Make restaurant-style paneer biryani at home with this easy recipe

Paneer is a favourite with almost everyone. Many people have eaten chicken biryani often, but this time it is worth trying paneer biryani. It holds a special place in vegetarian meals. When fragrant basmati rice, spiced paneer, fried onions and a good mix of spices are used properly, the biryani gets excellent flavour and aroma. It is often eaten as an alternative to non-vegetarian biryani, but many people also like it on its own.

One thing to remember while making biryani at home is that the rice should not be fully cooked. It should be cooked to about 70 to 80 percent and then steamed together with the paneer masala. This keeps every grain of rice separate and lets the flavour of the spices soak in well. Curd, ginger-garlic paste, garam masala, coriander, mint and fried onions give the biryani a rich taste. Lightly sauteing the paneer first gives it a good texture, and its flavour opens up further once mixed with the masala. This paneer biryani can certainly be made for a special Sunday meal, a menu for guests, or any special occasion.

The ingredients needed are: 2 cups basmati rice, 250 grams paneer, 2 to 3 onions, 1 tomato, half a cup curd, 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste, 2 green chillies, half a cup mint leaves, half a cup coriander, a quarter cup milk, 8 to 10 strands of saffron, 2 tablespoons ghee, 2 tablespoons oil, half a teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 bay leaf, a small piece of cinnamon, 3 to 4 cloves, 2 cardamom pods, 1 to 1.5 tablespoons biryani masala, half a teaspoon red chilli powder, a quarter teaspoon turmeric, salt to taste and 1 teaspoon lemon juice.

To prepare it, first wash the basmati rice well and soak it in water for 20 to 30 minutes. Then cook the rice only 70 to 80 percent in water with salt and a few whole spices, not fully. Drain the water and set the rice aside. Cut the paneer into cubes and coat them with a little salt and red chilli powder. Heat a little oil or ghee in a pan and lightly saute the paneer cubes until light golden, without frying them too long or they will turn hard.

In the same pan, add oil and ghee, then cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Add finely chopped onion and saute until golden. Add ginger-garlic paste and green chillies and saute for a few minutes. Add chopped tomato and cook until soft. Add turmeric, red chilli powder, biryani masala and salt. Add curd and mix the mixture well. Add the sauteed paneer along with a little coriander and mint, and cook for a few minutes.

In a heavy-bottomed pot, first spread the paneer masala. Layer the partly cooked basmati rice over it. Spread fried onion, coriander and mint on top, and repeat the layers as needed. Soak saffron in warm milk and pour it evenly over the rice. Spread a little ghee and fried onion on top, which gives the biryani a good colour and aroma. Cover the pot tightly and cook on low heat for 15 to 20 minutes. After turning off the gas, leave the lid on for 5 minutes, then mix the biryani gently without breaking the rice grains.