This Paneer Fried Rice is an Indian inspired delicious recipe of a mildly spiced, savory stir fried rice made with tender paneer, healthy mixed vegetables, fragrant spices and herbs.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 30 minutes
  • Cook time: 20 minutes
  • Total time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 3
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 1 cup rice (- heaped, regular or basmati rice or long grained rice - 200 grams or 3 to 3.5 cups leftover cooked rice)
  • 1.75 cups water
  • ½ teaspoon oil (- any neutral flavored oil)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt (or add as required)
  • 2 tablespoons oil (- any neutral flavored oil)
  • ½ teaspoon caraway seeds ((shahi jeera) or cumin seeds)
  • ⅓ cup finely chopped onions (or 1 medium-sized)
  • 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste (or 3 to 4 small to medium garlic cloves + ½ inch ginger - crushed to a paste in a mortar)
  • ½ cup chopped tomatoes (or 1 medium-sized)
  • ⅓ cup shredded carrots (or 1 small to medium-sized, shredded or finely chopped)
  • ⅓ cup thinly sliced french beans (or 7 to 9 french beans- thinly sliced or finely chopped)
  • ⅓ cup finely chopped capsicum ((green bell pepper) or 1 small-sized bell pepper)
  • 250 grams paneer ((Indian cottage cheese) - chopped in cubes)
  • ½ teaspoon crushed black pepper (or pepper powder, add as required)
  • ¼ teaspoon red chili powder (or add as per taste)
  • ½ teaspoon garam masala
  • salt (as required)

Method

Cooking rice

  1. Rinse the regular rice or basmati rice very well in water for a few times. Then soak the rice grains in water for 20 to 30 minutes.
  2. After 20 to 30 minutes, drain and add the rice in a pressure cooker. Add salt.
  3. Pour 1.75 cups of water and oil.
  4. Stir and pressure cook the rice for 2 whistles or for about 8 to 10 minutes on medium to medium-high heat.
  5. When the pressure falls on its own in the cooker, remove the lid and gently fluff the rice. You can also cook the rice in a pot. If using leftover cooked rice, add 3 to 3.5 cups.
  6. Transfer the cooked rice grains in a large tray or plate and let them cool completely at room temperature, before you proceed further with stir-frying.

Prepping veggies

  1. Meanwhile, when the rice is soaking, you can do the prep work by grating or shredding the carrot, thinly slicing the french beans, finely chopping the capsicum, onion and tomato.

Making paneer fried rice

  1. Heat oil in a deep pan or kadai (wok) and add caraway seeds or cumin seeds. Fry till they splutter.
  2. Then add the finely chopped onions and sauté stirring often till they turn translucent.
  3. Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for some seconds till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
  4. Next add the chopped tomatoes. Mix well and sauté till the tomatoes soften and turn mushy.
  5. Now add the thinly sliced french beans. Stir fry on a medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes.
  6. Then add the grated carrots and finely chopped capsicum. Mix and continue to stir fry on a medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes.
  7. Then add paneer cubes. Also sprinkle some the crushed black pepper or pepper powder, red chili powder and garam masala powder. Stir and mix very well.
  8. Then add the cooked rice. Season with salt as required.
  9. Gently stir and mix everything very well. You can add the rice in parts if you prefer.
  10. Check the taste and add more of the ground spice powders or salt according to your taste preferences.
  11. Serve paneer fried rice hot or warm with a side veggie salad or raita. I usually serve this dish with raita varieties like onion raita or boondi raita or cucumber raita. However it also tastes good even without any accompaniments or sides.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.