Paneer Biryani
Paneer biryani is made with paneer and preferably long grain basmati rice along with a wide variety of spices and other ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1.5 cup rice 300 gram (washed and soaked)
- 250 gram paneer cut into small cubes
- 1/3 cup cooking oil
- 2 pieces onions medium size, finely sliced
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 pods black cardamom
- 2 pieces bay leaves
- 1 stick cinnamon 1-inch size
- 3 pods green cardamom
- 3 pieces cloves
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 2 pieces tomato puree
- Salt to taste
- 2 tsp red chili powder
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp garam masala powder
- 4 tbsp yogurt
- 1 tsp kasuri methi
- 4 pieces green chili whole, with stalk
- Orange food color a few drops
- Kewra essence a few drops
- 1 tbsp ghee
- Cashew nut a few
To prepare biryani rice:
- 7 cups water
- 2 pieces bay leaves
- 3 pods green cardamom
- 3 pieces cloves
- Cilantro a little bit, finely chopped
- Mint leaves a little bit, finely chopped
- Salt a generous amount
- 3 pieces mace
Instructions
- Wash and soak 1.5 cup of basmati rice for 15 to 20 minutes. (Pro tip: Do not soak the rice for a long time or else it will break while layering).
- Heat 1/3 cup of cooking oil and stir fry 250 grams of paneer. Fry till golden brown. Remove them when done. (Pro tip: Do not fry paneer too much or else it will be stretchy and spoil the taste of the biryani).
- In the same pan and oil, add 2 medium size finely sliced onions to stir fry.
- Turn off the stove and remove when onions turn slightly golden brown.
- Leave ¼ fried onions in the pan.
- Add 1 tsp of cumin seeds, 2 pods of black cardamom, 2 pieces of bay leaves, 1 stick cinnamon (1-inch size), 3 pods of green cardamom, and 3 pieces of cloves to it.
- Fry them on a low flame now. Then add 1 tbsp of ginger garlic paste. Stir.
- Now, add 2 tomatoes (puree). Mix and let it cook for a few minutes.
- Now, add salt to taste, 2 tsp or red chili powder, ¼ tsp of turmeric powder, 2 tsp of coriander powder, and 1 tsp garam masala powder to it. Mix them nicely, cover and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes or so.
- Boil 7 cups water in a different pan.
- Add 2 pieces of bay leaves, 3 pods of green cardamom, 3 pieces of cloves, as generous amount of salt, a little bit of finely chopped cilantro and a little bit of finely chopped mint leaves.
- Also, add the soaked rice.
- Now along with it add 2 or 3 pieces of mace or javitri. Leave it until the rice is 90% cooked.
- By this time, the masala is cooked nicely. Turn the flame to the lowest and add 4 tbsp yogurt. Mix it nicely with the masala. Cover and cook it on low flame for 5 minutes more. (Pro tip: Always add yogurt or dahi at room temperature or else it will not mix nicely).
- Now, remove the cover and add 1 tsp kasuri methi to it. Mix it, cover it, and cook for another 3 minutes.
- By that time, check the rice.
- Now, add the fried pieces of paneer to the cooked masala in a layer. (Pro tip: If you want soft paneer in every bite, mix it with the masala. If you want the fried taste, follow my process).
- Make a layer of boiled rice on it.
- Top it with the fried onions, a bit of finely chopped cilantro and mint leaves, 4 pieces green chili with stalk, a few drops of orange food color and a few drops of kewra essence.
- Cover it and let it cook on a very low flame for 10 to 12 minutes more. After that, turn the flame off and leave it covered on the stove. (Pro tip: If you do not want to use food color, you can use saffron in milk as an alternative).
- In the meantime, heat another frying pan, put 1 tbsp of desi ghee and fry a few cashew nuts in it.
- Now, remove the cover from the biryani and add the fried cashew nuts along with the ghee to it. Cover and leave it like that for another 10 minutes or so.
- Paneer biryani is nicely cooked now.
- Mix everything gently and carefully from the side.
- Your prefect homemade paneer biryani is now eventually ready. Serve it with boondi raita, cucumber slices, onion rings, and green chutney.
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Notes
I preferably use Sella basmati rice or top-quality biryani rice to make this recipe for good look and taste.
I have fried the paneer in the recipe. You may add them raw after marinating it with yogurt, chili powder and turmeric.
Turn the flame of gas stove off while removing fried onions or else it will burn and spoil the taste of the paneer biryani.
Always use vibrant red ripe tomatoes in the recipe.
The rice used in biryani should be salty. So, add a generous amount of salt to boil the rice or else the biryani will taste bland.
Nutrition Info (Estimation Only)
Nutrition Facts
Paneer Biryani
Amount per Serving
Calories
340
Calories from Fat 180
% Daily Value*
Fat
20
g
31
%
Saturated Fat
7
g
44
%
Trans Fat
0.04
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
3
g
Monounsaturated Fat
7
g
Cholesterol
26
mg
9
%
Sodium
37
mg
2
%
Potassium
110
mg
3
%
Carbohydrates
32
g
11
%
Fiber
2
g
8
%
Sugar
0.4
g
0
%
Protein
8
g
16
%
Vitamin A
190
IU
4
%
Vitamin C
1
mg
1
%
Calcium
204
mg
20
%
Iron
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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