Hyderabad style Paneer Dum Biryani is rich, spicy and delicious medley of spices, aroma and flavour. Biryani is one of the much loved recipe and very popular recipe in India. In my house no celebration or festive is complete without biryani. Though I make so many recipes, biryani is always most requested recipe by my friends, guests, readers of my blog.
Love Biryani? I have many different types of biryanis on my blog. Of which these five biryani recipes are the most popular and always trending the best biryani recipes till date. Pick your favorite and start cooking! Chicken Dum Biryani, Egg Dum Biryani, Mutton Dum Biryani, Safed Murgh Biryani.
About The Recipe
Authentic Hyderabad Style Paneer Dum Biryani is spicy, aromatic and full of flavour one pot vegetarian rice recipe. There are many variations of making this recipe. Today I am going to share with you a very simple and easy to make paneer biryani recipe.
Paneer Biryani was my saviour during lockdown. During lockdown, when getting vegetables was a task, I came up with this easy paneer biryani with no vegetables.
Biryani with succulent and spicy paneer pieces is an excellent lunch box and weekend meal recipe. Do give this recipe a try! Before that, just read the ingredients and instructions carefully.
Main Ingredients For Making Paneer Dum Biryani
Paneer | Indian Cottage Cheese: I used store bought paneer. Wash the paneer slab and cut into big pieces. Soak them in lukewarm water for 10-15 minutes. Soaking paneer pieces in lukewarm water will turn them soft. Otherwise, paneer pieces will be hard and spongy upon cooking.
Birista | Fried Onions: Nice golden fried crisp onion slices play a very import role in biryani making. Fried onion add taste, flavour and texture to the recipe.
Garam Masala: I always prefer using homemade garam masala. Making garam masala at home is easy and convenient. Garam masala adds spice, heat, aroma and flavour.
Masala Paste: Make a coarse paste by grinding chopped onion, tomatoes, green chili, cashews and coriander leaves. This will give base to the gravy and helps in flavoring the rice.
Curd: Thick curd is used in marination. I prefer using homemade curd. It is quiet easy to set curd at home. Do give it a try!
Basmati: Use good quality basmati rice. I always prefer using India Gate Classic Basmati Rice. The rice grain stays fluffy and whole upon cooking.
Tips & Variations to make Paneer Dum Biryani
Clearly, I have explained the recipe in detail. Carefully, go through steps before you start to make this recipe. I have used very minimal spices to make this biryani. As my lil’M is still a picky eater. She picks up onion, coriander leaves, mint leaves, etc. from rice. So, I crush and add fried onion to the gravy itself along with chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves. Try my way. I am sure you will love it.
- If you like, add fried cashews and raisins on top before serving.
- Depending on the availability and choice, you can add vegetables like peas, carrots and French beans.
Frequently Asked Questions about Biryani
What are the spices used in Biryani?
In India you can find more than 25 different varieties of biryani recipes. Every state, every place has got its own recipe. Added to that every family has its own unique blend of spice mixture for making biryani.
Generally, used spices in biryani are green cardamom, black cardamom, coriander seeds, shah jeera, bay leaf, cinnamon and cloves. Sometimes, star anise, nutmeg and mace are also used.
What is the flavour of biryani?
Biryani is spicy, flavorsome and aromatic recipe. The spiciness, aroma and flavour in the recipe is from the spices used.
How do you make biryani flavorful?
Marination is the key for flavourful biryani. Spices add to it. Perfect blend of freshly ground spices and masalas give awesome flavour to biryani.
What does biryani masala contain?
- ¼ cup Green Cardamom
- 2 tbsp. Cloves
- 4 1’ inch sticks Cinnamon
- 2 tbsp. Coriander seeds
- 2 Bay leaf
- 1 Nutmeg, optional
- 1 Mace, optional
Try out this homemade garam masala recipe today!
Serving Suggestions for Paneer Dum Biryani
Though paneer biryani or for that say any biryani is a lavish one pot meal, accompaniments like the following will add more flavour to meal. You can easily plan a party or weekend lunch or dinner menu with the following suggestions.
Mirchi ka Salan – This is authentic Hyderabadi main course recipe, which is mostly served with any biryani. Mirchi ka Salan is spicy, tangy and flavourful recipe.
Bagare Tamatar – Hyderabadi Style Bagare Tamatar is much loved side dish recipe. Serve this biryani or naan.
Bagare Baingan – Nothing can beat, spicy and tangy bagare baingan recipe. This main course recipe pairs up deliciously with biryani, rice and naan.
Ambade ki Bhaji – Also known as gongura pachadi, is Andhraites favorite combination with any biryani. Sour tasting ambade ki bhaji, is perfect accompaniment with biryani.
Dahi ki Chutney | Onion Raita – Quick and easy side dish recipe which pairs well with any biryani recipe.
Paneer Dum Biryani
Hyderabadi style Paneer Dum Biryani is rich, spicy and delicious medley of spices, aroma and flavour. Biryani is one of the much loved recipe in India.
