Firstly Marinate the Paneer pieces in a marinade prepared with turmeric powder, coriander powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder, salt, ginger garlic paste, red chilli powder, a tablespoon water.

Rub the marinade over the Paneer pieces. Marinate for 15 minutes minimum under refrigeration.

Secondly, to grind Biryani powder, Dry roast the specified whole spices in a pan under low heat until they release a nice aroma.

Turn off the stove. Cool the spices completely and grind into slightly coarse powder. Keep aside.

For frying the marinated paneer, heat ghee in a wide pan. Drop the marinated paneer pieces into the hot ghee and keep frying in low to medium until Paneer gets fried evenly. Do turn the paneer pieces gently in between. Remove the fried paneer from the heat. Keep aside.

For the Biryani, heat a heavy bottomed cooking pot in low to medium heat. Add ghee, followed by 100 ml cooking oil. Add in the bay leaves.

Sauté onions until translucent. Add partial salt at this stage. Keep sautéing onions until they turn crunchy. Add ginger garlic paste. Sauté till the raw smell leaves.

Add cumin seeds. Then throw in the chopped tomatoes. Sauté until tomatoes turn mushy and glossy. Add the other veggies and sauté them until rawness leaves.

Add the mint leaves reserving fee for the last. Add the dry powders one by one.

Don’t forget to add the freshly ground Biryani powder.

Pour in the measured water. Add chillies. Adjust spice as per your taste. Cover and cook until veggies get par cooked.

Then add the soaked and drained basmati rice. Mix all without breaking the grains. Cover the pot tightly and cook the Biryani in low heat for 12 minutes.Now open the pot and add the fried spiced paneer.Again cover the pot and dum cook the Biryani for another 8 minutes.

Once done, fluff the rice, bring the rice from bottom to up gently without disturbing the rice. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.

Scrumptious Fried Spiced Paneer Biryani is ready. Serve it hot hot with any raita of your choice.