Rice with Chickpea Ragout and Paneer

Ingredients

• 250 g Basmati whole grain rice
• Salting water
• 2 onions
• 3 Garlic cloves
• 20 g ginger root
• 400 g Paneer (Indian cheese)
• 4 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 0.25 tsp Pepper
• 10 curry leaves (fresh or dried)
• 400 g Chickpeas (canned; drained weight)
• 400 g diced tomatoes (canned)
• 100 g Greek yogurt
• 5 g mint (1 handful)
• 1 splash Lemon juice

Instructions

1. 1.

   Cook the washed rice in 2.5 times its volume of salted water according to package instructions.

2. 2.

   Meanwhile, peel and halve the onions and garlic, then slice into thin strips. Peel the ginger and grate finely. Cut the paneer into 3–4 cm pieces.

3. 3.

   Heat 2 tbsp oil in a deep pan. Add onions and garlic, sauté for 5 minutes over medium heat while stirring. Add mustard seeds, ginger, turmeric, pepper, and curry leaves; cook everything together for 1–2 minutes while stirring. Remove half of the mixture and set aside.

4. 4.

   Rinse chickpeas, drain, and add to the pan. Stir in diced tomatoes and 250 ml water; simmer uncovered for 8–10 minutes over medium heat. Season with salt.

5. 5.

   Heat remaining oil in another pan. Brown paneer on each side for 1–2 minutes over medium heat. Remove and keep warm if desired.

6. 6.

   Wash mint, pat dry, and chop leaves. Mix yogurt with mint and lemon juice; season the dip with salt and pepper.

7. 7.

   Distribute rice onto bowls, top with chickpea ragout and paneer. Garnish with the reserved onion mixture and serve with the yogurt dip. Pair with papadam bread.