Method:

Rinse and Soak 2 cup Basmati rice for 15 mins, Add 7 cup of water in a vessel, allow it to boil, now add 1 bay leaf, 1 stick of cinnamon, 2 or 3 cloves, 2 no’s of cardamom, add soaked basmati rice, stir. add 1/2 tsp of ghee or oil and salt to taste.

Boil until the rice is almost done (90%), once done drain the water with a colander and keep ready.

Soak 15 no’s of almonds, 2 Tsp of melon seeds/pumpkin seeds and 2 Tsp of poppy seeds in hot water for 15 min, then de-skin the almonds, blend together to a fine paste (add water as needed to blend ) and keep ready.

Soak few saffron strands in warm milk.

Chop 1 medium onion to thin lengthily, fry it in oil until golden brown, once it is done remove it from the oil with a spatula to a plate and keep aside.

Heat 2 tbsp of ghee in a pan, once it is hot fry 15 no’s of cashew nuts, raisins, and almonds to light brown and set aside

Fry 50 gm of chopped Paneer in the same ghee to light brown and keep ready.

Chop Pudina and coriander leaves and keep ready,

Heat a heavy bottomed pan by adding oil and Ghee, when it is hot add all the Dry spices, saute for few secs, then add ginger garlic paste, fry until you get a fresh aroma. Then add chopped veggies

saute well, add 1 tsp of biryani powder, 1 tsp of chilly powder, 1/2 tsp of garam masala powder, 1/2 Tsp of turmeric powder, stir fry for few mins, add 1/2 cup of yogurt or coconut milk, saute well for few mins,

Then add blended paste.

Add salt to taste, cook covered until veggies are cooked it takes approximately 10 mins to be done, stir in between before done.  Add 1/4 cup of water. Cook until the veggies are cooked, the gravy must be thick in consistency.

If the gravy is watery boil it until thick in consistency, ensure the gravy is almost done then finally, add fried Paneer, stir, switch off the flame and set aside.

Take another heavy bottomed vessel, add ghee and oil in it, when it is hot add cloves, 2 no’s of mace, 2 Bay leaves, 1/2 tsp of fennel seeds, fry for a while then add 1/2 quantity of prepared gravy on it, then spread 1/2 part of cooked rice on it, then add fried onion, roasted dry fruits and few chopped pudina and coriander.

Again spread/assemble another layer of gravy, then remaining cooked basmati rice, roasted nuts, and chopped pudina and coriander, finally add soaked saffron along with milk all around. Add rose essence/kewra water.

Cook covered (Dum cook – place the vessel on a flat pan, you can cover a plate/aluminum foil sheet and seal the edges with atta dough) on a low flame for 15 to 20 mins.

Aromatic and delicious Mughlai Biryani is now ready to serve.

Enjoy with Onion, Tomato Raita.