Kallumakkaya Biriyani/Mussels Biriyani ~ Another Malabar Delicacy

Ingredients:-

To Marinate:-

1. Kallumakkaya/Mussels Big - 2lbs(before shells removed)
2. Turmeric powder - ½tsp
3. Chilly powder - 1 tsp
4. Salt - ¾ tsp(adjuslt to taste)
5. Fennel seeds crushed/coarse ground in a mortar - ¼ tsp

For Stir Fry:-

1. Onion very thinly sliced - 3 Cup(4 Med Size)
2. Ginger and Garlic chopped fine/Crushed together in a mortar - 1 tbsp each
3. Green Chilly Chopped fine - 8
4. Tomato sliced fine - 1½ to 2Cup (2 Med)
5. Salt - ½ tsp(to taste)
6. Turmeric powder -  ½ tsp
7. Garam Masala - 1½
8. Curry leaves two sprigs or more
9. Coriander Leaves chopped - 2 tbsp + to garnish

To Garnish(optional- I didn't do it this time):-

1. Cashews a handful
2. Raisins a handful
3. Deep fried Onion - 1(~ ½ cup)
4. Chopped coriander leaves ~ 2tbsp

Preparation Method:-

• Wash the mussels two-three times to remove all the dirt stick on the shell. Place them in a wide vessel/Pot with water to cover the mussels and bring to boil with lid on.
• You will see the shell open and mussel leave the shell from one side and form shape instead of sticking on both sides of the shell.
• Take off the stove and drain off water. Let it cool 
  

  

  Mussels cleaning Process in Pics

• Separate the flesh from the shell and discard the shell. Remove the black color dirt inside the mussel meat. Remove byssus(a strong group of filament like hair) inside the mussels as well.
• Pour water in a bowl and put mussel meat in it. Rinse gently to remove any sand/dirt in the meat once or twice.
• Marinate with Salt, turmeric, chilly powder and crushed fennel seeds. Set aside for 30 minutes.
• Heat a tsp oil in a pan, place the mussels and shallow fry on both sides till they are light brown. Move them to a bowl and set aside.
• Pour oil in the same pan, add curry leaves, minced ginger and garlic and saute till raw smell goes away for a minute or two.
• Add Green chilies, sliced onions, salt  and saute very well in medium heat till they turn translucent. 
• Add tomatoes and saute till they start releasing water content. Break the tomatoes as you saute and let everything blend together well.
• Add turmeric powder, coriander leaves and saute well to mix. Add the shallow fried Mussles/Kallumakkaya and saute well to combine. 
• Cover and let it cook for three-five minutes stirring occasionally.
• Add garam masala and more curry leaves, saute well, cover and let cook for another two-three minutes. Check for salt and adjust. Switch off the stove and set aside till you prepare rice. 

For Ghee Rice:-

1. Jeera Rice/Basmathi Rice - 3 Cups
2. Water - 5 ½ Cups 
3. Cinnamon Stick - 2 inch size broken into halves
4. Green Cardamom Pods - 4
5. Cloves  - 6
6. Bay leaves 2(optional)
7. Whole Pepper corns ~ 7 nos(optional, I like to add them though normal recipes do not call for it)
8. Curry leaves a sprig
9. Ghee ~ 1 tbsp
10. Freshly squeezed Lime Juice ~ 1tbsp(optional)
11. Salt to taste ~ 2 tsp(check and adjust accordingly)
12. Garam Masala - ½ tsp

Making Ghee Rice:-

• Wash rice three to four times in water till you get a clear water, drain the rice fully and set aside. 
• Heat up a wide vessel, add ghee, saute the cashews till light brown and set aside. Add the raisins and saute till they pop up, take out and set aside. 
• Now add cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, cloves, pepper corns and saute well till you start getting a nice aroma of spices. 
• Pour water to it, add salt, squeezed lime juice, few curry leaves and bring to boil. Add rice, stir gently with a spatula till the bottom of the pan just to remove any sticky rice from the bottom. Simmer the heat to medium, cover with an air-tight lid and let it cook until almost done.  
• Open the lid once the water is absorbed(rice should not be fully cooked, but will continue to cook during the dum process) and take off the stove.
• Let it cool for couple of minutes, say around 10-15 minutes, if you try to flip or toss the rice when it is very hot it will tend to break and stick. 
• Stir gently with a spatula when the high steam subsides, move to two-three platters so that they don't form lumps and don't stick together. This way you will get a very nice non-lumpy, non-sticky rice. Proceed for the final stage of layering and dumming :-)

 Dumming the Biriyani in low heat:

