Street Style Veg Biryani

Step 1: Soak Rice

Rinse 2 cups of Golden Sela Double Chabhi rice thoroughly and soak in water for 1 hour. If using normal rice, soak for 30 minutes.

Step 2: Soak Soya Chunks

Place 2 cups of Nutri Soya Chunks in a bowl and pour hot water over them. Let them soak for 1 hour.

Step 3: Prepare Ginger-Garlic-Chilli Paste

Peel 25 gms ginger and 40 gms garlic cloves. Add them along with 4 green chillies to a blender. Add a little water and blend into a fine paste.

Step 4: Divide Paste

Divide the ginger-garlic-chilli paste into two equal halves. One half will be used for the biryani, and the other for the gravy.

Step 5: Prepare Tomato Gravy

To one half of the ginger-garlic-chilli paste in the blender, add 2 chopped tomatoes. Blend into a fine paste.

Step 6: Season Tomato Gravy

Transfer the tomato paste to a bowl. Add 1.5 tsp spicy red chilli powder, 1 tsp yellow chilli powder, 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp Ajinomoto (optional). Mix well. Add water to achieve a thin consistency.

Step 7: Prepare Birista

Finely slice 2 onions. Heat 1/2 cup oil in a pan on high flame. Add the sliced onions and fry until they start to change color to light brown. Reduce the flame to low and continue frying until evenly golden brown and crispy. Remove the birista and set aside on a paper towel.

Step 8: Squeeze Soya Chunks

After 1 hour, squeeze all the water out of the soaked soya chunks until they are dry.

Step 9: Prepare Whole Spices

Take 2 cloves, a small piece of mace, a small cinnamon stick, a small amount of black peppercorns, and 1/2 tsp fennel seeds. Crush them coarsely using a mortar and pestle.

Step 10: Sauté Biryani Masala

In the same pot used for frying onions, add the remaining oil. Add the crushed whole spices, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp biryani masala, 2 tsp chicken masala (or Kitchen King/Shahi Paneer Masala), 1 tsp yellow chilli powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, and 1 tsp salt. Sauté the spices until fragrant and the oil oozes out.

Step 11: Add Ginger-Garlic-Chilli Paste

Add the reserved half of the ginger-garlic-chilli paste to the pot. Sauté for about 2 minutes until the raw smell of ginger and garlic disappears.

Step 12: Add Curd

Add 2-3 tbsp of curd to the pot. Mix well and cook until the mixture becomes granular and oil separates.

Step 13: Cook Soya Chunks

Add the squeezed soya chunks to the pot. Mix well to coat them with the masala. Cook on low flame for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the soya chunks absorb the flavors.

Step 14: Simmer Soya Chunks

Add a little water to the soya chunks, just enough to cover them. Cover the pot with a lid and cook for 5 minutes.

Step 15: Add Birista to Soya

Remove the lid. Add some of the prepared birista (fried onions) to the soya mixture. Continue cooking uncovered until all the water evaporates and the oil is clearly visible.

Step 16: Add Water for Rice

Pour 3.5 cups of water into the pot with the soya mixture. Add 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp Ajinomoto (optional).

Step 17: Boil Water

Cover the pot and bring the water to a rolling boil on high flame.

Step 18: Add Green Chillies and Rice

Once the water is boiling, add 4 green chillies. Then, add the drained soaked rice to the pot.

Step 19: Initial Rice Cook

Cook the rice uncovered on high flame for 2 minutes until a gentle boil returns.

Step 20: High Flame Cook (Covered)

Cover the pot with a lid and continue cooking on high flame for 5 minutes.

Step 21: Add Peas

Remove the lid and add 80 gms of fresh peas. Stir gently.

Step 22: Dum Cooking

Sprinkle the remaining birista over the rice. Cover the pot tightly with a lid. Place a heavy weight on top of the lid (like a mortar). Cook on the lowest flame for 10-12 minutes.

Step 23: Rest Biryani

After 10-12 minutes, turn off the flame. Do not open the lid immediately. Let the biryani rest for some time (e.g., 10-15 minutes) to allow the flavors to meld and the rice to set.

Step 24: Garnish and Serve

Gently fluff the biryani with a spatula. Add a cross pattern of red and yellow food color for visual appeal (optional). Sprinkle 1 tsp chicken masala and 50 gms cubed paneer over the biryani. Serve the biryani on a plate lined with foil paper, topped with the prepared tomato gravy, a sprinkle of Maggi masala (optional), and fresh lacha pyaaz (sliced onions).

• Use Golden Sela Double Chabhi rice for best results, soaking it for 1 hour. If using normal rice, soak for 30 minutes.

• Soak soya chunks in hot water for a full hour to achieve maximum softness and juiciness.

• Fry onions on high flame initially, then reduce to low once they start browning to ensure even crispiness without burning.

• Cook the masala until the oil separates and it becomes granular to develop deep flavors.

• For dum cooking, place a heavy weight on the lid to trap steam effectively, ensuring perfectly cooked and fluffy rice.

• Allow the biryani to rest for 10-15 minutes after cooking on dum before opening the lid; this helps the rice grains set and prevents them from breaking.

• Instead of Chicken Masala, you can use Kitchen King Masala or Shahi Paneer Masala for different flavor profiles.

• Adjust the amount of green chillies and red chilli powder to suit your spice preference.