Paneer Tikka Biryani

Paneer Tikka  Biryani is one of the longest dish that I have made till date. This is a combination of Paneer Tikka, Jeera Rice and Paneer Tikka Masala topped with Brown Onions, Mint leaves and fried Cashews. 

Yield: 3-4 people

Approx. Time: 1.5 to 2 hours

Ingredients:
For Flavored Rice:
1 cup Basmati Rice
2 cups Water
Salt to taste
1 tspn Ghee
1 No. Javitri (Mace)
1 Bay Leaf
3-4 Peppercorns

For Jeera Rice:
1 cup Basmati Rice
2 cups Water
Salt to taste
1 tspn Ghee
1 tbspn Ghee / Salted Buter
1 tspn Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
Salt to taste

For Paneer Tikka Marination:
1 tspn Ginger paste
1 tspn Garlic Paste
1 tspn Tandoori Masala
Salt to taste
1 tbspn Lemon juice
1/2 tspn Red Chilly powder
1/4 tspn Pepper Powder
1 tspn Oil
2 tbspn Curds
250 gms Malai Paneer Cubes

For Biryani Sauce
1 tbspn Oil
1 tbspn Butter
1 tspn Cumin seeds (Jeera)
1 Cinnamon stick
3 Nos. Badi Elaichi (Black Cardamom)
2 nos. finely chopped Onions 
1 tspn Ginger paste
1 tspn Garlic Paste
Half cup Tomato Puree
1/2 tspn Red chilly powder
1 tspn Kitchen King Masala / Garam Masala
1 tbspn Kasoori Methi (Dried Fenugreek leaves)
1/4 tspn Pepper powder
1 tbspn Tomato ketchup
2 tbspn Almond Paste
2 tbspn Birasta (Fried Onion)
Salt to taste
Water as required

For Biryani Layering:
1 tspn Ghee
Flavored Rice
Grilled Paneer Tikka
Biryani Sauce
2 tbspn Cream
Jeera Rice
1/2 cup milk
15-16 Saffron Strands
18-20 fried Cashews
1/2 cup Birasta 
18-20 Mint leaves

For Dhungar / Smoking:
1 Charcoal 

1 tspn Ghee 

Onion Slice

For Garnishing :
Fried Cashews 
Tomato Slice
Onion Slice
Mint leaves
Birasta


For Serving :
Tomato and Onion Raita 
Papad


Method:

To Cook Flavored Rice:

Wash the rice. In a large pan, boil water with salt, Ghee, Javitri (Mace), Bay leaf and Peppercorns. Add the rice and cook it on high flame for 5 minutes. Then reduce the flame and cover the pan. After 20 minutes, the rice will be ready. Then spread it on a plate and pour some ghee over it so that the cooked rice does not stick to each other. Discard all the spices from the rice.

To make Jeera Rice:

Wash the rice. In a large pan boil  the water with salt and Ghee. Add the rice and cook it on high flame for 5 minutes. Then reduce the flame and cover the pan. After 20 minutes, the rice will be ready. Then spread it on a plate and pour some ghee over it so that the cooked rice does not stick to each other. 

Then heat Butter in a pan. Add Cumin Seeds and allow it to crackle. Then add the cooked rice into it. Saute if for few minutes. Remove from the flame and set it aside for using it in Biryani.

To make Paneer Tikka:

Mix Ginger paste, Garlic paste, Tandoori Masala, Salt, Lemon Juice, Red chilly powder, Pepper powder, Oil and Curd in a bowl. Add the Malai Paneer cubes into it and marinate it for  an hour.

Then add a tablespoon oil in a griller / pan. Add the marinated Paneer cubes and grill it. Ensure that the Panner is brown from the sides.  Set it aside for using it in the Biryani.

To make Biryani Sauce:

Heat Oil and Butter in a pan. Add cumin seeds, Cinnamon, Black Cardamom in the pan. Now add the grated onion and saute it till it starts leaving oil from the sides. Then add the Ginger paste, Garlic paste and saute. Then add the Tomato puree and allow it to cook till it starts leaving oil from the sides. Then add the red chilly paste, Kitchen King Masala or Garam Masala, Kasoori Methi, Black Pepper Powder, Tomato Ketchup, Almond Paste, Birasta, Salt and water to adjust the consistency to medium. Simmer it for 2-3 minutes. Discard the Black Cardamom and Cinnamon stick from the Sauce. Set it aside for using it in Biryani.

To assemble Biryani:

Take a tablespoon of butter in a Handi / Pan. Place layer of plain flavured rice on it. Then add the layer of Paneer Tikka.  On Paneer Tikka pour Biryani Sauce over it. Make space in the centre and place an Onion slice. Place a burning charcoal on it and pour a teaspoon of ghee. Immediately cover the lid with aluminium foil so that the Biryani gets a smoky flavour. After 15 minutes of Dhungar, remove the Charcoal and Onion slice. 

Now, pour layer of Fresh cream over it. Then make a layer of Jeera rice over it and pour  Saffron soaked milk over it. Also add fried Cashews, Birasta and Mint leaves over it. Close the lid with aluminium foil. Cook it for 5 minutes on medium flame and 10 min on a very low flame so that the flavors are absorbed.

Serve hot with Raita and Papad.

Notes:

1. Since the recipe is lengthy, you may prepare marinate Paneer one day in advance to save the time.
2. You may skip any of the rice varieties and use only. It will not make much difference.

Stepwise Pictures: