Cauliflower Rice Chicken Biryani
We always try to include something for everyone in these recipe roundups, so naturally, we had to share a low-carb recipe. This keto-friendly version of biryani is missing the fluffy basmati rice, but not to worry cauliflower steps up to the plate to do its job. With a veggie base, you can still use all those biryani spices to hit the flavor notes just right. Recipe from Thats Low Carb.
Paneer Biryani In Pressure Cooker Recipe
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Paneer Biryani in Pressure cooker Recipe | How to Cook Paneer Biryani In Cooker Step by step Method with pictures:
2. Heat a pressure cooker with oil/ghee once its hot add in the Fennel seeds, Bay Leaves, Cinnamon stick, Star Anise. Next add in the sliced onions and then add in the Mint and Coriander Leaves and saute till the onions cook to glossy.
3. Next add in the ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell leaves.
4. Next add in the tomato cook till soft. Meanwhile soak in the Basmati Rice in water for 30 mins.Next add in the Red Chilli powder, Turmeric powder, Salt and Garam Masala and mix well. Fry for 2 mins.
5. Now add in the marinated Paneer. Cook for 5 mins, Next add in the Basmati Rice and fry for 2 mins.
6. Now add in the water and mix well and close the electric rice cooker and cook till its done.
How Can I Make Paneer Biryani On The Stove Top
Cooking paneer biryani on the stove top is a bit more involved. But if you dont have an Instant Pot, you can make the biryani on the stove top following these instructions.
- Start by soaking the rice in a bowl for 30 minutes.
- In a large pan heat the ghee or oil over medium heat. Then saute the whole spices in the heated ghee or oil. Now add the onions and green chili and saute for 3 minutes. Then add the ginger paste and garlic and stir it together.
- Now that youve got the base of flavors, add in the chopped vegetables, paneer salt, red chili powder, turmeric and garam masala. Saute until the oil starts to separate a bit.
- Once the oil has spread, add the pre soaked rice over the vegetables. Then top it with the mint and add two cups of water. Cover the pan with a lid or aluminium foil. Simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is cooked fully.
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Why Should I Make Paneer In An Instant Pot At Home
Paneer can be made very easily by heating milk and then curdling it in a saucepan on the stovetop. The only problem is that it’s inconvenient. The first few times I made paneer on the stovetop, something or the other other insisted on going wrong. Once, we had to eat paneer with flecks of brown in it because the milk stuck to the bottom, and you know what happens when that happens, right? Another time, the milk boiled right over and created a sticky mess on the stovetop. Not fun.
There will be no such accidents if you make paneer in the instant pot. If you do it right, the milk will not burn, and it will not spill over. Guaranteed!
Besides, as I said before, homemade paneer is so much better in taste than those frozen blocks available at the Indian store. Frozen paneer usually remains hard even after thawing and lacks the milky texture and taste of fresh paneer.
Tips For Making Fried Onions
Fried onions are a huge contributor of flavor in any Biryani. When I’m short on time, I use store-bought fried onions from Trader Joe’s, and those work great for Biryani. Making them at home takes a bit of time, so I like to plan ahead when I can.
I prepare them in the oven, cool and store them in an air tight container in the fridge for later use. Here’s how to make them:
Fried Onions in the Oven: Thinly slice 2 medium onions . Toss with melted ghee or oil along with ½ teaspoon salt. Spread on a baking sheet and cook in a pre-heated oven at 425°F for about 22-25 minutes, until they are golden brown. Flip them half way through.
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S For Making Paneer Biryani
Step 1: Thinly slice onions, ginger, garlic, and serrano or jalapeño peppers.
Step 2:Heat the Instant Pot on Sauté, High heat, and add ghee. To the hot ghee, add cumin, cardamom, cassia and cloves and let them splutter like popcorn.
Step 3: Add the onions and cook until somewhat browned. Then, add the ginger, garlic, and peppers and cook until they have softened.
Step 4: Spread the rinsed and drained rice over the vegetables. Add water and push the rice down so no little bits are poking up over the water. Scatter the mint and cilantro on top of the rice.
Step 5: Scatter the paneer and frozen vegetables on the top. Do not stir.
Step 6: Set the Instant to High pressure for 4 minutes.
Step 7: Allow the Pressure cooker to rest undisturbed for 10 minutes. This part is important, as the rice needs this steaming time to continue to cook. At the end of the 10 minutes, release all remaining pressure.
Step 8: Stir gently and serve your fragrant and colorful masterpiece!
Paneer Recipes Main Course
If you have an idea of making flavorsome, delicious, mild spicy, heart filling rice meal then your obvious stop has to be paneer based rice Fried Rice or Pulao or Biryani! It enhances the taste of spices, condiments and veggies making the rice meal to a different level. Kids would love it more than vegetable versions of them and you can be ensured of an empty lunch box back from school. It also blends nicely with egg, potato, capsicum and spices to make a tasty rice combo!
