Paneer biryani or spicy rice with cottage cheese

How to make paneer (cottage cheese) biryani

Biryani is very famous rice variety cooked with fragrant spices and meat or vegetables.Its perfect one pot meal and served generally along with curd raita and fried onions.

Paneer (cottage cheese biryani ) is cooked using type of biryani cooked using marinated paneer and basamati rice(typs of rice).

I make biryani as a special meal or on weekends as it needs time to follow step by step procedure for cooking it. Biryani is generally made using basamati rice (Long grain and fragarent rice) as it has special aroma and taste after cooking. Special rice dishes like pulao and biryani are made using this basamati rice. And regarding spices used in biryani ,proper grinding of spices is necessary which makes it more rich in flavors.
Or else ready made  biryani masala also available in the market which  can be used for making this birynai. I prefer using homemade masala as its fresh and biryani tastes super tasty and freshly ground spices makes biryani more aromatic and authentic. Rose water and kewara flavour also added in biryani  which makes  it more rich in taste.

I have posted here simple paneer biryani which my mother always  makes at home. Paneer is marinated using curd and dry spices mixture which enhances taste of panner and eventually biryani. It goes well with any raita of choice and Mirchi ka salan.  Try this easy to make biryani and I  am sure you will like it.

Cooking Time :60 min

Ingredients:

Basmati rice 2 cups

Paneer cubes(Preferable fresh paneer as its very soft than frozen paneer) 1/2 cups,

Onions thinly chopped into slices 2

Green chili chopped 4

Coriander leaves chopped

Ginger small piece

Garlic cloves 4

Curd 1 cup

Oil 2 tb Spoon

Salt as per taste

Bay leaf 2

Cardamom 2

Cloves 2

Cinnamon stick 1 inch piece

Turmeric powder 1/4 tea spoon

Coriander powder 1/4 tea spoon

Water 4 cup

Cumin seeds powder 1 tea spoon

Directions to Cook :

1.For making biryani  masala:

Grind bay leaf ,cloves ,cardamom ,cinnamon stick in grinder to get coarse biryani masala powder.This dry masala powder can be stored in air tight container for many days.

2.Marinate paneer :

Grind ginger , garlic ,chili ,coriander with some water in grinder to get paste.

Mix curd , above paste , salt ,turmeric powder in one bowl. Coat paneer cubes with it for marinating and Keep it aside for 1 hour.

3. Add oil to kadhai and fry onions in it till onions get golden brown. Keep it aside.

4. Cook basamati rice with 4 cups of water ,salt to taste and 1 tea spoon of oil in open pan.Cooking in open pan avoids rice getting mushy.Remove it from flame before it gets cooked completely.

5.For making biryani :

Add marinade to heavy bottom pan and layer of cooked rice on it. Sprinkle fried onions and fried paneer cubes.

6.Cover with tight lid on pan and cook for 6 to 7 minutes.

7.Switch off gas and don't open lid of pan for another 10 to 15 minutes.

8.Garnish with fried onions , fried paneer cubes and serve paneer  biryani hot with onion raita or any choice of raita.