Soya Chunks Keema Briyani

Always Soya Chunks has been a special ingredient in my kitchen. Tried out this Soya Chunks Keema Briyani, out of my own innovation for one of my vegetarian friends and she was impressed. So here comes the recipe.. Also have a look into some other Soya chunks rice recipes such as  

• Mushroom Soya Chunks Briyani
• Spicy Soya Chunks Pulao

Recipe For : 2

Preparation Time : 40 minutes

Ingredients:

Briyani Rice              - 1 cup
Soya Chunks             - 1/4 cup
Big Onion                  - 2
Tomato                      - 2
Ginger-Garlic paste   - 2 tbsp
Green Chili                - 1
Curd                           - 3 tbsp
Salt                             - As required
Turmeric Powder       - 1/4 tsp
Chili Powder              - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Leaves       - few
Mint Leaves                - few

Procedure:

• Soak soya chunks in hot water for 10 minutes. After that squeeze out excess water. This is done to soften soya chunks. Coarsely grind soya chunks without adding water to make keema out of it.
• Chop Big onion lengthwise. Slit green chili. Chop finely tomatoes. Wash rice with water. I used Seeraga Samba rice for this briyani. You can use also Basmati rice. 
• Heat oil in a cooker. Add whole garam masala to it. Whole garam masala includes cinnamon stick, cloves, star aniseeds , green cardamom and bay leaf.
• Saute for a minute and then add chopped onions and green chili.
• After the onions turn translucent, add Ginger-Garlic paste.
• Saute till raw flavor goes off, and then add chopped tomatoes. 
• After tomato is cooked, add salt, turmeric powder, chili powder and curd.
• Mix everything well. Add 2 cups of water. When the water boils, add rice, coriander leaves, mint leaves and cook for a whistle.
• Your tasty briyani is ready. Enjoy it with Raita!!

Cabbage Briyani

This is also the recipe, which i learnt from one of my besties. I had this Cabbage Briyani once at her home. Really impressed with her recipe and tried it back home. To increase the taste we are using also potato. Over to the interesting recipe..

Recipe For :2

Preparation Time : 30 minutes

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice               - 1 cup
Chopped Cabbage       - 1/2 cup
Potato                          - 1 (small)
Big Onion                    - 2
Tomato                         - 2
Salt                               - As required
Turmeric Powder         - 1/4 tsp
Whole Garam Masala  - Each 1
Oil                                - 2 tbsp
Ghee                             - 2 tsp (Optional)
Coriander Leaves         - few
Mint Leaves                  - few

To Grind:

Grated Coconut          - 1/4 cup
Chopped Ginger         - 2 tsp
Chopped Garlic          - 2 tsp
Fennel Seeds               - 1/2 tsp
Whole Garam Masala - Each 1

Procedure:

• Wash Basmati Rice. Heat oil  in a cooker. Add washed rice to it. saute for some time. You can see rice getting dry. That is the perfect time to switch off the flame. This is done to prevent the rice getting sticky. After that take out the rice.
• Chop Cabbage into thick strips. Chop potato into big cubes. Chop Big onion lengthwise. Chop tomato finely. Grind everything under ' To grind'. Finely chop coriander and mint leaves.
• Add some more Oil +Ghee to the same cooker. Add whole garam masala to it. Whole garam masala includes cloves, cinnamon stick, star aniseeds and cardamom.
• After a minute, add chopped onions to it, After the onions turn translucent, add chopped cabbage and potato to it.
• Add chopped tomatoes after 3-5 minutes. Add also salt and turmeric powder.
• After tomato gets cooked, add ground masala to it.
• Saute till raw flavor of masala goes off and after that add sauteed rice and 2 cups of water. 
• Add chopped coriander and mint leaves and mix everything together. Cook it for a whistle. Enjoy your cabbage briyani with raita..

Vegetable Dum Briyani

I won't  prepare Veg Briyani often because of my husband. He would say, Briyani by default refers Chicken Briyani and nothing else.

 My friend's mom once shared this Vegetable Dum Briyani with us. My husband himself finished the whole Briyani. He also insisted me to get the recipe from her. Got such wonderful and detailed recipe from her, the next day itself.

Such a good veg recipe, which has mesmerized even  a Non-Vegetarian lover.. Such extra ordinary Briyani recipe follows..

