Directions
- 1Wash 1 cup of basmati rice 4-5 times until the water is clear, then add fresh water and set aside to soak.
- 2In a mixer grinding jar, add a handful of basil leaves, 4-5 garlic cloves, 1 inch of ginger, 2 green chilies, 3 tablespoons of thick hung curd, salt to taste, 1/2 teaspoon of freshly crushed black pepper, a pinch of sugar, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then blend well to make a basil-flavored marinade.
- 3Cut 250-300 grams of paneer into thick slabs (or preferred shape, like rectangles).
- 4Coat the paneer with the prepared basil-flavored marinade using light hands.
- 5Add a few red chili flakes over the marinated paneer for color and spice.
- 6Keep the marinated paneer aside in the fridge until ready to grill.
- 7Roughly cut 3 tomatoes into quarters and blend them into a puree in a mixer grinding jar.
- 8Heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil or olive oil in a flat, open vessel.
- 9Add 1 medium-sized chopped onion to the hot oil and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft and translucent.
- 10Add 1 tablespoon of chopped garlic and cook for 1-1.5 minutes.
- 11Lower the flame, add 2 teaspoons of Kashmiri red chili powder, a splash of hot water, and some red chili flakes for an extra spicy kick.
- 12Cook the red chili powder with water and oil, then add the tomato puree, salt to taste, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 2 tablespoons of ketchup, 1/2 teaspoon of freshly crushed black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of oregano.
- 13Stir everything well and cook for 7-8 minutes, covering with a lid and stirring occasionally.
- 14Once the sauce has reduced and deepened in color, add roughly torn basil leaves and stir well.
- 15Add 1/3 cup each of sweet corn, capsicum, and carrots to the sauce, or any preferred vegetables.
- 16Stir the vegetables and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- 17Add 1.5 cups of water to the vessel, then drain the soaked rice and add it in, stirring gently.
- 18Taste and adjust salt and seasoning if needed.
- 19Bring the water to a gentle simmer over high flame.
- 20Wrap the lid of the vessel with a clean kitchen towel.
- 21Once the rice water comes to a boil, cover the vessel with the towel-wrapped lid and cook on the lowest flame for 10-12 minutes.
- 22After 12 minutes, check the rice by making a hole in the center with a spoon; if no water remains at the bottom, it's cooked.
- 23Cover the rice again, turn off the gas, and let it rest for at least 15-20 minutes.
- 24While the rice rests, heat a grill pan, add a little oil, and place the marinated paneer pieces.
- 25Cook the paneer from one side until grill marks appear, then flip and cook the other side.
- 26Once the rice has rested, gently fluff it using a spatula, lifting the grains from the sides and bottom to separate them without breaking.
- 27Serve the delicious Tomato Basil Rice with Grilled Paneer hot, optionally with grated cheese and fresh basil leaves.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Basmati rice
- as required Water
- 3 nos. Tomatoes
- 1 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 medium sized Onion, chopped
- 1 tbsp Garlic, chopped
- 2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 splash Hot water
- 1 tsp Red chilli flakes
- to taste Salt
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 2 tbsp Ketchup
- 0.5 tsp Freshly crushed black pepper
- 1 tsp Oregano
- 1 handful Basil leaves
- 0.33 cup Sweet corn
- 0.33 cup Capsicum, diced
- 0.33 cup Carrot, diced
- 1.5 cups Water
- 1 large handful Basil leaves
- 4 5 cloves Garlic cloves
- 1 inch Ginger
- 2 nos. Green chillies
- 3 tbsp Thick hung curd
- to taste Salt
- 0.5 tsp Freshly crushed black pepper
- 1 pinch Sugar
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 250 300 grams Paneer
- 1 pinch Chilli flakes
- 1 2 tsp Oil (for grilling paneer)
Equipment
Mixer grinding jarFlat vesselLidClean kitchen towelSpoonGrill panSpatulaTawa (optional)
Tips
- Wash rice 4-5 times to remove loose starch.
- Soak rice until remaining process is complete.
- For paneer marinade, simplify ingredients for easy home availability.
- Do not use holy basil (tulsi); use sweet basil, Thai basil, or Italian basil.
- Keep marinated paneer in the fridge until grilling.
- The sauce base can be preserved in the fridge or freezer and used for pasta or pizza.
- Measure water for rice 1.5 times the amount of rice, especially after soaking.
- Wrap the lid with a clean cloth to prevent steam water from dripping and ensure fluffy rice.
- Do not stir rice immediately after cooking; let it rest for 15-20 minutes to prevent breaking grains.
- Cook paneer until grill marks appear on both sides.
- Gently fluff rice from the sides and bottom to separate grains without breaking.
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