“Paneer Biryani”, a super delicious Indian rice entree. Perfect to make for lunch any day of the week, but more so on the holidays and weekends. This biryani needs just a short time to prepare and needs just one pan, making the cleaning process as easy as the cooking. Also, in addition to that, it has a ton of flavor making it my choice for any celebration during the upcoming holidays. Basmati rice is the perfect rice to cook biryani and other Indian dishes like Pulav.


Ingredients:
Basmati Rice -  1 -1/2 cup
Paneer - 200g
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Green chilli - 2
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Ghee - 2 tsp
Cinnamon stick - 1 inch
Cardamom - 2
Cloves - 3
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Black pepper corns - 1/4 tsp
Bay leaf - 1
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
Mint and Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 2 tsp
Salt as required

Steps

Soak the basmati rice for 20 minutes.
Cut the paneer into 1/2 inch cubes.
While rice is soaking, heat a pan and add 2 tsp of desi ghee.
Once ghee is hot and melted well, add paneer cubes and fry till golden in color. Make sure to fry all the sides.
Transfer into a bowl and keep aside.
In the same ghee, add cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom, fennel seeds, black pepper corns, bay leaf and fry it.
Then add chopped onion, green chilli and fry it.
Once onion wilted, add ginger garlic paste and fry it.
When raw smell of ginger garlic paste goes off, add chopped tomato and stir it. Cook for 3 minutes.
Then add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, garam masala and mix it.
Now add soaked basmati rice and give a stir.
Then add 3 cups of water and enough salt as per your taste and mix it.
Cook this till 75%.
After 75% cooked, add coriander leaves and mint leaves. Water would not be drained completely at this stage.

On top of that spread fried paneer and cover with an aluminium foil and cook in low flame for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, remove aluminium foil and gently stir the briyani.
Now tasty briyani is ready to serve.