Soya Biryani Recipe | Soya Chunks Biryani

soya biryani in a white plate with a brass spoon on the plate

5 from 7 votes

Soya Biryani Recipe | Soya Chunks Biryani

Meaty soya chunks, fragrant basmati rice, tender green peas, sweet caramelized onions, aromatic spices and herbs all come together in this addictive dum cooked Soya Biryani recipe. While this Meal Maker Biryani recipe is no weeknight one-pot wonder, it's worth every bit of time spent in the kitchen.

Prep Time50

Cook Time30

Total Time1 20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian, North Indian

Diet: Vegetarian

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Servings:

Calories: 458kcal

Author: Dassana Amit

Ingredients

Prepping soya

1 cup (50 grams) soya chunks or meal maker
3 cups water
1 pinch salt

Cooking rice

1.25 cups (250 grams) basmati rice - preferably aged
1 tej patta
1 inch cinnamon
3 cloves
3 green cardamoms
3 to 4 mace strands - thin and single strands
5 cups water
1 teaspoon salt or as required

For biryani gravy

3 tablespoons oil or 4 tablespoons ghee
1½ inches cinnamon
3 cloves
3 green cardamoms
1 black cardamom - optional
1 star anise - small-sized, optional
1 tej patta
½ teaspoon caraway seeds - shahi jeera
1½ cups (175 grams or 2 medium to large) onions - thinly sliced
1 tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste or 6 to 7 garlic & 1½ inches ginger, crushed in mortar
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder or ½ teaspoon red chilli powder or cayenne
1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
¼ teaspoon Garam Masala
2 to 3 pinches grated nutmeg about ⅛ teaspoon
¼ cup Tomato Puree or ½ cup chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons mint - chopped
2 tablespoons coriander leaves - chopped, optional
½ cup green peas - frozen, optional
¾ cup water
salt as required
1 cup Coconut Milk (Thick) or 1 cup curd (yogurt) - preferably thick and well set
1 tablespoon kewra water (pandanus water) or rose water

For biryani layers

2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves
2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
2 tablespoons water - warm or can use choice of milk
25 to 30 saffron strands

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cooking Rice

Rinse basmati rice thoroughly in water until the water is clear of starch. Soak rice in 1½ cups water for 20 to 30 minutes. Later drain all the water and set the rice aside.
In a large pot, add 5 cups water. Add tej patta, cloves, cinnamon, green cardamoms, mace and salt.
Bring spiced water to a rolling boil on high heat.
Add the rice.
Reduce the heat a bit to medium-high. Cook the rice grains until they are 75% done. They should be slightly undercooked, but not al dente. The center should feel a bit raw.
Using a strainer, drain all the water. Rinse the rice gently in water. Simply move the strainer all around the water with a gently force of the water. Drain all the water. Cover the strainer and set rice aside.
Note: Do not touch the rice as the grains can break. Rinsing rice ensures that the rice does not cook further.

Prepping Soya Chunks

In a strainer or colander, rinse 1 cup soya chunks a few times with water. Drain the water. Next, place the soya chunks, water and salt in a pan.
Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.
Drain the water. Rinse soya chunks in fresh water again. Drain the water again and squeeze the chunks thoroughly to remove any excess moisture. Set aside.
Note that there should not be any water logged in the chunks.

Infusing Saffron

Take warm water (or choice of milk) in a small bowl. Add saffron strand and set aside to steep for 5 to 10 minutes.