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Vegetable Instant Pot Quinoa Pulao
Quinoa is a favourite grain to make in the Instant Pot. Its a complete plant protein making it a filling choice for plant-based eaters. Essentially, this is a pretty traditionally spiced biryani with quinoa instead of basmati rice. Pulao what this technically is is very similar to biryani, with a similar structure. Its a little less strong on the spice end, so this will be more pleasing to picky eaters and kids. Recipe from Cooking Carnival.
How To Make Vegetable Biryani In Instant Pot
Switch on the IP and press Sauté mode. Once the IP displays ‘Hot’, heat oil and ghee together in the inner pot of the IP. Add, whole spices and fry for 30 seconds.
Then, add sliced onions and sauté until it just starts picking up golden colour.
Add, cauliflower, peas, carrot, potato, ginger garlic paste and green chilies and sauté for 30 seconds.
Then, add whisked yogurt, spice powders, little salt and mix. Add 1 cup of water from the sides of the inner pot.
Top the vegetable layer with chopped mint and coriander leaves, fried or caramelised onions.
Layer the soaked and strained rice evenly, sprinkle saffron water, salt and lemon juice on the top.
Pour 2 more cups of water from the side of the pot such that rice is just immersed under water. Do not stir at this point.
Immediately cover the IP lid with the vent in sealing position and cancel the ‘Sauté’ mode. Switch on the ‘Manual/Pressure Cooker Mode’. Pressure cook the veg biryani on low pressure for 6 minutes.
Once the IP beeps, manually release the pressure carefully and open the pot, allow it to rest for 5 minutes.
Top the biryani with some more caramelised or fried onions and fluff up the rice using fork. Serve Veg biryani with raita of your choice.
Also Check: How Long To Cook Frozen Chicken Thighs In Instant Pot
Tips For Perfect Biryani
- Use fresh garam masala
- Deglaze the pot using the liquids from the vegetables to remove any browned bits from the sautéing of the onions. This will help the Instant Pot come to pressure and also prevent the BURN signal
- Make sure all of the rice is under the liquids before closing the Instant Pot
- Lastly, although, Sauté function on the Instant Pot works great for true one-pot cooking, you can also caramelize the onions using a stovetop in a non-stick pan. This will speed up the process and also will prevent the stainless steel insert from getting scorched which may lead to a BURN notice on the newer Instant Pots
What Are The Ingredients Required To Make Instant Pot Paneer Biryani
To make this flavorful Paneer Pulao in the Instant Pot, you will need
» Long grain Basmati rice For pulaos and biryanis, I prefer long grain Basmati rice. During cooking, long grain basmati rice, hold their structure pretty well and doesnt get clumpy.
» Paneer the star ingredient. Vegans can swap paneer for tofu.
» Onion and garlic the aromatic squad that helps build up delicious flavor. If you dont eat garlic, simply omit it from the recipe.
» Medley of colorful vegetables I have used diced bell peppers and green beans for this recipe. But feel free to use whatever you have on hand. Cauliflower, mushrooms, corn, and carrots are some great additions too.
» Whole spices I have used cloves, bay leaves, and green cardamom. Do not leave out the whole spices as they add tons of flavor to this Paneer and vegetable biryani.
» Seasonings I have used a blend of spices to flavor my biryani. Cumin seeds, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, and kasoori methi all together they lend this biryani the perfect flavor.
» Liquid water or vegetable stock both work great.
» Ghee adds a nutty flavor.
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Paneer Recipes And Kids
Mittu is very fond of Paneer and would even eat a paper which is written as paneer in it. Cleverly on one occasion she made a wish to have all the dish in a day with paneer. I made her wish come true as a surprise on her birthday! Before making it, I browsed and found it is not an issue to have paneer all 3 meals of the day and then prepared a balanced menu! It goes like this Paneer Dosa for breakfast, Paneer Fried Rice with Paneer Butter Masala & Paneer Kheer for lunch, Paneer 65 for evening and then Roti / Panner Butter Masala for dinner. She enjoyed it to the core the entire day and cherishes it as one of her best moments with food! Now she will think of how to make it for a week and I am game!
Why Does Paneer Become Chewy
Pressure cooking paneer can cause store bought paneer to become chewy. If you find your paneer is too chewy for your liking you could also saute the paneer in a nonstick pan on the stove-top and add it to the biryani after it has been cooked. Lastly, you could use homemade paneer instead of store bought paneer.
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Instant Pot Lamb Biryani
This dish is incredibly rich made with both yogurt and milk with lamb as the protein. Youll get tender results every time that wont taste too game-y at all. Fun additions of flavor and texture include juicy dried apricot, white poppy seeds, garam masala, and chili for a kick. Top it off with raisins, cashews, and fresh mint. This is an aromatic masterpiece full of crunchy and chewy goodies. Serve with raita for the best results. Recipe from Paint The Kitchen Red.
