Ingredients
- Basmati Rice (any other rice will also do) – 500gms
- Vegetables of your choice (steamed) – Carrot, Potato, Beans, Peas
- Paneer – 200gms
- Ginger – 50gms Garlic – 25gms (freshly ground paste)
- Whole spices – 1 Bay leaf, 4 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon stick, 3 cardamom
- Onions – 3 (medium sized – juliennes)
- Tomato – 3 (medium sized)
- Curd – 100 ml
- Coriander – 1 bunch
- Mint leaves – 1 bunch
- Vegetable oil – 150 ml
- Ghee – 1 tablespoon
- Lemon – 1
- Green chilly – 3
- Kashmiri Red chilly powder – 1.25 tablespoon
- Biryani masala (Roasted and ground) – Cardamom, Shah jeera, red chilly, cinnamon, cardamom, pepper, cloves, star anise, fennel, mace and nutmeg.
- Soak basmati/regular rice for 30 min.
- To a large pot, add 3 medium sized onion julienned, 1 inch cinnamon, 4 cloves, 3 cardamom and 150ml oil.
Fry until onions turn Golden brown
- Now Add a small bunch of coriander, 50gm ginger and 25gm garlic – ground into a paste. Cook until the raw smell goes away.
- Add Kashmiri chilly powder – 1.25 table spoon, Pudina – a small bunch, 3 green chilly (slit), biryani masala – 1 table spoon. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add 3 tomatoes. Tomato should be cooked until soft. Add the remaining pudina and coriander. Add 100g curd. Add salt to taste
- Now add 650ml of water. On high flame boil it for 2 min. Keep in low flame for 5 min to cook further.
- Add the steamed veggies and cook for 5 min.
- Add rice and cook for 2 min on high flame. Add diced Paneer pieces and mix. Taste for salt and adjust accordingly. Add lemon if there is not enough sourness from the curd and tomatoes. Wait for the rice and water to come to the same level. Then lower flame. Close a lid and let it cook undisturbed for 10 min. Check after 10min. If the rice is uncooked or if there is water at the bottom of the pot, cook for additional 5 min. Else, your biryani is ready to serve!
It goes well with some onion raita (chopped onions, green chilly, coriander and curd)
Reverie 