• Heat up a thick bottom pan, add 2 tsp oil(or ghee), simmer the heat to medium. 
• Spread some rice on the bottom of the vessel, top it with mussels masala gravy, topped with fried cashews, raisins, fried onions, coriander leaves and sprinkle a pinch of garam masala powder

                                               

• Repeat the process with remaining rice, masala, fried cashews, raisins, onions and garama masala.
• Cover it with an air tight lid or place a kitchen towel flatten on top of the vessel and cover to seal tight with the lid. Cook in low heat until you see steam releasing from the sides of the vessel. 
• Move to a serving plate, garnish with  more raisins, cashews and fried onion. Serve warm with pappads, pickles and chutney.

Note:- 

1. You can dum biriyani in the conventional oven the same way by layering rice and masala. Use a microwaveable tray and cover it airtight using the proper airtight lid or the heavy duty silver foil sheet.

2. If you look at the recipe, I've used very less chilly powder instead have added lot of green chilies where the spice comes in. If you want them more spicy you can add chilly powder or increase the amount of green chilies as this recipes is a medium spicy one.

Malabar Style Prawns Biriyani ~ Malabar Chemmeen Biriyani

Summer Time!!!! Kids are having Summer vacation and I'm having hard time running behind them :-) I've let my son play and have fun this summer without putting him for any summer camps and study classes. These days he comes to me saying 'Amma enikku pa(di)kkanam' meaning Amma I want to study. He is learning to write Malayalam little by little these days though he makes a lot of mistakes, I love the excitement in his face, joy in his eyes and the 'hurray' scream when he get the letters right. His little sister is really happy to have her 'Ettan'(big Bro) around whole day to play, fight, act and have fun. I'm sometimes amazed to watch the little one learning things so fast from her big bro.

Though kids love to enjoy summer outside, the sun is so very hot here which don't let us stay out for long at daytime. We wait till eve to go out for any outdoor activities. To keep kids engaged in some physical activities we took membership in YMCA, elder one is enrolled for swimming classes while my little one get to play in the play area for more than an hour. As usual I'm doing my Chauffeur job taking them in and out everywhere :-)  We took a beak from all these and had a nice weekend last week in Edison, NJ with my little sister and BIL. It was fun, especially for kids, they were well pampered by Elemma/Chachi and Elayachan/Chachu. It was totally an unplanned trip just for two days but it ended up being so good, relaxed a bit, went for a small beach trip, ate out, watched a reasonably good action movie 'Singham' online and reached back home by yesterday evening. 

I feel terribly bad sing my empty space without much posts these days, I'm getting hardly anytime to reach out to my fellow blogger's space as well. I know many of my blogger friends have passed on many awards to me as well, thanks dear friends, I will definitely try to post them asap. Today's recipe is yet another Malabar delicacy, the delicious Malabar Chemmeen/Prawns biriyani. As I have mentioned before, we prefer fish over meat, seafood like Prawns and Crab being the favorite. When ever we have unexpected or sudden guest I make this Prawns Biriyani or my Prawns Masala or this Prawns Roast as I know, no matter what Prawns will never go wrong in the making even if I'm in hurry. Prawns are really a great rescuer as they get cooked so fast and tastes just fantastic. I use homemade Garam Masala which my MIL made, which do not have fennel seeds. So I add some crushed fennel seeds and this fennel powder add an extra aroma for the prawns. So here comes the Malabar Chemmeen(Prawn/Shrimp) Biriyani, do definitely give it a try and Enjoy this Malabar delicacy :-)

Ingredients:- 

To Marinate Prawns:-

1. Big Prawns(or Shrimp) - 1lbs( ~ 500 gms)
2. Turmeric powder ~ ¾ tsp
3. Chilly powder - 1 tsp
4. Pepper powder ~  ½ tsp
5. Salt to taste (~ ¾ tsp)

For shrimp Masala:-

1. Onion Very Finely Sliced - 4 Med(~ 3½ cups)
2. Tomato - 2 Big(~ 2 Cups)
3. Ginger - Garlic paste, crushed or finely chopped ~ 2 tbsp each
4. Green Chilies crushed or finely chopped - 5
5. Turmeric powder -  ½ tsp
6. Fennel seeds crushed and coarse ground to powder ~ ¾ tsp
7. Garam Masala - 1 ½ tsp
8. Fresh Lime Juice ~ 1 tbsp
9. Curry leaves a sprig or more
10. Chopped coriander leaves/Cilantro ~ ¼ cups
11. Chopped mint leaves ~ 2 tbsp 
12. Oil ~ 1 tbsp + 1 tbsp(to shallow fry + to saute and make Shrimp Masala)
13. Salt to taste

