Paneer Biryani Recipe (Restaurant Style) is a vegetarian dish from India that combines fragrant basmati rice with paneer (Indian cottage cheese), vegetables, and a variety of spices. It’s a flavorful and satisfying meal that can be enjoyed on its own or with sides like raita and salad.
There are many different ways to make paneer biryani recipe, but the basic method involves layering the rice, paneer, vegetables, and spices in a pot or biryani pan. The pot is then sealed and cooked over low heat, allowing the flavors to meld and the rice to steam to perfection.
Paneer biryani is a popular dish in India and is often served on special occasions. It can be enjoyed vegetarian or with the addition of meat, such as chicken or lamb. If you’re looking for a delicious and hearty vegetarian meal, paneer biryani is definitely a dish to try.
How to make Paneer Biryani Recipe:
1. Add 2 cups of basmati rice in a bowl. Clean rice with water and soak for an hour.
Preparing Marination:
2. Cut paneer into 1 inch size blocks and put them aside.
3. Now put paneer cubes in a large bowl, sprinkle ¼ tbsp. Turmeric powder, red chili powder and 2 tbsp. salt.
4. Add coriadner powder, garam masala poder, biryani spice powder and cumin powder.
5. Put 2 tbsp. fresh ginger garlic paste, mint leaves, coriander leaves and 3 No. 1 inch size cinnamon sticks.
6. Add 5 No. cardamoms, 5 No. cloves, ½ tbsp. sayajeera and 2 No. Bay leaves.
7. Put lemon juice, put fist full of fried onions and dry kasuri methi. Mix all ingredients.
8. Add soar curd to give tangling flavour, add little oil, 2 tbsp. ghee and mix well.
9. Paneer Biryani Recipe taste great when we marinate for at least 30 minutes to an hour.
Preparing Rice:
10. Boil water in a vessel, once water boils add 2 No. 1 inch cinnamon sticks, 3 No. Cardamoms and Star anise.
11. Put ½ tbsp. sayajeera, 4 No. Cloves, 2 No. Bay leaves and ½ tbsp. Ginger garlic paste.
12. Sprinkle 3 tbsp. Salt, 2 tbsp. Ghee, add soaked rice and cook for a while till we get one boil.
13. Put marinated paneer cubes in a wide vessel, gently spread cubes and put little oil. Cook on low flame.
14. Once rice starts boiling, check rice grains. If they break with gentle press then rice is ready.
15. Take rice from boiling water and put them over paneer to form a layer.
16. Sprinkle mint leaves and coriander leaves, fried onions as a layer and sprinkle biryani masala or garam masala powder.
17. Repeat this process of layering to get three layers.
18. Top ghee over the paneer biryani recipe along with food colour (optional). Place banana leaf over the top and close the lid.
19. To lock the flavours and stem place weight over the lid and cook for 20-30 minutes on low flame till we can sense the aroma.
20. Open the lid and banana leaves, gently remove rice from bottom and place it over top. Serve Paneer Biryani Recipe Hot accompanied with onions and raita.
Watch Paneer Biryani Recipe Video on Youtube.
Here are a few finger-licking recipes:
Pro Tips to make a perfect Paneer Biryani Recipe:
Preparation Paneer Biryani Recipe:
Use high-quality ingredients: Start with fresh, fragrant basmati rice, well-drained paneer cubes, and aromatic whole spices like cardamom, cloves, and bay leaves.
Marinate the paneer: Soak the paneer cubes in a yogurt marinade with spices like turmeric, ginger-garlic paste, and garam masala for at least 30 minutes to enhance their flavor and tenderness.
Layer the biryani: Layer the marinated paneer, cooked rice, fried onions, mint leaves, and coriander leaves in a large pot or baking dish. This creates a visually appealing and flavorful dish.
Cooking Paneer Biryani Recipe:
Use ghee or oil: Adding ghee or oil to the biryani adds richness and helps to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Control the heat: Cook the biryani over medium heat to allow the flavors to develop and the rice to cook evenly without burning.
Seal the pot: Tightly seal the pot with a lid or foil to trap the steam and create a flavorful, aromatic biryani.
Dum cooking: After cooking the biryani on the stovetop for a few minutes, you can transfer it to the oven for dum cooking (slow cooking with residual heat) for additional depth of flavor.
Presentation of paneer Biryani Recipe:
Garnish with nuts and saffron: Garnish the cooked biryani with toasted nuts like cashews and almonds, and a few strands of saffron for an extra touch of elegance and flavor.
Serve with accompaniments: Serve the biryani with raita (yogurt sauce), chutneys, and a simple salad for a complete and satisfying meal.
Paneer Biryani Recipe Restaurant Style
Paneer Biryani Recipe is a vegetarian dish from India that combines fragrant basmati rice with paneer (Indian cottage cheese), vegetables, and a variety of spices.
Ingredients
- Paneer – 500 gms.
- Basmathi rice – 2 glass full ½ Kg.
