Ghee Rice with Chilli Paneer

RICE: Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 20mins | Serves: 4

PANEER: Prep: 20mins | Cook: 30mins | Serves: 4

Ingredients

Ghee Rice:

Ratio 1 cup rice : 2 cups water

2tbs ghee butter

1/2 cup of roughly chopped cashew nuts

1/2 cup of raisins

1 chopped onion

4 chopped garlic cloves

1 inch chopped ginger (optional)

Ghee Rice Spice Mix

Handful of chopped fresh mint (optional)

Chilli Paneer:

250g Paneer (cottage cheese)

3tbs cornflour

1/4tsp ground black pepper

5tbs all purpose flour

1 capsicum

1 onion

1/4 cup chopped spring onions

4 Kashmiri chillies + 1 inch chopped ginger (see instructions to make a paste)

4 cloves chopped garlic

1-2 small green chillies (depending on heat preference)

1tbs tomato ketchup

1tbs honey

1tbs soy sauce

Mixture of 1tbs cornflour + 2tbs water

1tsp ground black pepper

Salt to taste

Squeeze of lemon juice

Vegetable oil

Instructions

Ghee Rice:

1. Pour into a large cooking pot or rice cooker 1 cup of rice. Run the rice through some water (enough to cover all the rice) and with clean hands stir the rice and rub the grains against each other to remove any dirt and impurities.

You will soon see the water turn translucent and then an opaque milky colour.

2. Using a sieve (or your hands), slowly drain out all the dirty water without letting the rice wash down the drain!

Repeat this 2 more times and leave the pot aside.

3. Add 2 tablespoon of ghee butter into a pan and fry the onions, garlic, ginger and all the spices for a few minutes until the onions have softened, garlic is golden in colour.. and the house is filled with a strong fragrance of spices!

4. Add the fried contents to the rice pot and mix it together. Then add 2 cups of water and boil the rice until tender. (Add more water if necessary).

5. Once the rice is cooked, fluff it up with a fork and finally add freshly chopped mint.

You can either mix it in or use it to garnish on top.

Chilli Paneer:

1. Cut the paneer into small bite size cubes and dry the paneer by damping it with tissue to remove extra fluid from the cheese.

2. In a bowl mix the 3tbs of cornflour, 5tbs of all purpose flour, 1/4tsp of black pepper, and 1tsp of salt.

Slowly add some water to make a batter that is neither too thick or too thin for coating the paneer.

3. Dip the paneer cubes into the batter, evenly coating the paneer in the batter before very carefully placing them into the hot oil. Deep fry until the cubes are golden brown. - This will take only a few minutes so keep an eye on them!

Drain and keep them to cool upon a plate layered with newspaper or tissue.

4. Blend together ginger and Kashmiri chillies. Add small amounts of water and oil to make a fine paste. (You may want to do this before to save time).

5. Add to a shallow frying pan some oil and fry the garlic, green chillies and sauté this for a few minutes before adding in the paste too. Add a cup of water and stir until the water has evaporated.

Take out the paste mixture and leave it aside.

6. Using the same pan, fry the onions and capsicums until they have softened only slightly as you will want them to still be crunchy.

7. Keeping the flame high, add back the paste along with the ketchup, soy sauce, honey, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

8. Add the cornflour and water mixture whilst keeping a stirring motion to avoid clumps forming. You will notice the mixture becoming glossy and give a beautiful deep red colour.

9. Finally tip in the fried paneer and combine together all the ingredients.

If you require any herbs and spices, from any of our recipes, visit our shop for refills and plastic free packaged foods.

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Enjoy your meal.

I would appreciate it if you could like and leave any comments you have in mind.

Thank you for visiting.

- Tanya