Making Biryani Gravy

Heat oil or ghee in a pot. Reduce the heat and add the whole spices - tej patta, cinnamon, cloves, green cardamoms, star anise, black cardamom and caraway seeds.
Fry for a few seconds so that the spices crackle and release their flavors in the oil. Do not burn them.
Add sliced onions. Stirring often, sauté the onions on medium-low to medium heat. Add a few pinches of salt to quicken the process cooking of onions.
Cook them to the point where they become golden and caramelized. Do not brown them too much or burn them or else the biryani will have a bitter taste.
When the onions become golden, turn off the heat.
Place the pan on the countertop and remove half of the caramelized onions to set aside. If a few spices from the pan pop in with the onions, that is fine.
Add ginger-garlic paste and place the pan back on the stove-top on a low heat. Sauté ginger-garlic paste for a few seconds until the raw aroma goes away.
At this step we will add the ground spices. If you prefer, switch off the heat here.
Add turmeric powder, kashmiri red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder and grated nutmeg.
Mix and sauté for about 30 seconds to a minute on a low heat taking care not to burn the spices.
Add tomato puree (or chopped tomatoes) and mint leaves. Add coriander leaves if using.
Mix and sauté on a low heat until the mixture becomes pulpy and you see the fat releasing from the sides. If using chopped tomatoes, the tomatoes should soften and become mushy.
Add the prepared soya chunks, frozen green peas (optional) and salt.
Add water and combine well.
Cover the pan and simmer on low to medium-low heat for 10 minutes.
Switch off heat and place pan on the countertop.
Add coconut milk and kewra water (pandanus water) or rosewater. If using curd, add 1 cup whisked/beaten curd at this point. Mix well.
Note: Use fresh curd and not sour curd.
Mix and cook on a low heat until the gravy becomes hot. Do not boil, as this would result in separation of the coconut milk or curd.

Layering Soya Biryani

Now that the gravy is ready, it is time to layer the biryani for dum cooking. You can make two or four layers.
(If you plan to make 4 layers, remove half the gravy from the pan and set it aside.)
Spread rice evenly all over the gravy.
(If you are making a 4-layer biryani, use only half the rice.)
Sprinkle the golden caramelized onions and chopped mint leaves all over. Pour the saffron infused water (or choice of milk) all over the bed of rice.
(If you are making a 4-layer biryani, use only half the elements listed, then repeat with gravy, rice, onions, mint and saffron liquid.)
Cover the pan with a moistened muslin/cheesecloth or any cotton napkin. You can also seal the pan tightly with a foil.
Seal tightly with the pan’s lid.
Note: If you do not a lid for a pan, place a steel lid/plate on the wet cloth. Keep a heavy weight object like a mortar-pestle on the steel lid/plate, so that steam does not escape.

Dum Cooking Meal Maker Biryani

Place the pot on a skillet/tawa. First cook the biryani for 5 minutes on medium-high heat.
Then reduce the heat and cook for 30 to 35 minutes.
When you check the bottom of the pot with a fork or spoon, there should be not gravy or liquid left in the pan. If you see any liquids in the pan, then cook further for 5 to 10 minutes.
Note: You can also bake in a preheated oven for 35 to 45 minutes at 180 degrees celsius.

Serving & Storage

To serve soya biryani, scoop out individual portions with all the layers into plates or bowls.
Garnish with mint leaves or coriander leaves if you prefer. Onion salad, pickled onions, raita, lemon wedges, papad or any vegetable salad are great accompaniments. You can also eat it as is.
Leftovers should not be kept for longer than a day in the refrigerator. To reheat, steam for 5 minutes in the Instant Pot or lightly sauté in a frying pan.

Notes

Preferably use aged basmati rice to get the best texture in the biryani - fluffy, long and separate.
Rinse the cooked rice gently, and strain all the water well. This will ensure that the rice grains do not cook further.
Remember to cook the soya chunks in water first. Drain the water and squeeze the soya chunks thoroughly to remove the excess water from them. There should not be any water or moisture inside the soya chunks.
For a spicy tasting biryani, increase the amount of Kashmiri red chili powder or add some green chillies to the gravy.
If using curd, then make sure to use fresh curd and not a sour one. Simply swap ghee (clarified butter) with oil and dairy-based curd (yogurt) with thick coconut milk, coconut cream or any other plant-based curd.
You can also use either milk or a plant-based milk for your saffron liquid.

Nutrition