Paneer Biryani

Variety tangy biyani made of Paneer(Cottage Cheese). This recipe serves 4.

Basmati Rice – 1 cup ( soaked for 30 mins)
Water – 1 cup
Paneer / Fried paneer – 1 packet cubed
Onion – 1 sliced thinly
ginger garlic paste – 1 tblspoon
Tomatoes – 2 chopped finely
Curd – ½ cup
Ghee – 1 tblspn
Oil- 2 tblspn
Cumin Seeds /Shahjeera – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – ½ tbl spoon
Chilli powder ( optional) for little spicy flavour– 1 tbl spoon 
Salt -  according to taste
Fried Onions – for Garnishing
khasoori methi (dried Methi leaves)– 2 tlspoons
green chillies – 2 slit
Coriander leaves – for garnishing
Coriander paste (Swad brand)- 2 tblspoons
Mint leaves ( dry leaves or fresh )– 2 leaves
Cinnamon / – 1 small stick
Black Cardamom  – 4
Biryani leaf/Bay leaf – 2 leaves
Cloves  – 4
Star Anise – 1

Preparation:

1. Wash Basmati rice and soak for 30 mins.
2. Fry Paneer cubes in 1 tblspoon of oil if not using Fried Paneer cubes. 
3. In a big vessel/Kadai , heat oil and ghee and add cumin seeds, Cinnamon ,Black Cardamom,Biryani leaf,Cloves,Star Anise and let them splutter.
4.  Add in onions and cook till golden brown. Add with salt and mix well. 
5. Now add ginger garlic paste and fry until raw smell leaves.
6. Now add coriander paste ( or grind bunch of coriander leaves and 2 greenchillies with pinch of salt into fine paste) and mix well. Cook until the paste and the onions mix well.
7. Add slit greenchillies and fry for few minutes.
8. Add in tomatoes and cook till mushy.
9. Add Khasoori methi , turmeric powder, chilli powder and mint leaves.
10. Add in curd and fried paneer pieces and mix well. At this time, the paneer cubes should be well mixed and marinated with the total masala. Keep the lid on the kadai for 2 mins.
11. Now, take the lid off and Add rice and water and gently mix the entire contents with rice and keep the lid on the kadai and cook rice on medium flame. It should take 15-20 minutes to cook the rice.
12. After 20 minutes, take the lid off and check if the rice is cooked. If not, sprinkle little water on the rice and keep the lid and cook for another 5 minutes.
13. You can cook the rice in pressure cooker instead of kadai.
14. Once the rice is cooked, garnish with coriander leaves and fried onions.
15. Serve hot with raitha.