For Ghee Rice/Flavorful Rice:-

• Basmathi Rice/Jeera Rice - 3 Cups
• Water - 5 Cups
• 1 inch Cinnamon Sticks - 2 nos
• Cardamom pods - 4
• Cloves - 6
• Salt to taste (~ 1tbsp)
• Ghee ~ 2 tbsp + 1 tbsp(for layering and doing dum)
• Oil ~ 1 tbsp
• Garam Masala ~  ½ tsp(used while layering the rice)
• Curry leaves a sprig
• Onion very thinly sliced - 1 
• Cashews few (optional)
• Raisins few (optional)
• Chopped coriander leaves ~ 1 tbsp

Preparation Method:-

Making shrimp Masala:

• Peel and devein the prawns. Wash it well two-three times and drain completely. 
• Marinate prawns with 'To Marinate' ingredients ie Turmeric, Chilly powder, Pepper powder, Salt and set aside for at-least 30 minutes(or more if possible) 
• Heat up a non-stick pan or kadai, pour 1 tbsp oil, spread the prawns. Reduce the heat to medium and shallow fry the prawns slightly on both sides for around five-seven minutes. Take them out and keep aside.
• Add 1 more tbsp of oil to the same pan(in which you shallow fried prawns), add onions, ginger-garlic paste, green chilies, few curry leaves, salt and saute for a while till onion turn light brown.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and saute well till tomatoes are soft and mashed up to release the juices. 
• Add mint leaves, chopped cilantro and saute. Add turmeric powder, 1 tsp garam masala and saute well to mix.
• Add the shallow fried prawns (I kept couple of them to garnish) and saute well to mix with the gravy. Cover with a lid and let it cook for few minutes around five-seven minutes in medium heat.
• Add fresh lime juice and saute to mix. Add remaining ½ tsp garam masala, fennel powder and saute well to mix everything. Take off the stove and set aside till Ghee rice is ready.

Preparing Ghee Rice/Flavored Rice:-

• Pour 5 cups of water in a wide vessel and bring it to boil.
• Mean while wash the rice two-three times till you get clear water, drain completely and keep aside.
• Heat up a wide thick bottom pan, add 1 tbsp ghee, add cashews saute till light brown, take them out and keep aside. Add raisins, saute till they pop up, take them out and set aside.
• Add remaining 1 tbsp ghee along with 1 tbsp oil, add cinnamon sticks, cardamom and cloves and saute till you get a nice aroma. Add sliced onions and saute till translucent. 
• Add rice and saute for couple of minutes till rice absorbs the aroma of spices say for about five-seven  minutes. Pour the boiling water to the rice, add salt, curry leaves and bring it to boil. With a spatula give it a gentle stir till the bottom of the pan to make sure rice don't stick to the bottom.
• Simmer the heat to medium, cover with a tight lid and let it cook till the rice is almost cooked and the water is fully absorbed. Switch off the stove and let it sit without any stir for a while till the high steam in the rice reduces.
• Stir the rice gently and move to two-three platters to make sure rice is not sticky and remain as individual grains. Proceed for layering and Dum process.

Layering and doing Dum:-

On Stove Top:-

• Place a thick bottom vessel on the stove, drizzle ½ tbsp of ghee in the bottom of the pan, spread half the rice, sprinkle a generous pinch(¼ tsp) of Garam masala all over the rice, followed by Shrimp masala, raisins, cashews and ½ tbsp coriander leaves.
• Spread the next layer of rice, sprinkle the remaining Garam masala(¼ tsp) all over the rice followed by cashews, raisins,  ½ tbsp coriander leaves and remaining ghee. 
• Cover the vessel air-tight with a clean kitchen towel or silver foil, put on the lid tight to infuse the full flavor and cook it in low-medium heat for approx 20-30 minutes or till you see steam releasing from the sides of the vessel. Take off the stove and let it sit undisturbed for 10-15 minutes.
• Now with a sauce pan(or spatula), gently stir the entire dish to mix rice and Chemmeen/Prawns masala. 
• Scrape out a saucepan full of Shrimp Biriyani and move to the serving dish. Garnish with the set aside shallow fried Prawns and nuts. Serve warm with Onion Raita, Biriyani Chammanthi, Pickles and Pappads.

