SOYA CHUNKS BIRYANI

Soy is a good source of protein for vegetarians. Though it had some good health benefits, me and my hubby somehow didn't like the texture or the smell when we tried for first time. When my friend visited home, she brought some vegetable biryani, and it had had few soya chunks in it, we tasted it and we loved it. The secret is soya chunks when cooked properly it will taste good. So i gained some confidence and tried this biryani with out adding any vegetables. It turned out so tasty. Here we go for the recipe...





Ingredients :

Basmati Rice - 1 Cup
Soya Chunks ( Medium Size ) - 30
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 Teaspoons
Red Chili Powder - 2 Teaspoons
Green chilies - 2 
Onion - 2 Nos ( Medium Sized )
Tomato - 1 ( Medium Sized )
Curd - 4 Table Spoon
Mint Leaves - 20 
Coriander Leaves - Finely Chopped 

For Tempering :

Ghee + Oil - 3 Table Spoon
Fennel Seeds - 1 Teaspoon
Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
Bay Leaf - 1 No
Cardamom - 1 No
Clove - 1 No

Method :

Wash basmati rice few times and soak it in water for 30 minutes. Wash soya chunks in water and add it in hot water with salt and boil for 10 minutes, i. Now drain the water, squeeze out the water completely from soya chunks. Again wash it in cold water, drain and squeeze it, and keep it aside. 

Boil 5 Cups of water with a teaspoon of ghee and add the basmati rice and cook it until it is 90 % done. Make sure it is not fully cooked. Once done drain the basmati rice in a colander. 
Now in a pressure cooker add 2 Table Spoon of ghee and one table spoon of oil, add the ingredients listed under tempering section. Now add sliced onion to it and salute until it becomes transparent now add soya chunks and ginger garlic paste to it and salute until the raw smell leaves, now add chopped tomato, slit green chilies, red chilli powder, turmeric powder to it and cook until tomatoes get soft. Now add curd and mint leaves to it and fry for another 2 minutes in low flame. Now add 1/4 Cup of water and bring it to a boil. Now add the cooked basmati rice to it and mix well.
Instead of keep the pressure cooker in direct flame. Heat a Dosa pan and keep the pressure cooker closed and with whistle and cook in lowest flame for about 10 to 12 minutes. 
Once done add a teaspoon of ghee, finely chopped coriander, few mint leaves, mix well and close the lid and let it stand for another 10 minutes. 

Yummy and tasty soya chunks biryani is ready to be served with any raitha as side dish.

Notes :

Make sure rice is not fully cooked. Otherwise the rice will become mushy.
Adding mint leaves gives a nice aroma, so don't  miss adding it.
Biryani is all about ginger garlic paste, fennel seeds and mint leaves. So these three is a must.