Vegan Biryani Mughalai Style

This Vegan Biryani recipe is a delicious and aromatic dish that will impress your family, friends or guests to no end! It is made with fragrant basmati rice, mixed vegetables, spices, and herbs usually served with a side of fresh raita or with plain yoghurt.

The masala and marinade are crucial components in making veg biryani. The masala, made from a blend of whole and ground spices, adds flavour and aroma to the dish. The marinade, made with plant-based yoghurt and spices, helps to tenderize and infuse flavour into the vegetables and protein used in the biryani. Together, the masala and marinade create the complex and rich flavours that are characteristic of a typical biryani.

Biryani’s significance

It is a popular dish in Indian cuisine and is often served at special occasions and celebrations. Biryani, in general, is a traditional dish with its origins in the Indian subcontinent. The dish is believed to have been brought to India by the Mughals, who ruled over the Indian subcontinent from the early 16th century until the mid-19th century. The Mughals were known for their love of rich, flavorful food, and biryani was one of their signature dishes.

The word “biryani” comes from the Persian word “birian,” which means “fried before cooking.” This refers to the traditional method of preparing the dish, in which rice and meat are fried separately before being layered together and cooked slowly in a sealed pot.
Some historians believe that the dish was brought to India by Persian or Arab traders, while others suggest that it was invented in India itself. What is certain is that the Mughal emperors of India were great patrons of the dish, and it became an important part of their court cuisine.

Biryani was also popular among the common people of India, particularly in the region of Hyderabad, where it was served at weddings and other special occasions. Over time, different regions of India developed their own styles of biryani, incorporating local ingredients and spices.
Today, biryani is enjoyed throughout India and around the world. It is a flavorful and aromatic dish that has become a beloved part of Indian cuisine.

Vegan Biryani

Over time, biryani evolved to include various regional variations, each with its unique blend of spices, meats, and vegetables.
In recent years, with the increasing popularity of plant-based diets, veg biryani has become a popular variation of the dish. It is a flavorful and healthy alternative to meat-based biryani and is enjoyed by vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike.
In my vegan version, I used basmati rice, mixed vegetables (potatoes, carrots, and green peas), rehydrated soy protein (or soy chunks), herbs (coriander and mint leaves), spices (biryani masala, turmeric, and Kashmiri red chilli powder), plant-based yoghurt, and saffron are all ingredients in this vegetarian dish. For the marinade, additional ingredients include ginger-garlic paste, green chilies, and fried onions.

Step-by-step process to make Veg Biryani

Veg Biryani: For Biryani Masala

1. Dry roast whole spices (except kasuri methi and nutmeg) on low flame until aromatic and slightly changed colour.

1. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. Add kasuri methi and grated nutmeg. Set aside to cool.
2. Once cooled, add turmeric and grind it to a fine powder. Biryani masala is ready.

Rehydrate Soy Protein

Pour some hot water over the soy protein to make it fluffy. Squeeze out the excess water.

Veg Biryani: Birista Onions

1. Fry the thinly sliced onions at medium-high heat until golden brown. This process might take up to 15 minutes.

1. As soon as they begin to change colour, scoop them out of the oil with a slotted spoon and lay them out on a large tray covered with paper towels to absorb any remaining oil. This is called “Birista”. For the marinade, set aside a few tbsp of the birista oil.

Cooking the rice

• In the meantime, rinse long-grained basmati rise 5-6 times until the water runs almost clear.
• Then soak the rice in fresh water for 30 minutes.
• In a mini bowl, add a few strands of saffron and warm plant-based milk to it and let it soak.
• Bring a large pot of water to boil. Then, add add whole spices (cardamom, dalchini (sub with cinnamon stick), bay leaf, cloves) and lemon juice to it. Then add enough salt that it tastes like sea-water.

• In the meantime, the water would have started boiling. Add the soaked rice to the flavoured boiling water, reduce the flame to medium and let the rice cook 80%. We want it to finish getting cooked with the veggies. It’s ready when the grains look done but when you taste a few grains they have a bite to them. Once cooked, we use the rice to start the biryani layering

Biryani Marinade

• Now make the marinade by mixing 1 cup plant-based yoghurt with the ginger-garlic paste (or minced ginger and garlic), minced green chillies

• Add turmeric, Kashmiri red chilli powder, 2-3 tbsp biryani masala, salt, freshly chopped coriander, chopped mint leaves, 2 tbsp of fried onion oil (birista oil) and whisk until smooth.

• Add the veggies (potatoes, carrots, green peas) and rehydrated soy protein to this and coat with your hands.

• Set aside to marinate for at least an hour.
• Transfer the marinated veggies and soy protein, along with the marinade, to a large heavy bottom pot.

• Cook on a medium flame, This step is to cook the yogurt, not the veggies. So, stop cooking when you see the oil separate from the sauce. Check for salt and salt it if required. Check for flavour and add more biryani masala if required. Add chopped lint leaves, coriander leaves and fried onions and set it aside.

Layering

For making the vegetable base and layering rice – Please note the weight of rice should be more or less equal to the weight of veggies and soy protein.

• Once you remove the rice with a slotted spoon and carefully place them over the cooked veggies in the large pan.

• Top with more chopped mint and coriander leaves, and fried onions and pour over 2-3 tbsp of soaked saffron milk.

• Cover with a lid so that the ends are well sealed. Cook on high flame for about 5 minutes and then 15-20 minutes on low flame.

• Turn off the heat and let it sit for at least 25 minutes. This is crucial to let the flavours settle down.
• Finally, serve with raita, and some more fried onions on top, and enjoy! You deserve it because you went through all that and remained patient 😉

Helpful tips:

• Letting the biryani sit for some time after cooking allows the flavours to meld together and distribute evenly throughout the dish. This process, known as “dum,” helps to enhance the taste and aroma of the biryani, making it more flavorful and aromatic.
• Additionally, allowing the biryani to rest also helps to ensure that the rice grains absorb the flavours of the spices and vegetables, resulting in a more flavorful and cohesive dish.

And Voila! You have now easily learnt the art of making biryani, something that is considered one of the most difficult recipes to master. Of course, the biryani will taste different every time you make but once your hand sits, it’s a piece of cake. I do agree that it will be difficult the first time around, but with practice, you will get better at it.

Let me know in the comments how you liked the recipe. And if you have any trouble making this recipe, reach out to me and I will guide you.

Recipes where you can make use of this delicious creamy soy yoghurt:

1. Chaas or buttermilk
2. Fluffy rice
3. Mint Corriander Chutney with Soy Yoghurt