- 2 tbsp oil
- 220 g (7.8 oz) pack paneer cut into 1.5cm slices
- 1 onion thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- a thumb size piece of ginger grated
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 2 large tomatoes chopped
- 250 g (8.8 oz) spinach
- 250 g (8.8 oz) basmati rice
- 600 ml (2 ½ cups) vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp chopped coriander
Heat the oil in a large, lidded, non-stick frying pan or shallow casserole over a medium heat. Add the paneer and fry for 2 to 3 minutes until a deep golden brown. Set aside. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and fry for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric, garam masala and chilli flakes, then cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes and spinach, then cook for 5 minutes.
Rinse the rice in a sieve in cold water, changing the water 2 to 3 times. Add the rice to the pan, stir well, then pour in the stock. Cover with a lid and cook over a low to medium heat for 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked. Top with the paneer, sprinkle with coriander and serve with yogurt, mango chutney and naan bread (optional).
- If you fancy making it 'meaty'...change the paneer out for chunks of chicken or lamb and add them with the spices at step 1.
- You'll find paneer in the chilled aisle of larger supermarkets or use halloumi instead (it’ll be saltier so watch the seasoning).
- This spinach and paneer pilaf recipe is easily adapted if you’re cooking for less or more people.
You might also like to try:
Calories: 366kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 676mg | Potassium: 690mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 7098IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 359mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
KEYWORDS basmati rice, halloumi, one-pot, vegetarian