Mushroom Soy Chunks Biryani / Protein Rich Biryani / Soy Chunks Mushroom Biryani

Mushroom Soy Chunks Biryani / Protein Rich Biryani / Soy Chunks Mushroom Biryani

Both Mushrooms and Soy Chunks are powerhouse of good protein, their individual powers vary. Mushrooms are used in many cuisines in the world now due to its flavour and health benefits. Its an idealistic food option for many weight watchers due to their high water content and low calorie value. They are an excellent source of Potassium and helps in reducing blood pressure, boosts the immune system, help prevent cancer. Soy Chunks are vegetable protein which contain no fat when compared to animal protein.Also they are rich in fiber, Omega 3 fatty acids, iron and calcium. Nowadays, they are widely added in the preparation of many food items. Though I add Soy Chunks in many of my recipes, the combination of Mushroom and Soy Chunks is unbeatable due to its exclusive aroma. This biryani is a very good option for parties, lunch with a side of a simple raita. Try this out in your kitchen and enjoy.

Ingredients
Basmati Rice - 2 Cups
Red Onion Sliced - 1/2 Cup
Mushrooms Sliced - 2 Cups
Soy Chunks - 1 Cup
Peas - 1 Handful
Salt - To Taste
Oil - 1 tbsp
Melted Ghee - 3 tsp ( For Good Flavour )
Bay Leaves - 3 or 4
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1/2 tbsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp
Green Chillies shredded - 1
Green chillies slit - 1
Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
For Tadka / Tempering :
Cumin Seeds / Jeera - 2 tsp
Cinnamon Sticks - 2-3 Medium
Lavang / Cloves - 5 or 6
Cardamom - 3
Somfu / Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp
Star Anise - A small piece

Method

• Soak the Basmati Rice in water. Meantime, cut the onion, mushroom and keep them ready.
• In the cooking pan / vessel, add oil and ghee together. Finish the tempering process by adding the ingredients mentioned as above.
• Once its done, add the ginger garlic paste on medium flame. Fry them till the raw smell completely takes off.
• Fry the red onion slices next till they become translucent. Add the green chillies,mushrooms, soy chunks and peas next to the cooking pan and fry them for 4-5 minutes.
• Add the powders into the pan now and stir them well. Add the sona masoori rice which is completely drained from water into the cooking vessel and fry them for a minute. Add the Bay leaves too into the pan now.
• Add 3.75 cups of water and required amount of salt into the cooking pan and allow them to cook on a low flame.
• Once its done, serve this nutritious, protein rich biryani loaded with flavours with a side of cool raita and your favourite side dish.

HOW TO MAKE Vegetable Biryani - Hotel Style / Vegetable Biriyani - Hotel Style / Veg Biryani - Hotel Style

Vegetable biryani served in hotels have a very different taste all the time for me. I tried several times to get to the right version of the Hotel Biryani but somehow it was failing all the times. Finally I got the secret recipe from my friend aunt in Bangalore couple of years ago and she explained to me in detail how they would do that biryani in large and small quantities in restaurants. From that time, I could feel confident that my biryani almost tasted like the Hotel ones. I tried the recipe several times at home and it did not disappoint me at all. This is the first version of the vegetable biryani which I learnt in my life and all other rice varieties were later tried by me, learnt from others..in the recent years.

I use our regular rice for making this biryani but not the Basmati Rice mainly to resemble the "Kadai Biryani".

Ingredients
For grinding:
Tomato - 2 Medium or 1 Big ripe 
Pudina Leaves/Mint Leaves - 5-6 stems
Ginger - 2 small pieces
Coriander Leaves - 1 Cup
Garlic Pods - 9-10.
Red Onion cut - 1/2 cup
Green Chillies - 8 or 9
Sombu / Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp
Cinnamon Sticks / Pattai - 1 Stick Medium
Krambhu / Lavang / Cloves - 4 or 5
Cashew Nuts - 1 tbsp
Marathi Moggu - 1 tiny piece
Biryani Flower - 1 tsp

In a big non stick pan, add 1 tsp of ghee and 1 tbsp of oil and fry the above mentioned ingredients for few minutes and make a thick paste of it using a mixer grinder and keep it ready.

For the Biryani Main Process :

Red Onion - 1 Medium

Capsicum - 1/2 finely shredded or cut

Carrots - 1 medium

Beans - 15 to 20 cut into finger size

Potato - 1 Big

Peas - 1 Cup

Mint Leaves / Pudina Leaves - 2 tsp

Cinnamon Stick - 1

Marathi Moggu - 1

Sombhu / Fennel Seeds - 2 tsp

Kala Jeera - 1 tsp

Biryani Leaves - 3 or 4

Thick Coconut Milk - 1 Big Tumbler / Glass

Sona Masoori Rice - 2 Cups

Salt - To Taste

Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp

Coriander Powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 2 tsp

Ghee or Butter - 2 tsp

Oil - 2 tbsp 

Actual Preparation Process :

Make the Gravy as mentioned above.

