Mushroom Paneer Biryani Recipe-Paneer Biryani (step wise pictures)

I am a rice fanatic and that too I love Biryanis and one pot meals.That is the reason you find many easy rice recipes and one pot meals in my site. Mushroom and paneer is one of my favorite combination.I prepared this biryani months back and it was waiting in my folder to be posted. I have the habit of preparing 15-20 recipes in advance to be posted.There are still so many pictures taken with my old camera waiting to be posted. Now back to the recipe- In each biryani or pulao recipe, I am teaching you different methods of preparing rice.You can follow any method which you are comfortable with. In this recipe, we are cooking the rice separately in a pan with lid and then layering. Today we will learn how to prepare Mushroom Paneer Biryani following this easy recipe with step by step pictures.

How to make Mushroom Paneer Biryani

Prep time - under 15 mins
Cook time - under 30 mins
Serves -2

Ingredients needed

Basmati rice - 1 cup
Onion - 3/4 cup (cut lengthwise)
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Green chilli -1 slit
Tomato puree - 1/2 cup
Button Mushrooms - 1 cup (200 grams)
Paneer cubes - 3/4 cup
Coriander leaves -fistful (chopped )
Mint leaves -fistful (chopped )
Thick curd - 1/4 cup
Salt to taste

Spice powder

Chilli powder - 3/4 -1 tsp (since mine is homemade and not hot, I used 1 tsp)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Biryani masala powder - 1 tsp (available ready made)
Coriander powder - 1 tsp

For cooking the rice - cloves 1 and cinnamon -1 inch piece and 1 tsp ghee

For the seasoning

Oil/Ghee - 2 tbsp (or mix of both ghee and oil)
Cloves -2
Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
Cardamom -1
Bay leaf - 1 (optional)

Preparation

Soak basmati rice for 20 minutes, drain the water and keep it aside.

Cut mushroom into 2 pieces and paneer into cubes.

Cut onion lengthwise.

If your curd is watery, drain the water completely using a muslin cloth. In a bowl, add thick curd, half of the chilli powder, coriander powder, biryani masala, ginger-garlic paste, little salt and mix well. Then add the mushroom and paneer cubes and mix well. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes.

Method

Heat a tsp of ghee, add cloves, cinnamon and saute the rice for a few seconds.Then add 2 cups of water, little salt and cook the rice till 3/4 done. Drain the excess water.See picture below. Do not cook fully as we will be cooking again in the end. We do not want a mushy biryani.

Heat butter or oil in a kadai or pan, add the ingredients mentioned under seasoning, saute for a few seconds and add thinly sliced onions and slit green chillies. Saute until onions turn transparent.

Then add ginger garlic paste and saute for a few more seconds.

Now add the tomato puree, turmeric powder and the remaining spice powder (remember we added only half of it for marination) and cook till tomatoes become mushy.

See now the tomato is cooked nicely. At this stage add the marinated mushroom and paneer. Mix well.

Add the coriander, mint leaves, salt needed and cook until the mushrooms are three fourth cooked.(remember we have added salt while cooking rice, salt to the marination, so add salt accordingly)

Now we will do the layering-

In a pan with a lid, spread half of the gravy, then half of the rice on top. (1 st pic below)

Then spread the remaining gravy. (2 nd pic)

Then spread the rest of the rice on top and close it with a lid.(3 rd pic)

Keep it in very low flame for 5-6 minutes. Open and gently mix the biryani. Serve this aromatic biryani piping hot with raita or any side dish of your choice. I prepared my instant potato gravy as a side dish for this.

Beginners, do not get intimidated by looking at the ingredients list and steps. Actually I have made it very easier for you all. If you do not have time, you can avoid the layering and prepare it in a rice cooker or pressure cooker.You can check out my easy cooker vegetable biryani or mushroom biryani or Meal Maker Biryani recipes.

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