Soybean Chunks Biriyani/Shahi Soybean Chunks Biriyani

Soya Bean chunks are a great substitute for Non-Veg, taste great, very healthy and rich with high protein. I make them atleast once in a week and my kids love them . My son believe it is chicken/mutton and I try out a lot of different recipes with them. I make this mostly as a one course meal for my hubby's lunch box. I made Soybean biriyani for my kids birthday party for the veg-rice, everyone loved it and most of my friends liked it more than chicken biriyani. This tastes really different and good from all other biriyanis. So try this out friends. Enjoy!!!!

Ingredients:-

Basmathi Rice -2 cups
Green Cardamom - 3
Cloves - 5
Cinnamon Stick - 2
Whole black peppercorns few(around 10)
Fennel seeds - 1tsp
Ghee - 2 tsp
Cashews, raisins few(handful)
Onion finely sliced - 1(deep fry it and set aside for garnishing)
Water - 3 1/2 cups
Salt to taste

Soybean Mini Chunks/Nutrela Mini Chunks - 1 1/2 cups
Onion Finely sliced - 3
Tomato finely sliced - 2
Ginger-Garlic Crushed - 2 tbsp
Green chilly- 3(slit into halves)
Turmeric powder - 3/4 tsp
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 2tsp
Curry leaves a sprig
Coriander leaves finely chopped - 1/2 cup
Oil - 2tbsp
Coconut Milk - 1/2 cup(optional, I do not use it for regular cooking but use it for parties and all)
Salt to taste
Water 4 cups or more to boil the soya chunks
Water - 2 cups or more to make soy masala

Preparation Method:-

• Wash  the rice and drain off the water completely and set aside.
• Heat a thick bottom wide pan in medium heat, add ghee shallow fry the raisins and cashews and keep them aside.
• Add the fennel seeds to the ghee and stir for few secs. Add cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick,  peppercorns and stir for a minute or two without getting them to dark color.
• Pour water and add salt and let it boil.
• Add the rice and stir till the bottom of the pan with a spatula(This helps the rice not to stick to the bottom)
• Close with a tight lid and let it cook in medium heat
• Check in 10- 15 minutes and switch off the flame when the water is fully absorbed.
• Let it sit for 10 mins(if you stir the rice when they are very hot rice will beak) and then gently stir it or move to one or two platters so that rice grains do not stick to each other. 
• Pour four cups of water in a vessel and get it boil. Add the Soybean chunks to it and add salt. Stir it and switch off the stove when bubbles start to form from the sides of the pan. Let it soak in hot water for five minutes.
• Drain the water in a colander and pour some cold running water over it and wash the soybean chunks well with your hands to reduce the smell of soy.
• Squeeze out all the water from the soy chunks and set this aside.
• Heat a thick bottom pan or cooker, pour the oil, add the crushed ginger-garlic, curry leaves and stir for  a minute. Add onion, salt and saute well till they become light brown color.
• Add tomatoes, 1/4 cups chopped coriander leaves and saute well till they are soft. Add turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder and garam masala. Saute well till everything masala is incorporated with onion-tomato mix. 
• Add the cooked soybean chunks and mix well. Add in 2 cups of water and mix well. When the gravy starts to boil, cover and let it cook for another 10 mins in medium heat. 
• Pour the coconut milk and cook for another two-three minutes.
• Switch off the flame and add little bit more coriander leaves
• Pre-heat the oven to 350 Degree Fahrenheit. 
• Take a baking tray and start layering the biriyani. Layering rice i the bottom followed by some soybean masala, fried raisins cashews. Top this with rice and masala, cashews, raisins. Repeat the process with rest of the rice, masala, fried cashews, raisins. 
• Cover the tray with silver foil and bake this for 30 minutes.
• Take off the tray and garnish with fried onions, coriander leaves and serve hot with raita, pickle and anything of your choice.

Note:-
1) You can use normal soybean chunks if you do not find mini chunks. Just cut it into halves after they are boiled if you feel they are really big.
2) Fried onions are optional, gives great taste and perfect finishing
3) If you do not have an oven you can do the dum effect(layering the rice and masala) on stove top as well, Grease a vessel with cooking spray/butter/ghee do the layering, keep the heat in the lowest and let cook for approx. 20-30 minutes.