Today, I was not in a mood to do any elaborate cooking. Usually sunday lunch menu at home will be only traditional South Indian.

As I was feeling very lazy, I decided to make a one pot meal. I had paneer and some fresh peas. My husband asked me to make something mild without much masala.

So I made this pepper flavoured paneer and peas rice and served it with onion and pomegranate raita.

A simple, wholesome lunch for a lazy sunday afternoon:)

Ingredients

Basmati rice – 1 cup

Paneer – 200 gms

Boiled fresh peas – 1 cup

Onion – 2 medium sized

Butter – 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds ( jeera)-1 tsp

Oil – 1 tbsp

Pepper powder- 1-11/2 tsps

Cumin seeds powder ( jeera powder)- 2 tsps

Soya sauce – 1tsp

Vinegar – 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Method

Wash and soak basmati rice for 15-20 mins.

Peel, wash and slice onions.

Cut paneer into small cubes.

Heat butter in a pan. Add cumin seeds. When it starts spluttering, add the sliced onions. Sauté till the onions turn pale.

Drain the soaked rice completely and add to the onions. Sauté for few mins till the grains are well coated with butter.

Add 2 cups of water and salt to taste and mix well. When the water starts boiling, reduce the flame, close the pan with a lid and cook till rice becomes soft and dry.

Gently fluff the rice.

Heat another pan. Add a tbsp of oil. To the hot oil, add the paneer cubes and sauté for few mins. Then add the boiled peas, pepper powder, cumin powder and salt to taste. Mix well and sauté for few mins.

Add soya sauce and vinegar and mix well.

Add this to the cooked rice, mix gently and sauté on a high flame for few mins.

Garnish with crushed pepper and serve hot with vegetable raita. I have served it with onion and pomegranate raita:)