What is Paneer Biryani?
The word “Biryani” has some magic in it. And I am going to include some more magic to it by adding paneer. There are different varieties/types of biryani, and this paneer biryani is one such recipe with paneer without any vegetables. (We do add onion and tomatoes, though) Today I am sharing how to make this paneer biryani in a pressure cooker and a few tips for preparing the perfect non-sticky and mushy biryani in the pressure cooker. When it comes to kiddo’s favorite lunch box recipes, I cannot skip paneer recipes. My son loves paneer, and he is always excited about paneer-based dishes. I mostly opt for semi-homemade recipes for the lunch box, but this one is from scratch. Fret not, you can prepare this quickly, even in the mornings. We are not using marinated paneer or fried onions, and it’s not a dum-cooked biryani as well. :-) All you need is chop some paneer cubes (I used store-bought paneer), onion, and tomatoes. Once that’s done, it is easy to prepare this dish. Before getting further into the recipe, I would like to thank my friend Ishu for sharing this recipe. It is pretty hard to cook in someone else’s kitchen. But my friend Ishu prepared this biryani for my son in my kitchen. Yes, I saw the live demo of this recipe before making it on my own. :-)
Ingredients required
The ingredient list might sound lengthy, but it’s the usual biryani spices and ingredients. Rice and water – I used basmati rice for this recipe, and for 1 cup of rice, I added 1.25 cups of water. Paneer – I used store-bought paneer, but you can very well use homemade paneer. To grind: We prepare fresh biryani masala by grinding cinnamon, ginger, garlic, dried red chilies, and tomato. Oil, ghee, and whole spices: We use both oil and ghee for this biryani. You can use either one too. We also need whole spices like bay leaves, black stone flower, cloves, star anise, and mace. Mint and cilantro – I cannot imagine my biryani without mint and cilantro. I went with ½ cup of tightly packed mint leaves and ¼ cup of cilantro for this recipe. Onion – I used one medium-sized onion. Other spices: Apart from whole spices, we also need coriander powder, garam masala, and salt. For a spicier version, add ½ tsp red chili powder. Please the recipe card for exact measurement details.
Dietary specifications
It’s a gluten-free and nut-free biryani recipe. We use paneer and ghee but use vegetable or soy chunks or tofu instead of paneer and oil instead of ghee for a vegan version. Without any further ado, here comes the delicious Paneer Biryani Recipe.
How to Make Paneer Biryani
Prep – Work:
Wash and soak the basmati rice for 20 minutes.While the rice is soaking, cut the paneer into cubes. Chop the onion, tomato, cilantro, and mint leaves. Peel the garlic and ginger. Grind the tomato, ginger, garlic, cinnamon stick, and red chilies into a smooth paste by adding 2 to 3 tbsp water. Do not add more water.
Procedure
Heat the pressure cooker or pressure pan and add the oil and ghee.When the oil is hot, add the bay leaf, cloves, star anise, mace and black stone flower.
Saute for a minute and then add the onion and cook until they turn translucent.Then add the ground tomato mix, mint leaves, and salt. Mix them all.
Cook until all the moisture is absorbed.Now add the coriander powder and garam masala.
Cook until the raw smell goes.Now add the paneer cubes and the water. Mix well. Ensure the paneer is coated nicely with the masala mix.
Add the rice. Gently stir.
Add the chopped cilantro and close the pressure cooker lid. Do not put the weight.Wait until the steam releases. Turn off the heat and now put the weight.Allow the pressure to release naturally, and then open the lid. Let the rice cool for 5 minutes and fluff the rice and mix gently.
Serve hot with raita.
Paneer Biryani Cooking Tips
Earlier, when I used to make biryani in the pressure cooker, I allowed it to cook for one whistle. But even then, sometimes, the rice will become mushy, and it won’t be grainy. It all depends upon the age and rice quality too. But my friend shared how to get ideal consistency even in the pressure cooker. Here I am sharing the same.
Do not soak the basmati rice for more than 20 minutes.The rice to water ratio is 1:1.25 cup water. So if you are using 2 cups of rice, then the water amount would be 2.5 cups. If you use vegetables instead of paneer, use ¼ more cup extra.Do not add the pressure cooker weight initially. When the steam comes out of the vent, turn off the heat and put on the weight. This process naturally acts as DUM for the biryani.When all the pressure has released, open the pressure cooker lid and cool for 5 minutes. Then slowly fluff the rice with a fork or spoon.Do not over mix the biryani when it is hot.
I hope this helps, and please share any other tips that you have in the comments.
Recipe notes
As you can see, this recipe doesn’t call for cardamom. I did not add any but no harm in adding as well.If you like more spice, add red chilli powder along with the garam masala and coriander powder. I did not add any extra chili powder.Instead of paneer, you can include mixed vegetables, tofu, or soy chunks.Adjust the salt as per your preference.Instead of using fresh ginger and garlic, you can add the paste.
📖 Recipe
You will love these paneer recipes, too:
Paneer butter masalaMatar paneerPalak paneerPaneer bhurji
Loved this recipe?
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