What we love about comfort foods is that no matter how tired you are, returning to them will always make you feel better. There are several dishes, like khichdi, bisi bele bath, pulao, curd rice, and more, that may quickly warm our hearts. Another recipe that we adore is fried rice. Fried rice never fails to please, whether you prepare it traditionally or with your desired twist. You can enhance its flavor by using several ingredients. For instance, you can use burnt garlic, mushrooms, thai basil, and more. Here, we bring you a fried rice recipe that uses paneer. I marinated the paneer chunks in this recipe with salt, red chili powder, ginger garlic paste, and oil.
Ingredients
Paneer: Use fresh homemade or store-bought paneer. Rice: Use long-grain, and fragrant rice like basmati rice or jasmine rice to make fried rice. Onion: I prefer to use the white part of spring onions or scallions. You can also use sweet onion. Garlic and ginger: Use freshly minced garlic and ginger for the best flavor. Vegetables: I used carrots, bell pepper, and green beans, in this recipe. You may add other veggies like green peas, sweet corn, broccoli, and mushrooms. Soy sauce: I used light soy sauce. If you want it gluten-free, you can use tamari or coconut aminos. Vinegar: I like to add white vinegar (or rice vinegar), as it adds a slight tang to the rice and elevates the flavors. Oil: I used avocado oil. You may also use sesame, coconut, or peanut oil as they have a high smoking point. Seasonings: Salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish: I like to use the green parts of the spring onions to garnish the fried rice.
How to Make Paneer Vegetable Fried Rice
Step-by-step recipe to make paneer fried rice:
Step 1: Prep
Cook the basmati rice and let it cool completely. Learn how to cook Basmati rice in Instant Pot. If you prefer, you can keep the cooked rice in the refrigerator to get extra-firm rice. You can also use leftover rice for this recipe. Also, chop the vegetables and keep them ready.
Step 2: Marinate & Fry Paneer
Cut the paneer into 1-inch cubes. Add some red chili powder, salt, ginger-garlic paste and oil. Mix everything well. Marinate for 15 minutes. Note: Spicing up the paneer enhances the taste; however, you can skip this step and just fry the plain paneer in oil and add it to the fried rice. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Once the oil is hot, add marinated paneer cubes. Saute for 4-5 minutes until paneer turns golden brown on all sides. Remove them from the pan and keep aside. You can also roast the paneer in the Air Fryer.
Step 3: Stir Fry
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add finely chopped garlic and saute for a few seconds. Then add ginger and green chili and saute for another few seconds. Next, add white spring onions and saute on high for about a minute till the onions are slightly soft. Add the chopped vegetables and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes on high heat till they are tender and crisp. Do not overcook the veggies. Add the cooked basmati rice, light soy sauce, white vinegar, salt, and ground black pepper. Gently toss the rice and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until heated through. Finally, add sauteed paneer, and garnish with spring onion greens. Toss everything well. Serve Indian Style paneer vegetable fried rice hot with a side of Gobi Manchurian.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve Paneer Fried Rice on its own, or it tastes great when paired with Indo-Chinese side dishes like sweet corn soup, gobi manchurian or hakka noodles.
Storage Suggestions
Store: Allow it to cool completely, and store the leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Reheat: Sprinkle some water and reheat the paneer fried rice in a wok or skillet on medium heat, stirring occasionally. You can also microwave it for a few seconds until it warms through.
Tips to Make the Best Paneer Rice
Pre-cooked Rice: Use cold pre-cooked (or a day older) rice, It holds up the shape and is perfect for homemade fried rice. Marinate the Paneer: Make sure to marinate paneer cubes with red chili powder, ginger garlic paste, and some oil for 15-20 minutes before frying in oil. This helps to enhance the flavor of the paneer. Stir-fry on High heat: Always stir-fry the vegetables on high heat to get crispy veggies. Gluten-free: Try to use low-sodium soy sauce, and if you are looking for gluten-free, use Tamari or also Coconut Aminos to replace the regular soy sauce, and it’s the best!
Variations
Rice: You can use either basmati or jasmine rice, in this recipe. The rice-to-water ratio will vary for each rice type. For example, for Basmati (1 rice:1 ¼ water), and jasmine rice (1 rice:1 ¼ water). Protein: You can also use either crumbled paneer (cottage cheese), scrambled or sauteed tofu, or eggs. Spicy: You can add some schezwan sauce to make schezwan paneer fried rice. Other Vegetables: You can also add green peas, broccoli, edamame, and mushrooms.
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