Paneer Biryani

I am not a big fan of biryani initially but there is this restaurant called Signature India - he makes amazing biryani and slowly i started eating biryani. Coming to biryani's i have three options - veg, paneer and egg. Out of these three i like egg and paneer , i don't like vegetable biryani some how.

I learnt this paneer biryani and believe me this tastes amazing, when ever i make this its a hit. 

It may look like you are using more spices and spice powder by seeing ingredients list but do give it a try you will also fall in love with this biryani.

Preparation time : 1 hour 30 mins approximately
Serves : 3 to 4

Ingredients :

For Marination :

Paneer : 250 grams ( around 100 grams of paneer for one cup of rice )
Fried onion : 4Tbsp
Yogurt : 4 Tbsp
Ghee : 1Tbsp
Oil : 2 tsp
Lemon juice : 1 lemon
Ginger garlic paste : 1 Tbsp
Green chili : 3
Chopped coriander leaves : 3 Tbsp
Chopped Mint : 2 Tbsp
Sha jeera : 1tsp
Garam masala : 1 tsp
Salt : 1/2 tsp
Sugar : 3/4 tsp
Kasoori methi : 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder : 1 Tbsp
Cumin powder : 1tsp
Black pepper powder : 1/4 tsp
Red chili powder : 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
Crushed cloves : 7

For Rice :

Basmati rice : 3 cups
Salt : to taste
Oil : 2 tsp
Bay leaves : 2
Sha jeera : 1 tsp
Green cardamom : 5
Black cardamom : 2
Cloves : 6
Cinnamon stick : 2"
Black pepper cons : 1/4 tsp
Star anise : 1

For Biryani :

Oil : 2 tsp
Ghee : 1 Tbsp
Cumin seeds : 1/2 tsp
Onion : 2
Salt : 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste : 1/2 Tbsp
Tomato : 1 large
Pepper powder : 1/4 tsp
Chili powder : 1 tsp
Cumin powder : 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder : 1tsp
Garam masala powder : 3/4 tsp
Shan Biryani masala : 1/2 tsp
Kasoori methi : 1/4 tsp
Sugar : 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves : 2 Tbsp
Mint leaves : 1 tsp
Curd : 2 Tbsp
Water : 1/2 cup

For toppings :

Fried onion : 1 Tbsp
Ghee : 4 Tbsp
Rose water : 2 to 3 tsp
Turmeric : pinch
Cashew nuts : 10
Saffron : few strands
Milk : 2 Tbsp
Shan biryani masala : 1 tsp

Method :

Take bowl add ingredients listed for marination. Mix well , let it marinate for at least one hour , i usually do overnight marination.

Soak rice for 20 mins (don't soak more than an hour, if you have to then at least drain it and keep it aside )
Take a pot and add lots of water, add ingredients listed for rice except basmati rice.
Once it started to boil vigorously add basmati rice and cook it until it is 90% done.
(This is the crucial step for biryani - take full care not to over or under cook the rice)
Drain the water completely and spread it on a plate and use this with in 5 mins for your next step.

Now we are going to use ingredients listed for biryani in this step, and start this step parallelly when you do the above step , so that by the time rice is ready , you can add that in this.
Take a pan , add oil, ghee , once hot add cumin seeds.
Once they are roasted add in chopped onions, once they turn golden add ginger garlic paste.
When the raw flavor from ginger garlic is gone add chopped tomatoes and salt.
Once tomatoes are mushy add turmeric powder, black pepper powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, kasoori methi , biryani masala, sugar .
Give it good stir and add coriander and mint leaves. Add curd.
Add 1/2 cup of water.
Once it comes to boil, keep the flame in medium low and add half the rice that we prepared in the previous step.
Add half of paneer followed by remaining half of the rice and then by rest of the paneer, by this we are done with layering of rice and paneer.

Now we use the ingredients listed for toppings.
Sprinkle biryani masala on top of rice.
Add melted ghee,  milk in which saffron strands are soaked and turmeric mixed rose water - one by one in a circular motion on top of rice .
Add fried onion and cashew nuts also on top.

Now we have to cover it really good, so that the vapor should not escape.
For this you can seal the edges of the pot with dough, or you can used paper napkins to cover the top of the rice, or usually i will use aluminum foil on top of the pot and then cover it with a lid.
Now put the flame to low and dum it for 40 minutes.
After 40 mins, switch off the stove and give it a standing time of 10 mins.
Your biryani is ready to serve.
Serve it hot with raita or any gravy curry or as it is.
Enjoy your dish :)