Sending this to The Kerala Kitchen Event hosted at Erivum Puliyum and linking it to EP Series ~ Basil and Cardamom started by Julie

                          

Soybean Masala Rice

Soybean Masala Rice is a very ezee rice recipe which my kids and husband really love. Normally I make it by preparing Soybean masala and adding cooked rice to it but this version is made quicker by the pressure cooker method. Last week I was sick and down with fever and was not in quite good mood to cook different sabzi's and curries and more, so I was making all these quick one pot meals. Soybean chunks is one thing my kids love now and I believe if made well the taste resembles a lot like meat(mutton/lamb) and cooking takes no time - just drop them in the boiling water for few minutes and its soft and good to go. Many of my friends do not like the soybean chunks taste and when we discuss about the same I always tell them to wash it very well couple of times by rubbing well with hands once they are boiled and squeeze out all the water out of it and prepare it. Soybean chunks are just awesome and really healthy and protein rich substitute for meat for both kids and adults. So try this out and Enjoy!!!!!

Ingredients:-

1. Basmathi Rice - 1 cup
2. Water - 2 cups
3. Soybean Mini Chunks - 1 cup
4. Water - 3 cups or more to boil the soya chunks
5. Onion - 2(finely chopped)
6. Tomato -1(finely chopped)
7. Green chilly - 3(chopped)
8. Ginger, garlic crushed - 1 tbsp
9. Turmeric powder - 3/4 tsp
10. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
11. Garam Masala - 2 tsp
12. Curry leaves a sprig
13. Coriander leaves chopped - 3 tbsp
14. Cinnamon stick - a small piece
15. Cardamom pods - 3
16. Cloves - 3
17. Salt to taste
18. Oil - 2tbsp

Preparation Method:-

• Wash and drain the rice and set aside
• Drop soy chunks in boiling water, give it a stir and let it boil again for a minute. Take off the stove and drain into a colander. Keep the colander under running water, rub with your hands and wash the soy chunks very well two three times. Squeeze out all the extra water and set aside.
• Heat up the pressure cooker, pour oil, add cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves, few curry leaves and saute for a minute. Add the crushed ginger-garlic and saute for a minute or two, add onion, green chilies, salt and saute till onion turns light brown.
• Add the chopped tomato, few coriander leaves and saute till tomato turns soft. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder and m masala and saute till everything blend well.
• Add the soya chunks and saute well to mix. Pour two cups of water and let it boil. When the gravy start to boil keep them in medium heat, cover(without gasket on) and let it cook till raw smell goes off for around five-seven minutes.
• Add the rice and stir till the bottom of the pan and check for the salt, add salt if desired. Close the pressure cooker and wait for just one whistle(My cooker takes only one whistle to cook normal basmathi rice, wait for as many whistles as yo do for your cooker basmathi rice cooking)
• Wait till the pressure fully goes off, open the lid and leave it for few minute say ten minutes till the steaming hot comes down.
• Gently stir rice with a spatula and move to a serving plate. Garnish with few more coriander leaves. Serve warm with Raita, papad, pickle or anything of your choice. Enjoy!!!!!

Note:-
1. As I mentioned earlier if you are not using the pressure cooker method, do not add too much of water. Just add enough water needed for the gravy and add the cooked rice to it.
2. I have used soybean mini chunks, if you are using soybean chunks which are bigger in size, chop them into half after boiling(optional)
3. I have not used chilly powder while making soybean masala since I use homemade Garam Masala which already contains red dry chilly and is hot enough. If your garam masala is not too spicy you can add a tsp of chilly powder as well :)

Sending this to Let's Cook #11 ~ Rice hosted by Radhika at Tickling Palates and Zesty Palette Series #3 - New "U" hosted by Vardhini @ Zesty Palette

  

Neychoru/Ghee Rice and an Inspirational Award

Ghee Rice or Neychoru as we call it, is a specialty rice in the Kannur/Malabar region. Neychoru is made by sauteing rice in ghee and aromatic whole spices and cooking them till soft. This is made richer by adding ghee fried cashews, raisins and garnishing with fried onions.

I normally do not need any specific reason for making this. But of course if I have any plans to make Mutton/Goat Curry I will not give a second thought of what should I make for lunch. It will be mostly Neychoru/Ghee rice as Mutton curry and Ghee Rice are really a wonderful combo. Ghee Rice do not need any extra effort for cooking as they take only the normal basmathi rice's cooking time. So Enjoy making Neychoru/Ghee Rice :)

Ingredients:-

Bamathi Rice/Jeerakashala Rice - 2 cups

Ghee - 2tbsp

Green Cardamom -3 pods

Cloves - 4

Cinnamon Stick 2 inch size - 2 

Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp

Black pepper corns - 10 

Salt to taste

Water - 4 cups

Onions - 1

Cashews, Raisins a handful(more/less as per your preference)

