Soy Chunks Biryani (Meal Maker)

How many different Biryanis can one in a life time? Chicken Biryani, Mutton Biryani, Egg Biryani, Prawn Biryani, Mushroom Biryani, Chicken Dum Biryani, Mutton Dum Biryani, Hydrebadi Egg Biryani and on goes the list. Now consider the fact everyone makes Biryani …well differently. So, if you were to count the countless types of biryanis available and the countless way people make them….can you keep count of it? I gave up counting long time ago…quite cheerfully, i might add!

My mom makes a heavenly Mushroom Biryani which I have yet to get a handle on and my MIL dishes out one of the best Chicken Biryani I have had. But not to be bested by both mom and mom-in-law I specialize in Soy Chunks Biryani. Here's how it goes..

 Ingredients

2 Cups of Basmati

1 1/2 cup mixed veggies (carrots, cauliflower, potatoes, peas) – cut to bite sized pieces
1 cup of Soy chucks (pre soaked) – I used Nutrela
1 medium sized onion – thinly slices
2 tomatoes - diced
3 tablespoons – ginger&garlic paste
1/2 tablespoon of biryani masala (homemade or your favorite brand)
Chili Powder – 1 teaspoon or according to your spice level
Salt to Taste
Yogurt – 2 tablespoons (optional)
Lime/Lemon juice – 1 tablespoon
Whole garam masala spices – 3 cardamom, 3 cloves, 1” cinnamon, 2 bay leaves, 1 star anise
Mint – 12-15 big leaves
Cilantro – 10-15 sprigs
Butter – 2 tablespoons
Ghee – 1 tablespoon
Oil – 1 tablespoon
Water – 3 cups (rice: water  –  1: 1.5)

Method

Soak basmati rice for 15 minutes or just before you start preparing biryani. It should be soaked enough by the time you are ready for the rice part on the recipe.
Heat water in a medium sauce pan and soak the soy chucks until it doubles in size. Squeeze out the water and set aside. You may reserve the water to use it later for the biryani.
Heat butter and oil in a pressure cooker and add the whole spices. Then add the sliced onions and sauté well until golden brown. Add the ginger garlic paste and mix well and cook until it looses its raw smell. Then add the tomatoes and let cook until oil oozes on the sides. Now add chili powder, salt and biryani masala powder and mix well. Then add the veggies, the squeezed out soy chunks and the yogurt. Mix the veggies well and let it cook on medium for 5 minutes. Add chopped mint and cilantro leaves and mix well.

Now add the reserved water at rice: water  ratio of  1: 1.5. If you don't have enough reserved soy water then use regular water. Bring it to a boil and then the rice. Add one tablespoon of lemon juice and mix well. Have a taste and adjust salt.

Tip: The liquid in the cooker should be saltier than your regular preference for salt. When the rice cooks and absorbs the moisture, the level of saltiness will drastically go down.
When the water is almost evaporates and the rice appears half cooked, closed the cooker lid and bring the heat level to Low. Let it steam cook for 15 more minutes and turn off the stove.
Tip: If using a electric stove, move the cooker to a different burner that is not hot, otherwise, your biryani will keep cooking (and burn) from the residual heat in the burner.

After the cooker has let our most of the steam, open the lid and add Ghee. Slowing mix the rice from the outside rim of the cooker. Take care as to not break the rice kernels.

Serve hot with raita.
Tip: If you don't have a pressure cooker, you make use a sauce pot with a tight lid or a dutch oven, in which case use rice to water ration of 1: 2