Blog Hop Pulao

The list for Blog Hop Wednesday came out late this month so with only a little over a week to do this recipe, while still completing my Blogging Marathon recipes, I needed a recipe that did not involve too much work and after all the cakes I baked for this week's BM Cake Decorating theme, I did not need any more sweets in my house.

I was thrilled when I was assigned Kalyani as a partner.  As a fellow BM participant, I know her style of cooking well.  No matter what I made from her blog, it would be something guilt free.  Her blog is full of delicious looking & healthy vegetarian food.  She is the perfect example of how healthy food can still be delicious and appetizing.

After a few minutes perusing her blog, I had it down to two recipes - either her Raisin & Paneer Pulao or Green Peas Tikka.  Although the tikka looks fabulous, I still had some leftover Mava Samosa which falls into the same snack food category, so I decided to do the Pulao as I had 1/2 package of paneer left in the fridge and after you open the package, it goes bad within a few days.  The only change I made was adding some more veggies just because I had them in my refrigerator to use up.

Raisin Paneer Pulao

(click here for printable recipe)
Ingredients:
1 cup Basmati rice (I used brown Basmati)
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1/2 cup cauliflower florets, chopped
1/4 cup frozen green peas
1 large carrot, chopped (about 2/3 cup)
1/2 cup paneer, diced
1/3 cup green/golden raisins
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon oil
salt, to taste
2 teaspoons garam masala
2 green cardamom
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
1 onion, quartered
2 cloves garlic
1/2 inch piece of ginger
2 green chiles
5 black peppercorns
1 teaspoon cumin seed

In a food processor, combine the quartered onion, garlic, ginger, chiles, peppercorns and cumin seed.  Grind well.
In a large pot, heat the tablespoon of oil.  Add cardamom, bay leaf and cinnamon. Fry for 1 minute.  Add the ground masala from the food processor and stir fry for a few minutes until onions are slightly browned
Add rice and vegetables and stir fry for a few minutes until rice is well coated.  Add garam masala, salt and 2 1/2 cups water.  Mix well and bring to a boil.
Reduce to a simmer and cover.  Cook until rice is tender and all of the water has been absorbed.
In a skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of oil and fry the raisins and paneer until golden brown.

Add to cooked rice and mix well.  Taste and adjust salt, if necessary.

This is such a flavorful pulao.  It's spicy, savory and sweet; all at the same time.

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Chef Mireille
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