Oil to deep fry the 1 onion(1/2 cup)

Preparation Method:-

• Heat up a pan and pour the oil. When the oil is hot enough deep fry the onions till golden brown and set aside.
• Wash the rice and soak them in water for 20 minutes. Drain off the water fully and set aside. 
• Pour four cups of water into a pot/vessel and get to boil. Set aside
• Meanwhile heat up a  thick bottom vessel, add ghee and saute the cashews and raisins and take them out when they turn golden brown.
• Add cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom, peppercorns, fennel seeds to the same ghee and stir for a minute or two till the nice aroma of whole spices starts to spread :)
• Add the rice to it and fry for two-three minutes so that rice absorbs the aroma of spices and ghee.
• Add the boiled hot water and salt to it. Stir till the bottom of the pan with a spatula or spoon and cover and let it boil.
• When the water and rice starts to boil reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook.
• Switch off the stove when the water is fully absorbed and rice is cooked to soft.
• Leave it uncovered for ten minutes and let it release the heat a little bit so that the rice grains do not break when you stir.
• Now stir the rice gently or move them to two or three platters so that the rice do not stick to each other.
• Garnish the Neychoru/ Ghee Rice with ghee fried cashews, raisins and fried onions. Serve warm with Raita and any Non-Veg/Veg curry of your choice. Enjoy!!!

I am really happy that I was honored with an Inspirational Blog Award by Christy Gerald of My Kitchen Flavors - Bon Appetit!. Thank you so much Christy for this award and will surely try to Inspire my fellow bloggers more by appreciating them on their great work. After all that is all what I can do to inspire them more on their excellent creativity :)

The inspirational blogger award is got a very lovely thought of answering 8 questions regarding you as a person along with this sweet award. So the questions seems to be the following one's and My answers are marked in Red and bold under each questions. I'm feeling so weird answering some 'questions and answers' after so long time :)

1.What makes you laugh,smile or giggle?

I do not need to hear any big jokes, to be frank I laugh on all the silly things happening around. Maybe any silly movie jokes, my kids pranks, my hubby mischief's, I even laugh when I slip and fall every year in the rock ice/snow even if my bump hurts terribly bad ;) ha ha ha.. 

2.What are your dreams for your future?

I do not dream high and take life as it comes. I believe in the thought 'Man proposes God Disposes'. So why to regret by dreaming something and they fail? 

But of course will always pray to God to keep my family and all around the world in good health and mental peace. 

3.If you are going to a cruise,where would it be and why?

I would love to explore Hawaii and/or Alaska as I have heard it is a great destination for family and kids. Waiting for my little girl to turn at-least three :)

4.How would you spend your vacation and with whom?

Like most of the 'Pravasi'/Bird of Passage my vacation idea is always the India trip with my parent/in-laws and my whole big family. Eating In/Out, cooking less, eating a lot of ethnic/non-ethnic dishes cooked by anyone not me ;) and trying to reach out all the nostalgic places of my childhood.

5.If given a life,what life would you choose ? Your life now or your past?

I do not believe in life as such past, present, future. Life is beautiful at times, sad sometimes, freaky, challenging and many more. I would not like to 'dwell in the past' but cherish all those good moments lived/still living as a sibling, daughter, wife, mother and friend. 

6.Is there something that you wished before when you were young but you didn't get it?

One???? there are many so 'pass' :)

7.Have you been in a situation where you might have given up but you still choose to move on?

Yes, many maybe and I have learned 'you never know what life has kept for you next'. Good/bad it is life, just move on :)

8. Is there someone in your life who has been your source of strength and inspiration?

My parents, siblings and husband is my strength and always have been supportive.  

Now let me pass it on to my fellow bloggers who have always inspired me with their great innovative recipes, wonderful pictures and inspiring comments on my posts :) So grab it friends feel proud for the award and pass it on to your favorite blogger friends..

1. Anzz @ AnzzCafe

2. Uma @ My Kitchen Experiments

3. Faseela @ Good Food Ends With Good Talk

4. Sonali Pradhan @ Only Fish recipes

5. Sobha Shyam @ Good Food

6. Teena @ Teenz Yummy Delights 

7. Nalini Suresh @ Nalini's Kitchen

8. Kurryleaves @ Kurryleaves

9. Ramya @ Ramya's Recipe

10. Vineetha @ Ruchi

11. Hemalatha @ Hema's Kitchen

Check out their wonderful space and encourage them as well :)

Sending this to Sinful Delights hosted by Vardhini @ Zesty Palette

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.