Paneer Biriyani

If you are on lent and craving to eat some biriyani, or if you have some vegetarian guests at home or if you want to serve something different other than the usual chicken or muttonbiriyani, this Paneer Biriyani is a good option! This came out really good when I recently made it for some guests and they all enjoyed it. Got this recipe from an old Vanitha magazine. This is a great option if you are lazy to make an elaborate weekend lunch / dinner. It is easy to make and can be served with biriyani salad, mint chutney, pickle and pappad. Do try and let me know how it turns out.

Paneer Biriyani

Ingredients

For the Rice:

Basmati Rice - 2 cups

Boiling water- 4 cups

Cinnamon sticks -2 x 1” piece

Cloves - 2

Cardamom - 2

Shahi Jeera - ½ tsp

Salt - to taste

Ghee - 2 tbsp

For Paneer Masala

Paneer - 300 gms, cut into cubes

Onion - 3 medium, finely sliced

Ginger Paste - 1 tbsp

Garlic paste - 1 tbsp

Tomato - 2 medium, sliced

Chilli powder - 2 tsp

Coriander powder - 2½ tsp

Turmeric powder - ½ tsp

Fennel seeds / Perumjeerakam - ½ tsp

Cinnamon - 1 small piece

Cloves - 3

Cardamom - 3

Yogurt - ¼ cup

Cashew nuts - 8 nos, grind to a fine paste

Coriander leaves - ¼ cup, chopped

Mint leaves - 2 tbsp, chopped

Salt

Ghee 2-3 tbsp

For Garnishing

Onion - 1medium, finely sliced & fried

Fried Cashew nuts - ¼ cup

Fried raisins - ¼ cup

Ghee

Coriander & Mint leaves

Method:

Preparing the Rice: 

• Wash rice and drain out the excess water. 
• In a non-stick pan heat 2 tbsp ghee and add shahi jeera, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom and sauté for few seconds and add the rice. Stir continuously on high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add boiling water and salt, stir well and cook covered on low heat until the water has been absorbed. Gently stir the rice with a fork and keep aside.

Preparing the Paneer Masala:

• Grind together chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, fennel seeds, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves with 1 or 2 tbsp water to a fine paste. Keep it aside.
• Heat ghee in a pan and add sliced onions and sauté till the onions become golden brown in colour.
• Add ginger and garlic paste. Cook for 4 -5 mins.
• Add the ground masala paste to this and cook till the raw smell goes, around five minutes in medium heat.
• Add sliced tomatoes and cook till oil separates.
• Add cashew nut paste and yogurt and mix well. Add paneer cubes to this, cover and cook for 8-10 minutes. Add half of coriander leaves and mint leaves and remove from fire.

Assemble the Biriyani:

• Grease an ovenproof baking dish with some ghee.  Divide the rice into three portions. Spread one portion to the bottom of the dish. Cover the rice with half of the cooked paneer. Sprinkle some of the remaining coriander leaves and mint leaves, and a portion of fried cashew nuts and raisins. Spread another layer of rice on top, and then cover with the rest of the chicken, mint leaves and coriander leaves. Finally top the chicken with the last portion of rice. Drizzle some saffron soaked in milk and ghee on the rice.
• Pre-heat oven to 180˚C and bake biriyani for 15 - 20 minutes or until heated thoroughly.
• Garnish biriyani with some golden fried onions, cashews, raisins, mint and coriander leaves. Serve with Biriyani Salad (Onion and yogurtsalad), Mint chutney, Lime pickle, Dates pickle and pappad.

Read More »

Arabic Stuffed Zucchini in Tomato Sauce / Kousa Mihshi Recipe

Kousa Mihshi (Stuffed Zucchini) is an Arabic main dish and widely popular in this region. Minced beef / lamb is mixed with raw rice and spices and then stuffed inside the cored Kousa / koosa (marrow squash / Arabic zucchini) and cooked in tomato paste. I used minced chicken instead of red meat.... I got the basic recipe from my maid and then I searched on the net and made this dish to suit our taste buds.... While searching the net I remember reading on one site that you can make a vegetarian version of this dish by replacing the meat with chopped mushrooms, I never tried it though.... If you like zucchini you will enjoy this mildly spiced dish. Serve as a main dish along with some nice salad.... 

Read More »

Read more »

Paal Payasam / Easy Rice Kheer in a Pressure Cooker

Wishing all my Malayali readers A Very Happy Vishu!

I made this payasam yesterday intending to post the recipe in the evening. When it was time to take pictures our weather God was so kind that a sand storm started ruining our entire photo shoot so we had to take the pictures today :P..... This is a very quick Paal (milk) Payasam which will be ready in half an hour and is ideal for festivals or if you are planning a big party and want to make a large quantity of something quick and delicious.

Read More »

Read more »

Classic South Indian Breakfast ~ Dosa, Sambar & Chutney / Fermented Rice and Lentil Crepes with side dishes

It’s been unusually cold here for the past one week and the temperature had dropped down to -1C for a couple of days and I was simply sitting without doing much:).... I had planned to post this a couple of days ago when my blog turned 4 years but was too lazy to type all the recipes :D.... Let me take this opportunity to thank each and every one of my dear readers and friends who have visited this humble place of mine and for giving me all the support & encouragement to carry on.... During these 4 years I have gained a lot of friends with whom Ihave become very close though I have never met them in person.... A lot of you come back to me after trying a recipe from my blog and I am extremely glad when I hear you and your family liked those dishes.... Hope I will be able to keep up to your expectations and continue to post many good recipes in future..... Instead of posting a sweet dish to celebrate as usual, I thought of posting the Classic South Indian breakfast Dosa & Sambar for a change.... I know all of my Indian readers know how to make dosa and sambar..... but this is for those who don’t.....Long ago I had promised my brother that I will post sambar and chutney recipe on my blog but that never happened and now according to him he makes the perfect sambar ;).... Also a lot of newly married girls have asked me to post recipes like this..... So this post is for those readers of mine who are rookies in the kitchen and for my Non- Indian readers :)

Dosa is a fermented crepe or pancake made from rice and lentil batter. It is a staple dish in South Indian Cuisine, eaten for breakfast or dinner. There are many types ranging from plain to Stuffed Dosas with vegetarian or non vegetarian filling and are usually served with side dishes like Sambar or a selection of chutneys like Coconut Chutney, Green Chutney, Onion Chutney, Milagai Podi (Spiced powders mixed with oil) and pickles etc.

Read More »

Read more »

Mutton Biriyani Recipe / Atterachi Biryani Recipe

1

There are plenty of ways to make biriyani and every household has their own unique recipe for the same. This recipe was used by my mom and I have always followed it for mutton or beef biriyani. It’s easy, can be prepared ahead of time and baked just before serving. It’s a great dish especially when hosting a party or if you are cooking for the weekend ahead of time like me…

Read More »

Read more »

Kanjiyum Payarum / Rice Gruel and Lentils Stir Fried with Coconut ~ Good Friday Special

In Kerala, among the Jacobite community, Kanji is served after the long service at church on Good Friday. We spend almost 6 to 7 hours in church, fasting, and when the service is over, piping hot Kanji is served in manchatti /earthen bowl along with Vanpayar Thoran, Kadumanga Pickle and Pappad. It is bliss to have Kanji at church especially when you are super hungry!  I follow this tradition every year and this year I made both Vanpayaer and Chrupayar thoran because I like Vanpayar thoran and hubby likes Chrupayar thoran with Kanji…. Also we had Lime pickle, Sweet Mango Pickle, Pappad and yogurt!

Read More »

Read more »