Paneer biryani
Rice and moong dal cooked in coconut milk with vegetables, nuts and fried paneer
A mild, creamy biryani: rice and husked green gram roasted in ghee, then cooked in coconut milk with peas, carrots, potatoes, peanuts and cashews, and finished with soft fried paneer and a fresh coriander yogurt. Serve hot, garnished with more fried cashews and paneer.
- Total time
- 85 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the rice
- 12 oz basmati rice2 cups, soaked
- 6 ½ oz husked green gram lentils (moong dal)1 cup, soaked
- 3 tbsp ghee
- 3 ½ oz onionschopped
- 3 ½ oz tomatoeschopped
- 3 ½ oz potatoeschopped
- 3 ½ oz carrotschopped
- 9 oz shelled peas
- ⅞ oz cashew nuts
- ⅞ oz roasted peanutsfinely chopped
- 4 ¼ cups coconut milk4 cups
- 7 oz paneerdiced and fried
For the seasoning
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 2 tsp red chilli powder
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
For the topping
- 1 cup plain yogurt1 cup, whisked
- 1 green chillifinely chopped
- 1 cup fresh corianderchopped
- 2 tsp saltor to taste
To garnish
- 2 tbsp fried cashew nuts and fried paneer pieces (optional)
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Heat 1 tbsp of the 3 tbsp ghee and roast the drained 12 oz basmati rice and 6 ½ oz husked green gram lentils (moong dal) together for 2–3 minutes. Keep aside.
3 minStep 2: Heat the remaining ghee and fry 3 ½ oz onions until tender.
4 minStep 3: Add 3 ½ oz tomatoes, 1 tsp ginger paste, 2 tsp red chilli powder and ½ tsp ground turmeric and cook for 3 minutes.
3 minStep 4: Mix in the rice and lentils with 3 ½ oz potatoes, 3 ½ oz carrots, 9 oz shelled peas, ⅞ oz cashew nuts, ⅞ oz roasted peanuts, 4 ¼ cups coconut milk and 1 ½ tsp salt.
Step 5: Cover and cook on a low heat until done and each rice grain is separate.
25 minStep 7: Mix 1 cup plain yogurt with 1 green chilli, 1 cup fresh coriander and ½ tsp salt.
Step 8: Before serving, top the rice with the yogurt mixture and mix well. Transfer to an oven dish and warm through.
Step 9: Garnish with 2 tbsp fried cashew nuts and fried paneer pieces and serve hot.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 21 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Fibre
- 9 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does paneer biryani take?
- About 85 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of basmati rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of ghee?
- Butter, same amount (keep the heat a little lower, butter burns sooner).
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