Cauliflower Rice Paneer Biryani

Name: Cauliflower Rice Paneer Biryani
Prep time: 22 min
Cook time: 33 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 12 oz (340 g) paneer, patted dry, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes; ½ cup (120 g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, at room temperature; 1 tbsp (8 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated; 3 cloves (10 g) garlic, finely grated or minced; ½ tsp (1 g) ground turmeric; 1 tsp (2 g) Kashmiri chili powder; 1 tsp (2 g) garam masala; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; ½ tsp (3 g) fine salt; 3 tbsp (42 g) ghee; 1 tsp (2 g) cumin seeds; 1 piece (2-inch / 5 cm) (3 g) cinnamon stick; 4 pods (1 g) green cardamom pods, lightly crushed; 4 cloves (½ g) whole cloves; 1 leaf (½ g) bay leaf; 1 large (about 7 oz) (200 g) large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced into half-moons; 1 medium (about 4 oz) (120 g) ripe tomato, finely diced; 1 chili (8 g) green chili (serrano or Thai), slit lengthwise (seeded for less heat); 24 oz (680 g) cauliflower rice, fresh, or frozen and thawed, squeezed very dry; ½ cup (70 g) frozen green peas, thawed; ¾ tsp (4 g) fine salt, plus more to taste; 1 large pinch (about 20 threads) (0.1 g) saffron threads; 2 tbsp (30 ml) whole milk, warmed until steaming, not boiling; ½ cup, packed (12 g) fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped; ½ cup, packed (15 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A low-carb take on biryani: yogurt-marinated paneer is seared, then folded into a fragrant onion-tomato masala and quickly sautéed cauliflower rice. Saffron milk, mint and cilantro give it the layered aroma of the classic.

Prep: 22 min
Cook: 33 min
Wait: 35 min
Total: 1 hr 30 min
Makes: About 6 cups (4 main-course servings)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the paneer marinade
12 oz (340 g) paneer, patted dry, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes
½ cup (120 g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, at room temperature
1 tbsp (8 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
3 cloves (10 g) garlic, finely grated or minced
½ tsp (1 g) ground turmeric
1 tsp (2 g) Kashmiri chili powder
1 tsp (2 g) garam masala
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
½ tsp (3 g) fine salt
For the biryani
3 tbsp (42 g) ghee
1 tsp (2 g) cumin seeds
1 piece (2-inch / 5 cm) (3 g) cinnamon stick
4 pods (1 g) green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
4 cloves (0.5 g) whole cloves
1 leaf (0.5 g) bay leaf
1 large (about 7 oz) (200 g) large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced into half-moons
1 medium (about 4 oz) (120 g) ripe tomato, finely diced
1 chili (8 g) green chili (serrano or Thai), slit lengthwise (seeded for less heat)
24 oz (680 g) cauliflower rice, fresh, or frozen and thawed, squeezed very dry
½ cup (70 g) frozen green peas, thawed
¾ tsp (4 g) fine salt, plus more to taste
To finish
1 large pinch (about 20 threads) (0.1 g) saffron threads
2 tbsp (30 ml) whole milk, warmed until steaming, not boiling
½ cup, packed (12 g) fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
½ cup, packed (15 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped

Equipment (5)

12-inch (30 cm) deep skillet or sauté pan with a tight-fitting lid
Medium mixing bowl
Small microwave-safe bowl or small saucepan (for the saffron milk)
Clean kitchen towel (for drying cauliflower rice)
Wooden spoon and spatula

Steps

Before you start

Start the paneer marinade at least 30 minutes before you plan to cook; it can marinate up to 8 hours in the fridge.
If using frozen cauliflower rice, thaw it fully and squeeze it dry in a clean towel. Excess water turns the dish mushy.
Warm the milk and steep the saffron in it as soon as you begin, so it has time to turn deep orange.
Have everything chopped before you turn on the heat; the onion, masala and rice steps move quickly.

