Recipe- Hyderabadi Style Paneer Dum Biryani

Delicious Paneer biryani is a mildly spiced layered biryani cooked in Hyderabadi dum style. An aromatic biryani recipe for vegetarians made with fragrant basmati rice, soft and creamy paneer and aromatic herbs and spices. A complete meal by itself this veg biryani cooked with paneer is flavourful crowd pleaser dish. Be it a party or a regular family dinner, biryani is loved by most people.

Ingredients

200 grams paneer
200 grams basmati rice long grain
3 Tbsp yogurt curd
1 teaspoon ginger grated
2 tablespoon milk
2 Tbsp Ghee
1 tablespoon Oil

Spice Powders

1 teaspoon biryani Masala
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon red chili powder
Salt to taste

Whole Spices for Biryani

1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1-2 Star anise
2 bay leaves
7-8 Peppercorns
1 inch cinnamon stick
2 cardamom
1 green cardamom
4 cloves
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
10 saffron strands
garam masala powder

Fresh Ingredients for Biryani

3 Onion sliced
1 tomato chopped
2 Tbsp pudina mint
4 tablespoon coriander leaves chopped

Method

Preparation for Making Biryani

- Warm the milk and add saffron strands in the milk for soaking.

- Add paneer cut into small cubes and keep them aside.

- Wash and rinse basmati rice till water runs clear. Soak rice for 15 minutes.

Cooking Rice for Biryani

- In a big pot of boiling water add bay leaf, big cardamom, green cardamom and salt.

- Add washed and soaked basmati rice and cook till the rice are 60-70% done.

- Drain out the water using a colander and keep these partially cooked rice aside.

- Heat oil in a pan and add one sliced onion to it. Cook the onions till it becomes crisp and dark brown. Keep them aside. If you are using store bought crispy fried onions skip this step.

- For making biryani, in the same pan heat 2 tablespoon ghee and fry buts if you are using them. Take them out after 1 minute and keep them aside.

- In the same pan add whole spices, cumin, 1-2 star anise, 1-inch cinnamon stick, 2 Cardamom, 3-4 cloves, peppercorn and cook for 1 minuteon slow heat till spices are fragrant.

- Add sliced onion and cook for another 2 minutes.

- Now, add grated ginger fry it and add tomatoes and then add salt, red chili powder, garam masala powder or biryani masala or both in ½ quantities, and mix well. Cook till tomatoes are mushy.

- Add ⅓ cup of water and mix well. cook for 3-4 minutes on medium heat.

- Add paneer in this cooked masala and switch off the heat. Take out half of the paneer with cooked masala gravy.

- Let the remaining half of paneer masala in same pan

Assembling and Layering of Paneer Biryani for Dum Cooking

- In the same pan, spread half of the cooked rice over masala layer.

- Now for next layer add remaining other half of the paneer masala gravy which you took out earlier

- Sprinkle green coriander and mint leaves over this and lightly fried onion.

- Follow it up with the second layer of partially cooked rice.

- Finally, add warm milk in which saffron is soaked and tightly cover it. Also add mint leaves, fried onions and cover with a heavy lid.

- Cook it on lowest heat for 15 minutes and serve paneer biryani hot with raita.