This Instant Pot Biryani Is:
- Vegetarian. Use tofu instead of paneer to make it vegan!
- Loaded with vegetables and herbs: Bell peppers, green beans, carrots, corn, broccoli are just some of the vegetable options you can use. Mint and cilantro are the herbs that brought out a delicious taste.
- Full of spices: cumin seeds, black peppercorns, cinnamon sticks, cloves, bay leaves, and a pinch of saffron threads are some of the whole spices I used.
- Includes paneer: I had some homemade frozen paneer that was already cubed and pan-fried. You can use fresh paneer, frozen paneer, bake it, or pan fry it. If you use tofu, I have used extra firm tofu, squeezed out the excess water and placed it at the top before cooking so it doesn’t crumble. You can also pan-fry or bake it.
- Topped with caramelized onions and roasted cashews
- Only 5 minutes in the Instant Pot…FIVE MINUTES! I used the low setting pressure which helped keep the rice separated.
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Fluff Garnish & Serve
- Open the lid after the pin drops. Let the biryani sit uncovered for 5 minutes. Afterward, use a fork to fluff up the biryani. Finally, garnish with cilantro. Serve with pickled onions and raita .
I have tested this recipe in a 3 Qt Instant Pot as well as 6Qt pot, but it can be made in any comparable pressure cooker, like Mealthy Multipot.
More Paneer Recipes From My Kitchen
- Paneer Butter Masala: Paneer simmered in tomato puree, Indian spices and finished with a touch of heavy cream.
- Paneer Tikka Masala: The king of vegetarian curries featuring paneer simmered in a classic tomato-onion gravy and finished with a splash of heavy cream.
- Chilli Paneer: Paneer cubes are pan-fried to golden brown, then stir-fried with onions, peppers, red chiles and a lip-smacking, Asian-style sauce.
- Paneer Naan Pizza: Flavorful pizza toppings with flatbread gets generously topped with yogurt-marinated paneer and fresh veggies.
- Palak Paneer: A north-Indian curry made by simmering soft paneer cubes in a spinach gravy ready in under 30 minutes.
- Kadai Paneer: A delicious and elegant Indian dish made with paneer, aromatic vegetables and sweet spices ready in 15 minutes!
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Tips To Make Perfect Vegetable Biryani In The Pressure Cooker
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 chillies, ginger-garlic paste. Saute for 2-3 minutes until they turn light brown in color – stir regularly.
- Add mint, coriander leaves, curd, turmeric powder, red chili powder, biryani masala powder and fried paneer and mix well.
- Then add rinsed basmati rice, water, salt, and give a stir .
- Cover the cooker with lid and cook for 1 whistle.
- Squeeze some lime juice, mix well and Paneer Biryani is ready serve with Onion Raita or plain yogurt.
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Soaking Time For Rice
When cooking biryani in the instant pot, I would strongly suggest not to let the rice soak any longer than 15 mins.
Any time more than that can make the rice go mushy depending on the brand of rice you are using. So, no matter what brand of rice you are using, 10-15 mins seem to be the magic time.
If you are going to cook on the stovetop and do a ‘dum’ process, you can soak it up to 30 mins but not when you are going to cook in Instant Pot.
Some Variations And Add On
To make shahi paneer pulao, add some cashews, raisins and Saffron.
You can also substitute rice with quinoa. Dont soak the quinoa for this recipe.
Make this simple rice dish vegan by sub paneer with tofu and ghee with oil.
You may also add some mint leaves to give that special biryani effect.
If you try this recipe, we love to read your feedback. Share your feedback in the comment box below and click on the stars in the recipe card below to rate.
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Best Instant Pot Setting
To make this Instant Pot vegetable biryani, the heat is kept at ‘Less’ throughout the entire cooking process.
Canceling the ‘Keep Warm’, doing a ‘Quick Release’ as soon as the display flashes “END” and immediately lifting the pan out prevents the rice and veggies at the bottom of the pan from overcooking.
Let the biryani sit for 5 mins undisturbed. It will not only help release any excess moisture but also the heat to even out normally keeping the rice fluffy, separate, and not sticking to each other.
Readymade Or Homemade Paneer
This depends on your preference. Store-bought paneer works fine, but if you have a little extra time or if paneer is hard to come by, you can make paneer in your kitchen so easily. It tastes fresh and milky and is softer than readymade paneer. Here’s a step by step post on how to make paneer in your instant pot if fresh paneer is what you want. It’s really easy and uses just two ingredients!
However, if you choose the store variety, here’s a helpful tip: soak the block of paneer in hot water for around ten minutes, then cut to the desired shapes. Soaking in hot water softens it, gets rid of the extra fat, and makes it look whiter. A simple hack, but it works.
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