Matar, Paneer and Corn Rice

It’s finally started raining, in Western India atleast. I hope that this spell of showers do not end in a day or two, but continue for sometime.
This weekend, it was raining in the afternoon and I had the pleasure of watching the rain with a cup of coffee in my hand. It was such a lovely weather that I did not want to cook an elaborate meal. Yet, I did not want to resort to junk food either. I finally prepared Pulao – with peas, paneer and few niblets of corn.
Simple and nothing fancy – but what caught my attention were the green and yellow dots on a white background. And hence this post.

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice: 1 cup
Shelled Peas / Frozen Peas: ½ cup
Paneer (Cottage Cheese) cut in cubes: 12 – 15 cubes
Corn Niblets: ¼ cup
Bay Leaf: 1
Cumin Seeds: ½ tsp
Ghee (clarified butter): 2 tsp
Salt: To taste

Method:
- Wash the rice with water and keep aside
- Heat the ghee in a thick bottomed pan or a pressure cooker
- Add the cumin and the bay leaf. When the seeds begin to splutter, add the peas, paneer, corn, rice and salt
- If using a pressure cooker: Add 1 ¾ cups water, cover the lid and cook on high heat for 2 whistles. Simmer for 2 minutes and remove from heat. Do not open the lid till the steam is cooled
- If cooking without a pressure cooker: Add 2 ¼ cup of water, cover with a lid and cook on low heat till the water has evaporated and the rice is completely cooked
- Serve hot with curd and pickle of your choice