This is such a gorgeous one-pot rice dish, though it deviates from my usual microwave method and goes back to cooking rice the good old-fashioned, stove-top absorption way. If you’re vegan, you can easily substitute tofu for the paneer cubes. In fact, I told my tofu-mad children that the paneer was tofu, and they were none the wiser.
One-pot nigella-spiced paneer fried rice
Prep 15 min
Cook 30 min
Serves 2-3
225g paneer, cut into 1cm cubes
2 tbsp neutral oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated
2cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 tsp nigella seeds
1 scant tsp ground turmeric
1 heaped tsp freshly ground coriander
200g cherry tomatoes, halved
150g spring greens, finely chopped
200g basmati rice
400ml boiling vegetable stock
Flaky sea salt
Yoghurt, to serve (optional)
Tip the cubed paneer into a bowl of just-boiled water and leave it to rehydrate while you get everything else ready.
Pour half the oil in a large frying pan or casserole with a lid, and put it on a medium heat. Add the chopped onion and fry, stirring, for five minutes, until slightly softened. Add the garlic and ginger, and fry for a further two minutes.
Drain the paneer into a colander, shake it dry, then tip it into the onion pan and stir to coat. Fry for three to four minutes, without disturbing the paneer, until it’s well browned on one side. Add the nigella seeds, turmeric and ground coriander, stir-fry for 30-40 seconds, then add the tomatoes and spring greens, and fry for a further minute.
Tip in the rice, stir well to coat, then pour over the stock and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to low, cover the pan and leave the rice to cook for 12 minutes without lifting the lid – do not peek.
Spoon out the rice on to two large plates, then spread it out and leave for five minutes, so it dries out and fluffs up. Taste and add salt as needed, then serve warm with yoghurt on the side, if you wish.
