Paneer Biriyani / Paneer Rice

INGREDIENTS:

• Paneer - ½ lb or 250 gm
• Chopped onion - 1 cup
• Chopped tomato - 2 no
• Basmati rice - 2 cup
• Ginger and garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Slit green chillies - 2 nos 
• Coriander powder - 2 tsp
• Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
• Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
• Fennel seed powder - ½ tsp
• Pepper Powder - ½ tsp
• Cinnamon – 2 one inch stick
• Cardamom – 2 nos
• Cloves – 3 nos
• Bay leaves – 2 nos
• kasoori methi - 1 tsp
• Finely chopped coriander leaves - 2 tbsp
• Ghee - 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil 

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Cut paneer into small pieces, lightly fry and keep aside.
• Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a heavy bottomed Pan.
• Fry cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaves and cloves together for a minute. 
• Add drained rice and fry for a minute.
• Add water and salt (to taste) and mix well.
• Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook until the rice is cooked and all water has been absorbed.
• Remove the rice from the fire and let it cool.
• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan.
• Add onion, green chillies, ginger and garlic paste.
• Sauté onion till it turns transparent.
• Add red chilly powder, coriander powder, garam masala Powder,  fennel seed powder, pepper powder, turmeric powder, salt and sauté.
• Add tomato and sauté well till the oil separates from the masala.
• Add fried paneer into it and saute well.
• Slow down the flame and cover the pan and let it cook for  5 mins.
• Add corriander leaves into it and cook for a minutes.
• Add Kasoori methi and mix well.
• Add cooked rice into it and mix well.
• Let it cook for a minute.
• Turn off the stove.
• Garnish the biryani with chopped corriander leaves.

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with raita / pickle/ pappadam.

Simple Vegetable Biriyani

INGREDIENTS:

• Chopped Carrot - ½  cup
• Chopped String beans - ½  cup
• Chopped Cauliflower - ½  cup
• Chopped Green peas- ½  cup 
• Chopped Potato - ½  cup
• Chopped onion - 2 cup
• Chopped tomato - 2 no
• Curd - 1 cup
• Basmati rice - 2 cup
• Ginger and garlic paste - 1 tbsp
• Slit green chillies - 4 nos 
• Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
• Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
• Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
• Fennel seed powder - 1 tsp
• Pepper Powder - ½ tsp
• Cinnamon – 3 one inch stick
• Cardamom – 4 nos
• Cloves – 4 nos
• Bay leaves – 2 nos
• Finely chopped coriander leaves - ½ cup
• Mint leaves (Pudina ila) - ½  cup
• Ghee - 1 tbsp
• Thinly sliced Onion - 1 cup 
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan.
• Add Onions, green chillies, ginger and garlic paste.
• Sauté onion till it turns transparent.
• Add red chilly powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala Powder,  fennel seed powder, pepper powder, salt and sauté .
• Add tomato and sauté well.
• Add all vegetables into it and saute well.
• Slow down the flame and cover the pan and let it cook for  5 mins.
• Add corriander leaves and pudina leaves into it and cook for a minutes.
• Add curd into it and mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Turn off the stove.
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Fry thinly sliced onions (for garnishing) until golden brown and remove it and keep it aside.
• Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a heavy bottomed Pan.
• Fry cinnamon, cardamom and cloves together for a minute. 
• Add drained rice and mix well.
• Add water and salt (to taste) and mix well.
• Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook.
• When the rice is half cooked, add cooked vegetable masala and mix with the rice.
• Let it cook until the rice is cooked and all water has been absorbed.
• Garnish the biryani with fried onion and chopped corriander leaves.

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with raita / pickle/ pappadam.