Ingredients
2 cups Royal® Authentic Basmati Rice
3 tablespoons ghee or oil (ghee makes it very aromatic)
1 tablespoon oil
14 oz paneer
1 cinnamon stick
2 star-anise
1 mace flower
1 black cardamom
3 green cardamoms
5 cloves
2 small bay leaves
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 cup cashew
1/4 cup raisins
1 red onion (6oz) thinly sliced
Pinch of saffron
1/3 cup milk
Salt to taste
Preparation
- Wash the rice multiple times to remove the excess starch and leave aside to be used later.
- Add the saffron to the milk and keep aside.
- Slice the paneer into small or bite size pieces as per your liking.
- In a heavy bottom skillet or pan, pour 2 tablespoons ghee and 1 tablespoon oil. Once it heats up, layer the paneer slices and fry for 2 minutes (It might splatter so be careful). Then flip and fry for 1 minutes. Take off the pan when done.
- To the same pan add rest of the ghee and crush the whole spices gently and add that to the pan. Stir it around and let it sizzle for 1 minute.
- Add the cashew and raisins and stir around for 30 seconds.
- Add the sliced onion, season with salt and let it cook for 2 minutes.
- Scatter the rice and stir it around.
- Layer the paneer and pour 2 cups water along with the saffron milk.
- Mix it around and crank up the heat to bring it to boil.
- Then bring the heat down to medium low, cover the pan or skillet and let the rice cook for 15 minutes. The water should be absorbed after 15 minutes.
- Switch off the heat and leave it uncovered for 3 minutes.
- Take a fork and fluff the rice. Add finely chopped cilantro leaves and serve right away.
