Authentic Paneer Biryani

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Serving size: 6

Ingredients:

• Basmati Rice – 1.5 cup
• Paneer (Cottage cheese) – 1 lbs
• Onion – 1 sliced
• Tomato – 2 finely chopped
• Green Peas – 1 cup
• Mint – 10 leaves
• Garlic – 1 tbsp minced
• Ginger-Green chili Paste – 1 tsp
• Yogurt – 3/4 cup
• Ghee (Clarified butter) – 2 tbsp
• Saffron – 10 strands (dissolved in 4 tbsp milk)
• Bay leaf – 2
• Green Cardamom – 5
• Cloves – 4
• Cashew Nuts – 12
• Golden Raisins – 2 tbsp
• Milk – 4 tbsp
• Salt as per taste

Step by step instructions with pictures:

1. Prepare all the ingredients as directed.
2. In a pan, add 1 tbsp ghee and saute half sliced onions with bay leaf and cardamon.

3. Add minced garlic, ginger- green chili paste and saute for 2-3 minutes.

4. Add chopped tomato, fresh mint leaves, yogurt and 1/2 tsp salt to above pan. Mix well and saute for 3 more minutes. Keep aside.
5. Cook Basmati rice with green cardamon, cloves and salt. Keep aside.
6. In a small bowl, dissolve saffron strands in milk. Keep aside.

7. In a pan, add 1 tbsp ghee and saute remaining sliced onions with cashews and raisin. Keep aside. Also microwave green peas for 2 minutes on high and keep aside.
8. In the same pan, Saute paneer cubes till it turns golden. Keep aside.

9. when all the above is prepared, let’s start layering.
10. In a heavy bottom pan, add 1 tbsp ghee and 1 cup of cooked rice. Now evenly spread half of the prepared onion, garlic, ginger-chili and tomato mix. Layer it with one more cup cooked rice. Add half of the milk with saffron and spread half sauteed onions with cashews, raisins and sauteed paneer. Layer it with more rice, onion, tomato mix  and paneer. Layer it with reaming rice and remaining sauteed onions, cashews, raisins and paneer. Add remaining saffron milk.

11. Cover it with lid and let it cook for 20-25 minutes on low flame.
Serving Suggestion:
Enjoy this mouthwatering Paneer Biryani with the Raita of you choice.