Paneer Dum Biryani

Prep Time: 30min
Soak Time: 30min
Cook Time: 30min
Total Time: 1hr 30min
Yield: 4-5 Servings

Ingredients

500 Grams Paneer/Cottage Cheese, cut into 1.5 inch cubes
3 Cups Basmati Rice, wash & soak in water for 30 minutes
2 Medium Sized Onions, sliced thinly
Salt to Taste
1/2 Tspn Black Cumin Seeds(Shahjeera)
2-3 Small Cinnamon(Dalchini) Stick
6-8 Green Cardamom(Ellachi) Pods
2-3 Bay Leaves
4-5 Cloves(Lavang)
10 Cups Water
1 Tspn Oil
1 Tblspn Mint(Pudina) Leaves & Cilantro(Kothmir) Leaves, chopped
1 Tspn Lemon Juice
1/2 Tspn Garam Masala Powder
4 Tblspn Butter/Oil/Ghee
1 Tspn Butter/Ghee

Masala For Marination

1 1/4 Tblspn Red Chilli Powder
Salt to Taste
4-6 Green Chillies, slit on one side
3/4 Tspn Turmeric Powder
1/2 Tblspn Gingergarlic Paste
2 Tblspn Lemon Juice
1 Tspn Garam Masala Powder
1 Cup Yogurt(Curd)
3 Tblspn Mint(Pudina) Leaves, chopped
3 Tblspn Cilantro(Kothmir) Leaves, chopped

Directions

• Heat 3 tablespoon butter (instead of 3 tablespoon butter; you can also use 1.5 tablespoon oil + 1.5 tablespoon butter/ghee) in a pan on medium flame, add sliced onions. Fry them until golden brown & crisp. Turn off the flame & keep it aside.

• In a large pot add 10 cups of water, shahjeera, ellachi, lavang, bay leaves, dalchini, 1 teaspoon oil & bring it to a boil on a medium high flame. 

• Now add soaked basmati rice (before adding rice drain soaked water completely), salt(to taste) & cook until its 70% done( approximately 5-10 minutes).

• In a bowl; add paneer cubes, all masala ingredients & combine well. Cover & let it rest for 30 minutes.

• After 30 minutes, heat 1 tablespoon butter in a pressure cooker & turn off the flame. Now add the marinated paneer, 3/4th of fried onions into pressure cooker & combine well. Keep aside.

• Drain the rice using a strainer & layer the rice evenly over the paneer pieces in the pressure cooker.

• Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cilantro leaves, 1 tablespoon mint leaves, remaining 1/4th fried onions, 1/8 teaspoon garam masala powder, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon butter or ghee & close the cooker lid without the whistle.

• Cook for 20 minutes on a low or sim flame & turn off the flame. 
• Serve hot with mirchi ka salan & raita.

Note: You can also cook paneer dum biryani in a heavy bottomed sauce pan by following same directions except cover the sauce pan with an aluminum foil(you can also use wheat flour dough to seal) & close the lid.