Paneer Biryani | How to make Paneer Dum Biryani ~ Step by Step

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I woke up this morning to have the biggest scare. The blog just disappeared. I wasn't sure what happened but the message said the blog was deleted. I had to verify and restore it again. This constant feeling that you are using a free service and you might at one point face this situation, really makes us want to host our own website. We did that but never could find time to create a template and the million other things you ought to do, discouraged us from doing it. Anyway, it was only a matter of minutes that this got restored. Still, it surely was a scare early in the morning.

I was planning to share this amazing biryani I had tried last week with Paneer. I knew I will end up making something with Paneer when I decided on Biryanis. This recipe sounded so simple and easy, yet never imagined the taste will be so good. I had paired with Malai Kofta which again was a super duper combo for this rice. However, you can enjoy the Biryani on it's own.

Paneer Dum Biryani

Though this was something that my kids loved, I made something else for them this morning. While Konda and Peddu wanted Fried Rice, Chinnu very clearly said he does not want it. He wanted only Lemon Rice. He now says Lemon Rice, instead of the Yellow rice he was all along saying. I am simply not sure how to get all of them to eat the same dish. When I end up cooking different dishes for them, I am clueless about what to make for the elders! Anyway, I am sure someday it will be better. Meanwhile, you enjoy this rice.

Step by Step Pictures













Paneer Dum Biryani

For the Rice

Raw Rice - 2 cups (I used Sona masuri)
Paneer, cubes - 1 1/4 cup / 250 gms
Onion, julienne - 1/2 medium
Bay leaf - 2 small
Salt to taste
Butter - 1 tsp
Butter - 1 tsp for frying paneer
Browned Onions - 1/2 medium
Water - 4 cups

To be ground to a paste :

Garlic - 4
Ginger - 2"
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Dry Red chillis - 4
Coriander Seeds - 1 tsp
Cinnamon - 2
Cloves - 2
Cardamon - 2

How to make:

Wash and soak rice for 15 mins.

Grind the ingredients with enough water to form a smooth paste.

Heat a nonstick pan with little oil, fry the paneer cubes, remove and fry the onions till golden brown. Keep it aside.

Heat another nonstick pan with butter, add bay leaf, then add onion julienne, saute well. When the onions turn colour, add the paste and fry till the raw smell goes. Takes about 5 - 7 mins on high flame.

Save some fried paneer, add the rest to the pan. Drain the rice and add it to the pan along with salt. Saute for a couple of minutes. then add water. Bring to boil. Cover with lid and cook on high. When the water starts rolling, simmer and continue cooking for 10 mins.

When the rice is cooked, place a tawa on the flame, sim, and place this pan over it. Let it dum for 10 mins.

When the rice is done, garnish with browned onions, remaining paneer and serve.

Notes:

This is more like a pulao, which according to my own context is something that's cooked along with the masala. However, this rice turned out to be quite spicy and the masalas were distinct.

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