Paneer biriyani recipe, learn how to make easy paneer dum biriyani.

During Lent, we abstain from meat until Easter; and during this 50 days I make a variety of vegetable dishes. This meatless Lent recipe which has all the wonderful flavors of the whole spices and layered with paneer, rice, and spices.

What I love about this paneer biriyani is that; once the paneer is marinated in curd/yogurt, you just have to cook the rice and fry the onions and then layer the paneer and rice and bake on top of a tawa...so easy and so yummy!

If you dont want to all this in a go, you can fry the onions earlier and store them in an airtight container, cook the rice and refrigerate, and marinate the paneer and refrigerate. When you plan to make the biriyani, just layer the rice and paneer and the spices and bake. You can also bake this in an oven and in a microwave, yes...so easy!

I adapted this recipe from my Hyderabadi chicken biriyani and my family loved every single bite especially my kids who love paneer.

Bachelors, you can half the recipe and enjoy the meal.

Video tutorial:

More Rice Recipes:
Paneer Pulav
Vegetable Biriyani In Pressure Cooker
Easy Vegetable Pulav
Egg Biriyani Recipe

Paneer Biriyani Recipe | How To Make Paneer Dum Biriyani

PREP TIME: 20 Mins    |  COOK TIME: 30 Mins    |  AUTHOR:: NISA HOMEY

   

  INGREDIENTS

• For Fried Onions or birista:
• Onions: 3, sliced
• Oil to fry
• Salt: 1 tsp
• To Cook Rice:
• Basmati Rice: 2 cups (I used 200 ml cup)
• Water: 10 to 11 cups
• Cinnamon: 1 inch
• Cloves: 3 to 5
• Cardamon: 6 to 7
• Star Anise: 1
• Shah Jeera: A fat pinch
• Mace: A small strand
• Salt: 2 tsp
• Green Masala To Grind Coarsely:
• Coriander leaves: One handful
• Mint leaves: Half handful
• Garlic cloves: 7 to 10
• Ginger: 1 inch
• Green Chilies: 2
• Paneer Marination:
• Paneer: 200 - 250 gms
• Curd or yogurt: 6-8 tbsp
• Kashmiri Chilli powder: 1 tsp
• Organic turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala: 1/2 tsp
• Juice of half a lemon
• Shaj jeera: A fat pinch
• Salt: 1 tsp or as needed
• For Layering:
• Warm Milk: 3 tbsp
• Safforn: 10-11 strands
• Ghee: 2 tsp
• Chopped coriander and mint leaves: 3-4 tbsp
• Fried cashewnuts: 50 gms
• Fried rasisns: 25 gms
• Fried Onions: 2 tbsp
• Flour dough

  METHOD:

1. Soak rice in water. Slice the onions.
2. Soak saffron in warm milk.
3. Coarsely grind the ingredients under the green masala.
4. Into a bowl add in the coarsely grounded masala, paneer, Kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, salt, shah jeera, and lemon juice. Mix well and keep aside for 15 minutes.
5. To cook rice; heat a pot or pan with 10 to 11 cups of water. Add in cinnamon, cardamon, cloves, mace, star anise, shaj jeera, and salt. Bring the water to a boil and then add in the soaked rice. When the rice is 3/4 cooked ie they should have a bite when eaten. Strain it on to a strainer/colander.
6. In another heavy bottomed pan, pour in oil and in the sliced onions and fry it till brown. Remove the fired onions to another plate. Add in cashewnuts and lightly fry it and then remove it. Add in the raisins and when it puffs up, remove it.
7. Mix 3/4 of the fried onions or birista into the marinated paneer mix. We need some fried onions for garnishing and while layering.
8. Remove the excess oil from the pan in which the onions were fried. Layer some marinated paneer in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle some chopped mint and coriander leaves. Sprinkle some fried onions, rasiains and cashewnuts.
9. Spread a layer of the cooked rice over the paneer mix. Sprinkle coriander and mint leaves, fried cashewnuts, rasisns, and fried onions. Drizzle 1 tsp ghee, and half of the saffron milk.
10. Again spread a layer of paneer and repeat the same. Lastly, layer rice on top and repeat the same.
11. Press the flour dough on the lid of the pan and press it down so that the lid is sealed and steam does not release out.
12. Place the pan on a preheated tawa and simmer the fire for 10-15 minutes.
13. Open after 15 minutes and serve with raita and papad.

NOTES

• Birista or fried onions can be made ahead and stored.
• The marinated paneer is not cooked and hence the paneer is soft and all the flavors are absorbed. The yogurt or curd also helps in keeping the paneer soft.
• Instead of flour dough you can use aluminum foil.
• Remember to preheat the tawa before placing the biriyani pot over it. You can also layer the biriyani in a glass or steel bowl and bake in preheated oven for 20 mins.
• If you are using very sour curd reduce by half or omit the lemon juice.

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