Palak Paneer Pulao

(From Banu's Cookbook)

Ingredients:
2-3 Cups of Pre Cooked Basmati Rice
4-6 Cups of Fresh Spinach
2-3 Green Chillies
2-3 Garlic Cloves - Chopped Fine
1 Small Onion - Chopped Fine
1 Cup of Paneer Cubes
1 inch piece of Cinnamon Sticks (Dalchini)
2-4 Whole Cloves (Lavang)
5-6 Bay Leaves (Tej Patta)
2-3 Whole Green Cardamom (Tej Patta)
2 Tsp of Garam Masala
Salt To Taste
Oil for Frying

Method:
1. Wilt the Spinach in very little water along with the green chillies. Once this is cooled, blend it into a paste in the blender.
2. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the Cloves, bay leaves, cinnamon stick and Cardamom. Saute these for a while until they turn brown and you start smelling them.
3. Add the Chopped onions and garlic and saute them well until the onion gets slightly browned. Do not burn them, just a bit brown.
4. Add salt and Garam Masala and cook for a few more minutes. Add the chopped Paneer pieces, reduce the flame to medium and cook until you feel that the paneer pieces are cooked and lightly browned.
5. At this point add the Spinach Puree and some more salt and cook for a few minutes until you see the whole mixture mixed together well.
6. Add the cooked rice to this mixture and mix well. Let it cook for a few minutes on low flame.
7. Take it off fire and serve it hot either with Raita or chips.

Notes:
1. You can use frozen spinach instead of Fresh one.
2. You can even use pre sauteed paneer cubes - if you do so, do not saute them much after you add them to the onion mixture, else it will get very hard.
3. You can also add some red chilli powder along with Garam Masala if you want it more spicy.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did and let me know your comments if you do try it. When I was cooking this, I was wishing if I could capture the aroma of it..:))