Paneer Biryani

Heat oil in a pan and add the whole spices, when they crackle add the onions and cook them till they turn light brown in colour.
At this stage add turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder, ginger and garlic paste. Cook them for 2 mins and then add whisked curd. Take the heat to high and continuously stir the curd till it reaches a boil. Reduce the curd completely so that the masala starts to leave oil.
At this stage add fresh tomato puree, green chillies, salt and kasoori methi leaves. Cook this masala till oil comes to surface again.
Pour water stir and bring it to boil. Add rose water and kewra water and adjust the seasoning with some salt if required. Biryani masala or biryani jhol is ready, keep aside.

Spread the paneer cubes on to a plate and sprinkle salt, turmeric and chilli powder. Do not try to mix as the paneer might break. Instead allow it to sit like this for 15mins.
Heat oil in the pan and add the paneer cubes to it. Do not try to mix or stir as paneer might break. Instead swirl the pan to move the paneer around. Once paneer gets a brown colour on the bottom turn over the paneer in the pan using a thin flat spoon. Cook again till paneer browns. Remove it to a platter and keep aside.

Wash and soak rice for 30mins. Boil 3lts of water in a deep pan along with salt, bayleaf, green chilli, cardamom, kewra water and rose water. Boil it for 5mins and then skim off the spices. Drain the water from the rice and add it to the boiling water.
Cook the rice till its 50% cooked and remove from heat and immediately strain it. Keep the strained water for use later in the recipe.

Heat the biryani masala again and add paneer to it. Give a quick boil and make sure that it has sufficient moisture and is not too dry. Turn off the heat and sprinkle on top garam masala, coriander and mint. Arrange the half cooked rice over it and pour over some ghee and about 1cup of water kept aside after boiling rice. The quantity of water here depends upon the moisture in the jhol below and how much the rice is cooked.
Seal it with a tight fitting lid, you can also seal the lid with any dough. Cook the biryani on high heat for 2 mins, then lower the heat and cook for 10mins. Remove from heat and give rest for another 10-15mins. Now open the biryani pot and serve the biryani.

Never compromise on the quality of rice. It will be worth the effort to source a good quality rice for biryani.
Always season the water well, in case at the end the seasoning is less then sprinkle over some chat masala.