Panner Biryani ~ Desi Fusion Twist

Panner Biryani

Ingredients:

Panner : 100 gms diced

For Biryani Rice:

Basmathi rice : 1 cup

Water : 2 cup to soak rice 2 cups to cook rice

Tadka for Biryani Rice

Oil : 1 tblspn

Elichi /Cardamom : 2

Laung / Cloves : 2

Bay leaves : 1

Shajeera / Caraway seeds : 1/2 tspn

Dalchini / Cinnamon : 1 inch

Green Chilies : 1 or 2 slit

Javithri / Mace petal : 1

Biryani flowe : 1

Paneer masala

Tomato, red chilly and cashew nut puree : 1 cup.

Mixed veggies : ¾ Cup, (I used chopped French beans, carrot and aloo. You can add any veggies of your choice)

Ghee : 1/2 tblspn

Oil : 1/2 tblspn

Turmeric : 1/4 tspn

Ginger garlic paste : 1/4 or more

Salt : As per your taste

Red Chilly powder : 2 tspn or as per your taste.

Garam Masala : 1/4 tspn

Coriander seed powder : 1/4 tspn

Cumin seed powder : 1/4 tspn

For layerings

Mint leaves : Hand full

Coriander leaves : 1/4th cup chopped.

Fried onions : 1/2 cup

Rose water or kewra water : 1 tblspn

Safron milk : 1 Tblspn (Add 1 pinch of saffron in 1 tblspn of milk and let it rest)

Method :

Wash and soak basmati rice.

Par boil veggies with little salt and strain water.

Place a small frying pan on medium flame and add oil.
Let it heat and add all the ingredients as mentioned for biryani tadka.

On other flame, place a deep bottom vessel, add water, let it boil.
Add soaked rice, tadka and salt.

Let it cook up to 80% with out lid.

Occasionally stir in with ladle without breaking rice.
Once it is cooked up to 80%, strain water.

Boil tomatoes, red chilies and cashew nuts.

Boil them for 5 to 6 mins. Strain water and let it rest at room temperature. Blend them into a puree in a blender.

Now take a lagan or handi, add ghee.

Add diced panner and fry them in ghee until they turn golden brown.

Take panner out of the pan and now add whole masala.
Let them fry a bit and add chopped onions. Saute them and wait till they turn translucent.
Add turmeric and ginger garlic paste and mix.

Now add tomato, dry red chilly and cashew nut puree. Close the lid and let it cook for 2 mins.

Add veggies, panner, red chilly powder, salt, garam masala, coriander powder, cumin powder and mix.

Close the lid and turn the flame to simmer and let it cook for 4 to 5 mins. (Add 1 tblspn of water in case the gravy started to thicken up)
Now add 80% cooked biryani rice. Spread it evenly over panner masala with out using much pressure.

Spread out fried onions, add few drops of lemon juice, 1 or 2 tspns of ghee, pour in kesar milk, add chopped mint and coriander leaves.

Close the lid and add and turn the flame to medium.
Let it cook for 3 to 4 mis on medium flame and take biryani handi or lagan off the flame.
Put tawa on flame and place biryani handi or lagan over it.

Let biryani cook for about 6 to 7 mins on medium flame. You can put any heave weight over the lid or use dough to close the lid to help steam stay inside the vessel.
Turn off the flame and serve it hot with veg shorba and kebabs.