1
Marinate the paneer
- In a medium bowl, stir together the yogurt, ginger, garlic, turmeric, Kashmiri chili powder, garam masala, lemon juice and ½ tsp salt until smooth.
- Add the paneer cubes and turn gently to coat.
- Let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes (or refrigerate up to 8 hours).
- Meanwhile, warm the milk until steaming, stir in the saffron, and set aside to steep.
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Ready when: Paneer is evenly coated and the milk has turned deep orange
Tip: Use full-fat yogurt; low-fat versions are thin and can split when cooked.
2
Prep the vegetables
- While the paneer marinates, slice the onion, dice the tomato, slit the chili, and chop the mint and cilantro.
- If the cauliflower rice was frozen, wrap it in a clean towel and squeeze out as much liquid as you can.
- Lightly crush the cardamom pods.
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Ready when: Cauliflower rice feels dry and crumbly, not wet, when pressed in your hand
Tip: Dry cauliflower rice is the single biggest factor in avoiding a soggy biryani.
3
Sear the paneer
- Lift the paneer from the marinade with a spoon, letting excess drip back into the bowl; reserve all the leftover marinade.
- Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Add the paneer in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 2 minutes, then turn and cook 2 to 3 minutes more.
- Transfer to a plate.
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Ready when: Cubes are golden brown on at least two sides and release easily from the pan
Tip: If the paneer sticks, wait another 30 seconds; it releases when properly browned.
4
Bloom the whole spices
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the remaining 2 tbsp ghee to the same skillet.
- When hot, add the cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, crushed cardamom, cloves and bay leaf.
- Stir for 30 to 45 seconds.
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Ready when: Cumin seeds sizzle and darken slightly and the kitchen smells fragrant
Tip: Do not let the spices turn black; they turn bitter. Add the onion right away if they brown fast.
5
Brown the onions
- Add the sliced onion and ¼ tsp of the salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 10 minutes.
- Lower the heat to medium-low if they darken too quickly or catch on the pan bottom.
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Ready when: Onions are soft and deep golden brown with some darker edges
Tip: Well-browned onions give the biryani its characteristic sweet, deep base, so don't rush this step.
6
Build the masala
- Add the tomato and green chili and cook 2 minutes, mashing the tomato with your spoon.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the reserved marinade.
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 4 to 5 minutes.
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Ready when: Masala is thick and jammy, and ghee glistens at the edges
Tip: Keep the heat low and stir constantly after adding the yogurt so it doesn't curdle.
7
Sauté the cauliflower rice
- Raise the heat to high.
- Add the cauliflower rice, peas and remaining ½ tsp salt.
- Toss for 4 to 5 minutes so the rice is coated in masala and any steam cooks off.
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Ready when: Cauliflower is crisp-tender, with no standing liquid in the pan
Tip: Don't overcook; cauliflower rice continues to soften when covered in the next step.
8
Layer and steam
- Fold in the seared paneer and half of the mint and cilantro.
- Drizzle the saffron milk over the top, without stirring.
- Cover tightly and cook on the lowest heat for 5 minutes.
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Ready when: Steam rises when the lid is lifted and the paneer is hot throughout
Tip: Wrap the lid in a towel if it doesn't fit tightly, to keep the steam in.
9
Rest and serve
- Turn off the heat and leave covered for 5 minutes.
- Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaf if you like.
- Fluff gently with a fork, scatter with the remaining mint and cilantro, and taste for salt.
- Serve hot, with raita or a cucumber salad.
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Ready when: Rice looks fluffy, with streaks of saffron orange throughout
Tip: Whole spices are not meant to be eaten; warn guests or remove them before serving.

Good to know

Tips

Squeeze frozen cauliflower rice completely dry; it is the key to fluffy rather than soggy biryani.
Keep the cauliflower rice time short; 4 to 5 minutes sauté plus 5 minutes steam is enough.
Brown the onions properly; they provide most of the biryani's depth.
Add the saffron milk over the top without stirring for pockets of color and aroma, like layered biryani.

Make ahead

Marinate the paneer up to 8 hours ahead in the fridge. The masala (through step 6) can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated; reheat until simmering, then continue with the cauliflower rice.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Fridge: airtight container up to 3 days. Freezer: up to 1 month, though cauliflower softens on thawing. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with 1 to 2 tbsp water, covered, for 4 to 5 minutes, or microwave in 60-second bursts, stirring between.

Substitutions

paneer → extra-firm tofu or chickpeas. Press tofu well; use 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) drained chickpeas and skip the searing for them.
ghee → avocado oil or neutral oil. You'll lose some nutty richness but the dish still works and becomes dairy-free on the fat side.
plain whole-milk Greek yogurt → unsweetened coconut yogurt. Makes the marinade dairy-free (paneer is still dairy); the flavor is slightly sweeter.
Kashmiri chili powder → ½ tsp paprika plus ¼ tsp cayenne. Approximates Kashmiri chili's color and mild heat.