Extract the Coconut Milk and keep it ready.

Soak the Rice in water till you switch on the flame.

Cut the vegetables and keep the other ingredients as mentioned above and keep them handy.

1. In a non-stick vessel or in a big pressure cooker, add the ghee / butter and oil first.
2. When they get heated, add the masala spices first followed by Onion and capsicum. Add  a pinch of salt and fry them till golden brown.
3. Add the grounded paste ( gravy ) into the cooker and fry patiently on low flame till the raw smell is completely gone.
4. Add the cut vegetables into the cooker now and fry them for a minute.
5. Add all the powders into the cooker at this stage and fry everything well for another 2 minutes.
6. Drain all the water from the rice and add them to the cooker and fry it along with all other ingredients till the rice get dried and slightly fried.
7. For 2 cups of Sona Masoori Rice, add a cup of thick coconut milk and a cup of little watery coconut milk and 2.5 cups of water.
8. Mix them well and add required amount of salt into the cooker and allow them to cook for just 2 whistles on a medium flame.
9. If you cook the biryani in a Non-stick vessel, then close the lid and allow them to cook on a low flame till the biryani is completely cooked.
10. Switch off the flame after the biryani is done in both the cases and allow the cooker to get cool down completely.
11. After 10-15 minutes, slowly open the cooker and check the Biryani consistency. Keep the lid open for few minutes.
12. Add some fried bread / bun pieces ( if you like ) into the biryani and serve it with cool onion raita.
13. You will definitely enjoy this version of the biryani though it might take little more time.
14. Its a complete meal and an excellent choice for weekend lunch.

Tips / Variations

Don't add more water as it makes the Biryani Pasty.

Don't reduce the spice level in this version, especially don't reduce the green chillies at all. Otherwise, the biryani would be sweeter due to the addition of coconut milk. ( My experience!!!) 

HOW TO MAKE Aditya Bal's Dum Murg Ki Kacchi Biryani

 He looks as good as he cooks. No, he cooks as good as he looks! I just cannot figure out. Who am I talking about? Aditya Bal, one of the yummiest chefs in India, if you ask me (all puns intended!).

I wanted to share this recipe for two reasons. One, it is a great biryani recipe that worked out really well for me when I hardly knew how to cook. Second, I associate it with some really fond memories, as this is one of the first things that I tried my hand at cooking after getting married!

Seriously! Delicious recipes from one hot guy, cooked for another hot guy ;) Does it get any better? 

Now that I think about it, maybe my interest in cooking has been motivated by factors other than my Mom! Like certain model-turned-chefs who whip up drool-worthy dishes. And you are not even sure what you are drooling over ;)

You can see the original recipe here. I have not made any changes to it. Why spoil a good thing?

Dum Murg Ki Kacchi Biryani

Ingredients

1/2 kg basmati rice
1 kg chicken
2 onions - chopped
1/2 tsp saffron
1 cup milk
Juice of 1 lemon
Fresh green coriander - chopped
2 green chillies - chopped
1 tbsp refined oil

For the Marinade
2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 1/2 cup curd
1 tsp red chilli powder
Salt to taste

Spices for Chicken
4 cloves
1" cinnamon
1 bay leaf
2 green cardamoms
1 black cardamom
1/2 tsp cumin seeds

Whole spices for rice
2 cloves
1/2 " cinnamon
2 green cardamoms
Salt - to taste

For the Dum
Dough made of atta and water

Method

Soak the basmati rice in water for 20 minutes to half an hour.

Marinate the chicken with curd, turmeric, salt, chilly powder and ginger-garlic paste.

Grind all the spices for the chicken in a mortar and add to the marinade. Leave the chicken to marinate for an hour minimum or up to four hours.

Heat 2 tbsp of refined oil in a pan. Saute the onions, till they turn golden brown. Keep aside.

Put the rice into the cooking vessel and add the requisite amount of water. Add the whole spices and the salt. Cover and let it cook till the water is absorbed.

Put the milk into a saucepan and heat till tepid. Add the saffron and stir till the milk takes on the color of saffron. Keep aside.

Crumple half the burnt onions and add it to the marinated chicken. Put back in fridge for half an hour.


To Layer The Biryani

In a handi or an appropriate biryani cooking vessel: put 1 tbsp oil and heat. Add the chicken and cook on high heat till chicken takes on a light brown color and is half cooked.

Lower the flame; flatten the chicken to form a layer. Put chopped coriander and green chillies on top.

Put all the rice on top of this layer and smoothen out. Pour in the saffron infused milk over the rice and add the lemon juice.

Cover the vessel and make long snake off the dough by rolling in on the counter and use it to seal the top of the cooking vessel.

Let the biryani cook on a very slow fire till the seal is hard and the rice looks fully cooked.

Serve hot.