Ingredients
TO MARINATE PANEER
- 200 grams Paneer | Cottage Cheese
- 2 Onion, sliced finely
- 2 Tomatoes, finely chopped
- 6 Cashews, optional
- 2 tbsp. Red chili powder
- ½ tbsp. Turmeric powder
- 2 green chilies, slit length wise
- ½ cup thick Curd | Yogurt
- 2 tbsp. Garam Masala
- 1½ tbsp. Ginger-Garlic Paste
- ½ tbsp. roasted Coriander powder
- 2 tbsp. chopped Coriander leaves
- Salt, as per taste
FOR RICE LAYER:
- 3 cups Basmati Rice, washed and soaked in water for 30 min.
- ½ tbsp. Garam Masala
- ½ tbsp. Ginger-Garlic paste
- Salt
FOR LAYERING:
- 2 tbsp. Lemon juice
- Pinch Saffron
- 2 tbsp. lukewarm Milk
- ½ tbsp. Orange Food Color, optional
FOR BIRISTA or FRIED ONIONS:
- 4 medium Onions, finely sliced
- ¼ cup Ghee
- ¼ cup Oil
OTHER INGREDIENTS:
- 1 tbsp. chopped Coriander leaves
- 1 tbsp. Mint leaves, optional
- ½ tbsp. Kasuri methi | Dry fenugreek leaves
Instructions
How to make Paneer Dum Biryani
Marinating Paneer
- Cut paneer into 1’ inch cubes.
- Heat ½ litre water until warm and add paneer cubes to it. Drain water after 1 minute.
- Set paneer cubes aside. Grind and make a fine paste of chopped onion, tomatoes, green chili, cashews and coriander leaves.
- Remove this into a bowl and add curd. Whisk till there are no lumps.
- To this add red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt, garam masala, ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder and paneer pieces.
- Gently mix the ingredients, cover with a lid and set aside for at least 30 minutes.
NOTE: Marination for 30 minutes is compulsory. The more the marination time, the tastier the biryani.
Making Birista or Fried Onion
- In the meantime, make barista. Heat oil and ghee, mentioned under ‘Birista’ to a heavy bottom pan and add sliced onions.
- Fry on medium heat by continuously stirring. Adding salt will fasten and adding sugar will give nice caramel colour to the sliced onions.
- Once the onions start to change color, grab a kitchen plate, line it with tissue and be ready.
- Once the sliced onions turn nice golden brown, turn off the flame and using a slotted spoon, remove the fried onions. Be careful. Do not burn the sliced
onions. - This is our Birista. Collect the remaining oil & ghee in a stainless-steel bowl and set aside.
Cooking Paneer for Layering
- In a pan add 2 tbsp. of oil (use the oil, in which we fried onions). When the oil heats up, add marinated paneer pieces along with all the marination. Add ½ cup of water. Stir gently and cook covered.
- Stir in between to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pan. When the curry starts to thick and oil starts to leave the sides, add kasuri methi, chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves.
- Now crush birista with your fingers and add it to the gravy. Stir well and turn off the flame.
NOTE: If you are not using saffron soaked in milk, then I recommend you, add 3 tbsp. of milk to the gravy at the last.
How to Cook Basmati Rice for Biryani
When the paneer gravy is getting ready, start cooking rice.
- Boil 3-4 liters of water by adding garam masala, ginger-garlic paste and salt.
- To this add soaked basmati rice (by draining water from it). Stir gently in between to cook the rice evenly.
- Cook till rice is ¾ th done.
- Carefully drain the water using a sieve. Now add start layering.
NOTE: I will place the sieve on top of a vessel and collect the water while staining basmati rice. I will keep this hot water vessel on top of the lid when biryani is getting ready on dum.
Layering Paneer Dum Biryani
- Grease the same vessel which we used for cooking rice with the oil/ghee (use the oil in which we fried onions). Carefully spread half of above drained rice on the bottom of the vessel.
- On top of it evenly spread paneer gravy. Add remaining cooked rice on top of it and spread evenly.
- Sprinkle lemon juice and saffron milk or food color mixed in water, if using.
- Close with a lid and seal with foil. Place the vessel on medium high flame and put a heavy weight on top of the vessel. (I will use the vessel, in which I collected water while draining the rice)
- Reduce the flame and cook on low for another 30-40 minutes.
- Turn off the flame and leave the vessel on stove for another 20 minutes.
- Add love to make this paneer dum biryani recipe taste ‘Yummy’.
Serving Biryani
Notes
Lubna's Serving Suggestions:
I have mentioned few side dish recipes in the post, which pair up deliciously with this paneer dum biryani. Give them a try! Happy Cooking!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 553Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 726mgCarbohydrates: 54gFiber: 5gSugar: 11gProtein: 17g
Amanda Wren-Grimwood says
I had no idea that biryani was so varied. It;s great to know about the different variations and how to make this properly at home.
kushigalu says
I can have this dum biryani any time of the day. SO delicious
Natalie says
My biryani turned out delicious. I added some peas for my kids, and they loved it, thanks!
kushigalu says
Drooling over this delicious biryani recipe. Thanks a lot for sharing
Toni says
I tried it and it turned out really good!! My family loved it!
Jen says
Everyone at my house really loved it!! Thanks for the recipe!
Dannii says
I love finding new ways to cook with paneer and this looks incredible.