Spinach, Peas & Paneer(Cottage Cheese) Brown Rice

Brown rice was the every day food in my house couple of years before. It’s been almost two years since Quinoa, replaced this wonderful grain. There are lot of posts still lying in my draft with brown rice as the star ingredient. I love this grain and even though I don’t cook with it very often like before now, I do make dishes occasionally using this high fiber grain.  If you include brown rice in your diet do try this recipe out and I am sure you are going to love it.  Do not forget to presoak your brown rice, I normally soak it for 12-18 hours.



Preparation Time – 20 Minutes

Cooking Time – 30 to 45 Minutes

Serves – 3 to 4





Ingredients





Brown Basmati Rice – 1 1/4 Cup(Soaked for 12-18 hours, rinsed and drained)

Spinach – 1 Bunch(Rinsed, drained, thick stalks removed and chopped)

Frozen thawed peas – 3/4 Cup

Paneer(Indian style cottage cheese cubes) – 3/4 Cup

Coconut Oil or clarified butter (ghee) – 1 Tbsp

Turmeric powder – 1/2 Tsp

Yogurt Sour – 1/3 Cup

Salt – 1 Tsp or to taste

Green Chili  & Coriander Paste (Handful of coriander(cilantro), green chili 2 or to taste, 1/2 tsp fennel seeds ground into a coarse to fine paste)

Water – 3 Cups

Cashews – 1 Tbsp

Cinnamon stick, Star Anise, Clove – 2, 1, 1 each

Method





1) Heat a Tsp of oil in a thick bottomed pan, add the cinnamon stick, star anise, clove and once they are slightly brown and fragrant add the green peas and saute for  5 minutes.



2) Now add the spinach and saute for 2-3 minutes. Now to this add the soaked and drained brown rice, water, salt, turmeric powder, chili & cilantro paste, yogurt and cover and cook stirring in between.



3) Once the rice is 3/4 Cooked and still with some water add the paneer(cottage cheese) cubes and cook till the rice is well cooked and the water is all absorbed.



4) Heat the rest of the oil and fry the cashews till golden and transfer the cashews with the oil to the cooked rice and mix gently and thoroughly with a fork and serve hot with raita(yogurt dip) of your choice.

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