Easy Instant Pot Paneer Biryani

The pungent aroma of biryani is enough to draw our attention and tempt us to go buy a plateful of it. No matter what type of biryani you prefer— non-vegetarian or even vegetarian—the selection is unlimited, and the flavor is consistently excellent. How about cooking some delicious paneer biryani in a restaurant-style to add yet another biryani recipe to your menu? The two most loved foods in India are paneer and biryani. We then reasoned, why not combine both and create a paneer biryani? The finest of both worlds are combined in one bowl. Additionally, a variety of spices are used in this restaurant-style biryani to provide additional taste. This biryani goes well with raita and chutney! This paneer biryani recipe has many variations, like paneer tikka biryani, paneer dum biryani, and street-style paneer biryani. All are equally tasty and flavorful. Once you try this dish, we’re confident you’ll want more. So, let’s get started with the recipe.

Ingredients

Paneer: Homemade or store-bought paneer cubed into 1-inch pieces. You can also add vegetables of your choice, like potatoes, carrots, and beans. Rice: Traditionally, long grain Basmati Rice is used for making biryani, and I have used white basmati rice for this recipe. Water: I have used 1.5 cups of water for every cup of Basmati rice to make this biryani in Instant Pot. Adjust water based on the type and quality of rice. Ghee: adds extra flavor. If you are vegan, replace it with oil. Onion: I have sliced the onions lengthwise for this recipe. Green chilies: I have used Thai green chilies for the heat. Ginger and garlic: I used fresh homemade ginger paste and garlic paste. You can also mince and add them. Yogurt: use fresh plain yogurt. Herbs & spices: Used mint and coriander leaves for herbs, red chili powder, turmeric, and biryani masala for dry spices. I highly recommend using Shan Biryani Masala because it gives Restaurant Style Biryani flavor. Whole Spices: Used bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves, and cardamom. Lime Juice: Use fresh lime/lemon juice whenever possible.

How to Make Paneer Biryani in Instant Pot

Press SAUTE mode on Instant Pot. Heat ghee (or oil), add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamom, and cloves. *Vegans can use oil instead of ghee. Then add sliced onions, green chilies, ginger-garlic paste. Saute for 2-3 minutes until they turn light brown - stir regularly. Add mint, coriander leaves, yogurt (curd), turmeric powder, red chili powder, biryani masala powder, and fried paneer, and mix well. Add rinsed basmati rice, water, and salt. Give a quick stir. Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes. Once the pot beeps, Wait for NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE(NPR). Squeeze some lime juice, mix well, and Instant Pot pressure cooker Paneer Biryani is ready to serve with Onion Raita or plain yogurt.

Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method

Firstly, heat a pressure cooker with oil on medium flame, add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamom, and cloves. Then add sliced onions, green chilies, and ginger-garlic paste. Saute for 2-3 minutes until they turn light brown - stir regularly. Add mint, coriander leaves, curd, turmeric powder, red chili powder, biryani masala powder, and fried paneer. Mix well. Then add rinsed basmati rice, water, and salt. Give a stir. Cover the cooker with a lid and cook for one whistle. Squeeze some lime juice, mix well, and pressure cooker Paneer Biryani is ready to serve with Onion Raita or plain yogurt.