MUSHROOM AND PANEER HIT - INDIAN

Ingredients

2 cups basmati rice
1 cup button mushrooms
1 cup paneer cubes
2 finely sliced onions
1 tbsp. tomato pulp
1 tbsp. garam masala powder
1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
5 tbsps. ghee
1 tbsp. finely chopped green coriander
1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh mint
a few cinnamon sticks, cloves and cardamom
2 tbsps. cashewnuts paste
salt to taste

Method

Clean and wash the rice. Soak in water for 15 to 20
minutes. Heat 2 tbsps. of ghee in a kadai and fry the
spices lightly. Fry half of the sliced onions till
golden brown. Add ginger-garlic paste p73 and tomato
pulp. Keep frying till a nice aroma arises. Now mix the
mushrooms and the paneer cubes along with the garam
masala powder. Add cashewnut paste and about a cup of
water and salt to taste. Simmer on a slow fire till
cooked. The gravy should be slightly thick. To prepare
the rice heat the remaining ghee in a handi and fry the
remaining sliced onions till golden brown. Now add the
drained rice. Fry for sometime. Then pour 4 cups of water
and add salt to taste. Cook till the pulao is ready. Take
another big handi. Layer one third of the rice in it.
Sprinkle a little of the chopped green coriander and mint
over it. Then spread one third of the paneer and
mushroom mixture over. Layer the second portion of rice
followed by a sprinkling of the coriander and mint.
Spread the second layer of the paneer and mushroom masala.
Repeat ending with a paneer and mushroom masala. Close a
tight fitting lid and put the handi in a preheated oven
for about 5 minutes. Serve hot.