Baked Paneer Biryani Recipe
This post is part of BlogchtterA2Z2023 with the letter B. We can cook Baked Paneer Biryani Recipe as a rare indulgence, as it is a special pot meal. We derive the word Biryani from the Persian word ‘Birian’. In Farsi, Birian means ‘Fried before Cooking’. In the past, we fried rice in Ghee (Clarified butter).In doing so, the rice gets a nutty flavour, and it burned the outside starch layer and gelatinizes it. After the rice is stir-fried, we boil it in the water with spices and cooked. The long-grain basmati rice has a captivating aroma, and when we combine this with the flavorful Indian spices, it makes a heady combo. What is a Biryani if it doesn’t entice the neighbours with its aroma?
This is not your run-of-the-mill biryani recipe. It is a baked Paneer (cottage cheese) biryani with a blend of north and south Indian flavours coming together to create a delectable fusion of tastes. Dry coconut mixed with coriander seeds, cumin, saunf or fennel, and chillies combined to make a spicy paste for the bland paneer and the rice cooked in a bouquet of potent spices like cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, star anise and peppercorns is sure to add piquancy to your palate.
Baked Paneer Biryani Recipe
Ingredients
¼ kg Paneer
Ingredients for Paneer gravy
1tsp Dhania
7 Red Chillies
1tsp Jeera
1tsp Saunf
½ Dry coconut
Roast all of the above and grind finely
2tbs Ginger/Garlic paste
7 Green Chillies
1tsp Turmeric
1 cup Curd
Make a paste of the above ingredients
2 large onions sliced finely
3tbs Ghee
Salt to taste
Red food colour
Cut the Paneer into diamond-shaped pieces and put it in hot water with a pinch of turmeric and red food colour. Keep aside.
Fry the onion slices in the ghee till they turn pink. Then add the ground masala powder and the paste. When done, add the paneer chunks. Add red food colour and salt to taste. Cook till the ghee separates. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
Ingredients for rice
½ kg Basmati rice
1tsp Jeera
1tsp Peppercorns
2-star anise
2 Bay leaves
Few cloves
Cinnamon sticks
Few cardamoms
3tbs Ghee
1 1/2 glasses of milk
1 1/2 glass of water
METHOD
Heat a pan and add the ghee. Season it with jeera, peppercorns, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, and bay leaves. Add the rice and salt to taste. Cook the rice in milk and water. Keep aside.
Grease a Pyrex dish, and layer it with the rice and the paneer gravy. Then a layer of rice on top.
Garnish with fried onion rings, fried cashew and small paneer balls wrapped in silver vark or paper. I couldn’t get the silver paper, so I added a little food colour to the paneer and made colourful orange-red balls. Serve hot Baked Paneer Biryani or Baked Cottage Cheese Rice with a raita of your choice.
This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla in collaboration with Zariya Healings.
The Apple Crumble Pie goes very well with this Biryani. Check it out.
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mmmm… interesting recipe Harjeet… I was wondering what those bright orange balls were😀. I haven’t come across a biriyani recipe that uses coconut in it. It is truly fusion as claimed by you. Would love to try it😋
This baked Paneer Biryani recipe sounds like a flavor explosion! I can already imagine the tantalizing aroma wafting through the neighborhood. This fusion of North and South Indian flavors is like a delicious cultural collaboration. Can’t wait to tantalize my taste buds with this piquant delight!
Baked Paneers Biryani, its like telling me that Im having a healthy biryani. Very interesting and definitely worth a try.
This sounds really yummy. Everyone in the family likes paneer and coconut. Would like to try this soon, maybe the next weekend.
I was quite curious about the baking part in this recipe for Baked paneer Biryani and the suspense was lifted at the end ! I understand that instead of the slow ‘dum’ style cooking , we actually use baking in the oven for the final touch ! I’m sure my paneer loving son would love it.
This is an interesting fusion recipe. I have never had coconut in biryani and would love to try it out. Rice-based bakes are my favorites too. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
I loved what you did regular biryani. I am surely going to give it a try. I have never had biryani with coconut in it.
Aha a lovely biriyani with a twist mam… This is what I can call as a creative soul who can make a common known dish extraordinary with some smart twist. Although a non vegetarian I have a special inclination towards paneer always as you will not believe that I can even have paneer raw without cooking… My love is that much for it. I am definitely going to try this out . Thanks for the biriyani recipe Harjeet Mam
Looks like a yummy recipe. Might try it sometime in the coming days. I would really like to taste the flavour of coconut in this biryani.
The baked paneer biryani with its aromatic blend of fragrant spices and perfectly cooked rice, seems easy to make and promises to be flavourful. The succulent cubes of paneer must be definitely adding a delightful creamy texture. It’s a wholesome, flavourful and satisfying bowl of deliciousness. Can’t wait to make the dish for the family now.
baked biryani. wow, I think the best food ever is biryani in my opinion. I would say this is a fab option for vegetarians. looks yummy.
Wow, dum biryani to bake kar diya aapne! This is a nice and easy recipe and takes out so much of time and effort from the biryani making process. Am curious to know how it tastes with coconut since it’s normally not added to biryanis.
Your recipe is easy to follow and the ingredients are easily available at home. I will surely give this dish a try, looks delicious 🙂
I am not a fan of coconuts but this recipe looks like one of those very few vegetarian recipes that I will be trying and looking forward to!
I am all for baked recipes! They make eating such scrumptious items guilt free! Definitely gonna give this recipe a try! Big fan of paneer biryani here!
Yummy, Harjeet! GOing to try it this weekend. Thanks for sharing.
I have never heard of the baked biriyani before. But am a bit confused….how long does it need to be baked. I seem to not be able to view some part of the blog that details this.
This looks like a promising dish. I might not be a fan of Briyani (Jasmine Rice lover here🤪) but I don’t mind having them occasionally. Appreciate you sharing this amazing recipe.
The orange paneer balls add an interesting twist to the recipe. I normally make paneer biriyani on the stovetop. The baked biryani that too with the coconut is something I have never had. Will try this out.
Biryani with paneer and coconut plus baked…I was amazed with the ingredients and your cooking method. The recipe is so well detailed and simply explained. A must try for sure.
I am eager to try this recipe, I have heard this for the first time. I haven’t heard or tried this. Heard the name for the first time. Sounds yumm and looks delicious too. So, I am gonna try this soon for sure.
This is a unique recipe that I’ve never come across earlier… Thanks for sharing!