Layered Paneer Butter Masala Biryani

Layered Paneer Butter Masala Biryani Recipe, is a delicious vegetarian biryani, made by assembling ghee rice and paneer butter masala in layers. Serve this to your guests at your house parties, or make it for a sunday brunch for your family. Layers of aromatic rice cooked in whole spices along with ghee piled over rich creamy butter paneer gravy, with a slight crunch from the fried onions and freshness added to this dish from the coriander and mint leaves. This rice preparation will leave you licking your fingers, asking for more. Serve Layered Paneer Butter Masala Biryani Recipe, along with Onion Raita for a simple meal. Finish this simple yet delicious meal with Kesar Shahi Tukda With Rabri Recipe (Saffron Bread Pudding With Spiced Milk Custard).

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• One onion pureed approx 1 cup after pureed
• 1/2 cup tomato puree, I used store-bought one
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1.5 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp tandoori masala
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp milk, lukewarm
• Five saffron strands
• 8 oz paneer, cut into cubes
• 1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves, kasoori methi
• Ten whole cashews
• 2 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
• 1.25 cup water, divided (1 + 1/4 cup)
• 1 cup basmati rice washed and soaked 20 minutes

Step by Steps

Step 1:

Before preparation

• Wash the rice and soak it in water for 20 minutes and then drain it.
• Soak the cashews in lukewarm water for atleast 20 to 30 minutes. Drain the water. Then grind into a paste by adding 3 to 4 tbsps of water and set aside. Do not add the entire 1/4 cup of water while grinding the cashews.
• Use the remaining 1 cup of water to rinse the mixer jar and set it aside.
• Soak the saffron strands in 4 tbsp of lukewarm milk for 20 minutes.
• Chop the onion roughly and grind into a coarse puree — no need to add water while grinding the onion.
• Heat the pressure cooker and melt the butter. Then add the cumin seeds, onion paste, and the ginger-garlic paste.

Heat the pressure cooker and melt the butter. Then add the cumin seeds, onion paste, and the ginger-garlic paste. Cook until the raw smell goes off. It took me about 8 minutes.

Step 2:

Next add the tomato puree, red chili powder, garam masala, tandoori masala, sugar, and salt — Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.. then add the chopped paneer and kasoori methi. Mix well.

Now add the cashew puree. Followed by 1 cup of the reserved water used for rinsing the mixer jar and the rice, cilantro and saffron milk. Mix gently.

Step 3:

Close the pressure cooker lid and put the weight on. Cook for one whistle and after one whistle, reduce the heat to low(on a number scale it is 2) and cook for 5 minutes. Then turn off the heat. Allow the pressure to release naturally. After opening the pressure cooker lid, allow the rice to cool for 5 minutes. Then fluff it with a fork and serve warm with raita.

TIPs

You can use regular tomatoes instead of the store-bought puree. In that case, grind two medium-sized tomatoes separately.

Adjust the salt and spice according to your preference.

As the sauce is heavy and as we are adding milk and cashew puree, 1 cup of water is sufficient for this biryani. You need approx 1 1/3 cup of water for 1 cup of rice. You can split and adjust the water&milk according to your preference.

Instead of milk, you can use heavy cream too.

You can turn off the heat after one whistle, but I allowed it to cook for five more minutes for the biryani to absorb all the heavy sauces. It acts as a DUM as well.

If you want grainy biryani, I would recommend, cooking the gravy separately and the rice separately and then mix them both gently.