Paneer Peas pulav.

This pulav is simply delicious . The measurements are for serving four.

Ingredients:
400 gms Basmathi Rice (washed and soaked for 10 minutes).
100 gms Paneer (sliced into 1 cm cubes).
50 gms Fresh peas.
¼ cup milk.
2 tsps raisins.
2 tsps cashews.
50 gms ghee.
3 whole green chillies .
A handful of fresh pudina (mint leaves).
A handful of fresh chopped coriander (mint leaves).
2 big onions sliced.
1 small tomato (optional).
1 Cardamon, 2 cloves, I small piece of cinnamon.
Some curry leaves.

Preparation:
1. Take a heavy bottomed pan or biriyani vessel.
2. Add 4 tsps of ghee, when it heats up add the sliced onions and spices and curry leaves and sauté.
3. When the onions turn translucent add the whole chilies and pudina leaves and sauté . Then after 10 seconds add the fresh and Paneer. Fry till the sides of the paneer start to turn slight brown.
4. Then add the tomato (can be left out if not needed as we are adding milk).
5. When tomato is half done, add 4 ½ cups of water (ratio is 1 : 2 ¼ Rice and water).
6. Allow the water to boil, when the water is boiling, the washed rice and spread it evenly in the dish. Add salt as required (Add a little more than required for once the rice is cooked all salt will be absorbed in it) and lower the flame to medium low and let the rice cook.
7. Check the rice in between and stir if only required.
8. When the water is mostly absorbed, lower the flame further. Meanwhile, heat a heavy tava in another stove or burner.
9. Fry the cashews and raisins in a spoon of ghee and add the entire contents along with the ghee to the pulav. Add the coriander too.
10. Transfer the pulav to the hot tava, turn off the stove, close the pulav vessel and place a heavy weight (like a stone or another hot tava) on the lid.
11. Leave the vessel to stand like that for 10 minutes.
12. After 10 minutes, you can see the fragrant rice is ready to eat. Serve hot with onion and pineapple raita.

Note : Don’t add many tomatoes or lime as we have used milk in the preparation. This dish can be also made using the pressure cooker, but the aromas and taste will not be the same. The aromas will escape with the steam when you use a pressure cooker.