Paneer Dum Biryani

Prep. : 25 Mins
Cook : 45 Mins

Total Time :
1 Hour 10 Mins

Cuisine : North Indian
Servings : 4-5

Paneer – 500gm
Green peas (Matar)- 1cup
Rice(Long grain)- 250 gm

For The Marination Of Paneer

Curd- 1.5 cups
Ginger – garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Red chilli powder – 2 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tbsp
Salt- to taste
Green chilli paste – 1 tbsp
Fried onion (Barista)- 1 cup (of 2-3 onions)
Freshly chopped coriander leaves- ¼ cup
Freshly chopped mint leaves- 1/4 cup

For Rice

Basmati rice – 1.5 cups ( washed and soaked for 30-40min)
Water – a pot full
Salt- Atleast 2 tbsp
Shahi jeera – 1tsp

For the spice potli

Bay leaves – 2
Cinnamon stick – 2″
Cloves- 4-5
Black peppercorns – 7-8
Green cardamom – 3-4

For Layering

Rose water – 1tbsp
Kewra water- 1tbsp
Saffron milk- 1tbsp
Garam masala powder – 1tsp
Ghee- ¼ cup”

For The Paneer Marination

In a wide mixing bowl, add curd and whisk till it’s smooth & creamy.

Add salt, followed by the fry powders of red chilli, turmeric, coriander. Give it a whisk to blend them in the curd.

Then add ginger- garlic, green chilli paste paste, fried onion ( Barista), chopped mint and chopped coriander, and mix them well with the curd.

Now add the cubes of paneer and green peas in the curd masala and gently coat them with the marination ensuring not to break the delicate paneer cubes.

Leave it aside for Atleast 30 mins, longer is always better with any marination.

For The Rice

In a wide mixing bowl, add curd and whisk till it’s smooth & creamy.

Add salt, followed by the fry powders of red chilli, turmeric, coriander. Give it a whisk to blend them in the curd.

Then add ginger- garlic, green chilli paste paste, fried onion ( Barista), chopped mint and chopped coriander, and mix them well with the curd.

Now add the cubes of paneer and green peas in the curd masala and gently coat them with the marination ensuring not to break the delicate paneer cubes.

Leave it aside for Atleast 30 mins, longer is always better with any marination.

For layering

Keeping the flame off, Add a part of the total quantity of ghee in a deep and thick bottomed cooking pot.

Add the marinated paneer and spread it evenly on the base.

Now gently add a layer of cooked rice and spread evenly.

Pour the prepared saffron milk, kewra water, rose water, some ghee, garam masala, coriander leaves, mint leaves and finally the fried onion.

Repeat the rice layering process again with the same ingredients except coriander and mint (as they turn dark during the time of adding the dum, and doesn’t look pretty).

Now finish it with a ladleful of rice water and ghee.

Cover the biryani pot with the lid and seal with some dough or silver foil.

Keep on on high flame and cook it for the first 5mins. Now if your pot does not have a thick enough bottom then place it on a tava.

Now lower the flame and cook for a further 15-20 mins.

Then switch off the flame but dont remove the lid immediately. Allow all the flavours to get infused well for another 10mins.

To serve, watch the way I have shown in the video as trust me, it makes a lot of difference to the final presentation!
Also garnish with chopped coriander & mint leaves, onion barista and fried cashews.