin coconut milk. it enhances the taste of the pulao.
- Nuts: You can add fried cashews to this rice to make it rich and delicious.
If you like paneer, then check out more Paneer Recipes
More Instant Pot Rice Recipes
Paneer Pulao
Equipment
Ingredients
For Marinating Paneer
- 1 cup paneer cut into 1 -inch cubes
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon ginger garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon oil
For Pulao
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 1 medium onion
- 2 green chilies
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- ½ cup green peas
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves chopped
- 2 tablespoons mint leaves chopped
- 1 ½ cups water
- salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Cut the paneer into 1-inch cubes. Add some red chili powder, salt, ginger-garlic paste and oil. Mix everything well. Marinate for 15 minutes.Note:Â Spicing up the paneer enhances the taste, however, you can skip and just fry the plain paneer in oil and add it to the fried rice.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Once the oil is hot, add marinated paneer cubes. Saute for 4-5 minutes until paneer turns golden brown on all sides. Remove them from the pan and keep aside. You can also roast the paneer in the Air Fryer.
- Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Heat ghee (or oil), and add in the whole spices like cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, star anise, and mace. Saute for a few seconds or till aromatic.
- Next, add onion, and green chilies. Saute till the onions are soft and light brown.
- Then add ginger garlic paste and saute for a few seconds.
- Next, add in the green peas, and garam masala and saute for a minute.
- Then mint and coriander leaves, and cook for a minute until the leaves wilt.
- Next add rinsed basmati rice, water, and salt. Mix everything well.
- Close the lid securely, and turn the vent to "SEALING". Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL (High Pressure) setting and set the cooking time to 5 minutes.When the instant pot beeps, do a quick pressure release before removing the lid.
- Add some lemon juice, and sauteed paneer, and mix gently with a ladle.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method
- Follow the same steps as Instant Pot and Pressure cook the paneer pulao for 2 whistles on a medium-high flame and turn off the flame. Allow the pressure to release naturally.
Stovetop Pan Method
- For preparing this dish in a stovetop pan. Follow the same steps, close the lid, and cook on low flame until all liquid is absorbed and the rice is fluffy.Note: Use 2 cups of water for 1 cup of rice for the stovetop method.
Nutrition
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