- Turmeric powder – ¼ tbsp.
- Red chili powder – 3 tbsp.
- Salt – 2 tbsp.
- Coriander powder – 1 tbsp.
- Garam Masala powder – 1 tbsp.
- Biryani spice powder – 1 tbsp.
- Jeera/ Cumin Powder – ½ tbsp.
- Fresh ginger garlic paste – 2 ½ tbsp.
- Mint leaves – 1 cup
- Coriander leaves – 1 cup
- Cinnamon Sticks – 1 inch sticks – 5 No.
- Cardamom – 8 No.
- Cloves – 9 No.
- Sayajeera – 1 tbsp.
- Bay leaves – 4 No.
- Lemon juice – 2 tbsp.
- Fried Onions – Required to put in preparing paneer masala and layering rice
- Dry kasuri methi – 1 tbsp.
- Curd – 1 cup
- Oil – 1 tbsp.
- Ghee – 2 tbsp.
- Water – required to cook rice
- Star Anise – 2 No.
Instructions
- Place 2 cups of basmati rice in a bowl. Clean the rice with water and soak it for an hour.
- Cut the paneer into 1 inch blocks and set them aside.
- In a large bowl, combine paneer cubes, ¼ tbsp turmeric powder, red chilli powder, and 2 tbsp salt.
- Stir in coriadner powder, garam masala powder, biryani spice powder, and cumin powder.
- Add 2 tablespoons fresh ginger garlic paste, mint leaves, coriander leaves, and three 1-inch cinnamon sticks.
- Put 5 cardamoms, 5 cloves, ½ tbsp of sayajeera, and 2 bay leaves.
- Add lemon juice, a fistful of fried onions, and dried kasuri methi. Combine all ingredients.
- To add more taste, stir in soar curd, a little oil, and 2 tbsp. ghee.
- Paneer Biryani Recipe tastes best when marinated for at least 30 minutes to an hour.
- Bring water to a boil in a pot; while boiling, add 2 1 inch cinnamon sticks, 3 cardamoms, and star anise.
- Combine ½ tbsp of sayajeera, 4 cloves, 2 bay leaves, and ½ tbsp of ginger garlic paste.
- Add 3 tbsp. salt, 2 tbsp. ghee, and the soaked rice, and simmer until it boils.
- Place marinated paneer cubes in a large saucepan, gently spread them, and drizzle with a little oil. Cook on a low flame.
- Once the rice begins to boil, inspect the grains. If they break with slight pressure, the rice is ready.
- Remove rice from the boiling water and spread it over the paneer to form a layer.
- Layer mint, coriander, and fried onions, then sprinkle with biryani masala or garam masala powder.
- Repeat the layering technique until you have three layers.
- Drizzle the paneer biryani recipe with ghee and optional food colouring. Place a banana leaf on top and seal the lid.
- To seal in the tastes and stems, add a weight on top of the lid and cook for 20-30 minutes on low heat until we can detect the aroma.
- Open the lid and banana leaves, then gently remove the rice from the bottom and set it on top. Serve Paneer Biryani Recipe Hot with Onions and Raita.
Recipe Video
FAQ:
What type of paneer should I use?
Use firm paneer that can hold its shape during cooking. Avoid soft or crumbly paneer, as it may break apart.
How do I marinate the paneer?
Marinate the paneer in yogurt with spices like ginger, garlic, turmeric, chili powder, garam masala, and coriander powder for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight. This infuses the paneer with flavor and keeps it moist.
What kind of rice is best for paneer biryani?
Basmati rice is the ideal choice for its long, slender grains and delicate aroma. Rinse the rice thoroughly before cooking to remove any excess starch.
What vegetables can I add to paneer biryani?
Onions, peas, carrots, bell peppers, and green beans are common additions. You can also experiment with other vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, or mushrooms.
Do I need to use ghee?
Ghee adds a rich, nutty flavor to the biryani, but you can substitute it with vegetable oil or clarified butter if needed.
How do I layer the paneer biryani recipe?
Start with a layer of fried onions, then add the marinated paneer, rice, and spices. Repeat the layering process, ending with rice on top. Pour in yogurt mixed with saffron and rosewater (optional) and dot with ghee.
What cooking method should I use?
You can cook paneer biryani on the stovetop in a sealed pot (dum style) or in a pressure cooker for a quicker version.
How long does it take to cook paneer biryani?
On the stovetop, it takes about 30-45 minutes for the rice to cook through. In a pressure cooker, it takes about 15-20 minutes.
How do I serve paneer biryani recipe?
Serve it hot with raita (yogurt sauce), fresh cilantro, and lime wedges.
Here are some additional tips for making paneer biryani:
- Soak the basmati rice for at least 30 minutes before cooking. This helps the rice cook evenly and prevents it from becoming mushy.
- Don’t stir the biryani while it’s cooking. This can break up the rice and make it mushy.
- Let the biryani rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to meld together.