Recipe For : 2

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice                 - 1 cup

Carrot                            - 1 (Medium Size)

Potato                            - 1 (Medium Size)

Fresh Peas                     - a handful

Butter Beans                 - a handful

Big Onion                     - 2

Tomato                         - 2

Green Chili                   - 2

Ginger-Garlic Paste      - 1 tbsp

Salt                                - As required

Turmeric Powder          - a pinch

Yogurt                           - 1/4 cup

Chili Powder                 - 1 tsp

Lemon                           - 1/2

Corinader Leaves          - few

Mint Leaves                  - few

Whole Garam Masala   - Each 2

Oil                                 - 2 tbsp

Procedure:

• Boil 3 cups of water in  a sauce pan. When the water boils, add washed Basmati rice. When the water boils again, reduce the flame and switch it off in another 8 minutes. By this way, rice would have cooked only 3/4 th.. When you take out the rice it should be mashable with hands but it should be little chewy when you eat.. Drain the excess water and let the rice cool. Sprinkle lemon juice over the rice and keep it aside.
• Chop carrot, Potato into little bigger pieces. Boil all the vegetables. You can also add vegetables like Cauliflower and French Beans. Chop Big Onion lengthwise. Chop tomatoes, Coriander leaves and Mint leaves finely. Slit Green Chili.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add whole Garam masala to it. Whole Garam Masala includes Bay leaf, Star aniseeds, Cardamom, Cloves and Cinnamon Sticks.
• After a minute add chopped onions and green chili to it. Saute till onions turn translucent and after that add Ginger- Garlic paste.
• Saute till raw flavor goes off  and after that add chopped tomatoes to it.
• After both onions and tomatoes are cooked completely add boiled vegetables.
• Add needed salt, Turmeric powder and chili powder. Cook for 2 minutes and then add Yogurt.
• Add also 1/2 cup of  hot water and mix the gravy well. Switch off the gravy in another 5 minutes.
• Take a baking pan. Grease it. Place half of the rice. Then Gravy.. and throw coriander, some coriander and mint leaves.
• And then add rest of the rice, gravy and again Coriander, mint leaves.
• Cover the pan. I used baking sheet for it.
• Pre heat the oven to 180 degree Celsius. Bake it for 15 minutes. Let briyani sit in the switched off oven for 10 more minutes.
• If you wish fry onions, cashews and add it to the Briyani. Mix everything and serve it hot with Raita..
• If you don't have oven, simply heat a dosai pan. Place rice,gravy,coriander leaves in layers in a Pan and place it over the dosai pan.. By this, Dum briyani can be done on stove top.
• Enjoy your Dum Briyani with Raita..

Mushroom And Vegetable Briyani (Traditional Style)

This is how my Mother-In-Law prepares Vegetable Briyani.. Her Briyani will always be very much flavorful.. The secret behind is, she used to saute everything in oil, which she grinds for masala..  Here is the flavorful and tasty recipe..

Recipe For : 4

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

To Grind: For Masala

Chopped Ginger                                        - 2 tsp

Chopped Garlic                                         - 2 tsp

Green Chillies                                            - 2

Cinnamon                                                  - 1

Cloves                                                        - 1

Star Aniseeds                                             - 1

Cloves                                                        - 1

Green cardamom                                       - 1

Fresh Coriander                                         - a handful

Others :

Basmathi rice                                            - 2 cup

Button Mushroom                                      - 100gm

Carrot                                                        - 1

Fresh Peas                                                - 1/4 cup

French Beans                                            - 8 to 10

Big onion                                                   - 2  

Tomato                                                      - 2 

Fresh Coriander leaves                             - a handful

Fresh Mint leaves                                      - a handful

Curd                                                          - 1 tbsp

lemon                                                         - 1/2

Oil                                                              - As required

Ghee                                                          - 2 tsp

Water                                                         - 4 cups

Salt                                                             - as required

Masala Powders

Turmeric powder                                       - a pinch

Chilli Powder                                             - 2 tsp

Cumin Powder                                           - 1 tsp

Coriander Powder                                      - 1 tsp

Whole Garam Masala

Cloves                                                        - 1

Star Aniseeds                                             - 1

Cloves                                                        - 1

Green cardamom                                       - 1

Procedure:

1.  Wash the rice , empty all the water and keep it aside
2. Saute in oil and grind everything mentioned under 'To Grind'.
3. Chop Big Onion lengthwise. Chop Mushroom, carrot and French Beans into little bigger pieces..
4. Cook fresh peas as well. 
5. Chop tomato finely.
6. Heat oil + ghee in a cooker
7. Add rice to it. saute for some time. You can see rice getting dry. That is the perfect time to switch off the flame. This is done to prevent the rice getting sticky.
8. Take out the rice 
9. Add more oil + ghee and add everything listed in 'whole garam masala'.
10. Then add onions
11. Once onions become translucent add chopped vegetables and peas.
12. After some time add tomatoes.
13. Add the masala and all the powders under 'Masala Powders'  including salt.
14. Add rice, curd and 4 cups of water.
15.  Add coriander leaves and mint leaves. mix it well and keep the cooker for 1 whistle.
16. Add lemon juice atlast after opening the briyani.  Be careful while mixing up briyani. Make it a perfect round when you are mixing up the briyani otherwise you might end up breaking the rice.
17. Adjust the spice, according to your taste. You Can also use Seeraga Samba Rice (Briyani Rice) for this recipe.
18. Enjoy your briyani with raita,