Meal Maker/Soya chunks Biryani

Meal Maker or soya chunks is an excellent source of protein for the vegetarians. I know meal maker has its own distinct smell when not cooked and washed properly. So the secret key to make delicious meal maker dish is to cook it the best way possible.

So how to cook the meal Maker the perfect way?

Just take the require amount of meal maker or soya chunks and add it to vessel filled with boiling water. Allow it to get boiled for 2 minutes. Take it off from the stove and drain it in a strainer. Wash the meal maker in clean water for 3 times and squeeze it completely. This way the soya chunks retains it form and wont be soggy when added to any dish.

Meal Maker Biryani will be perfect treat to even a hardcore non vegetarian. This recipe is completely similar to our regular biryani with chicken or mutton.

Ingredients

Basmati rice 1 cup

Onion 2 thinly sliced

Tomatoes 2 chopped

Ginger garlic paste 2 teaspoon

Soya chunks 1 /2 cup (cooked as per above instruction)

Green chillies 2 slit

Red chilli powder 1/2 teaspoon

Coriander Powder 1 teaspoon

Garam masala 1/2 teaspoon

Curd 1/4 cup

Lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon

Mint leaves 1/4 cup chopped

Coriander leaves 1/4 cup chopeed

Cardamom 1

Cloves 2

Cinnamon 1 small piece

Bay leaves 1

Ghee 2 tablespoon

Oil 2 tablespoon

Water 1 & 1/2 cup

Salt as needed

How to start?

Wash and soak one cup of basmati rice in water for 30 minutes. Drain it after 30 minutes and set aside.

In a pressure cooker, add 2 tablespoon oil. Once the oil gets heated, add cinnamon, bay leaves, cardamom and cloves. Let the whole garam masala release its flavor. Add finely chopped onion, fry until the onion gets translucent. Now add ginger garlic paste and green chilly. Keep sauteing for 2 minutes until the raw smell goes off. Add finely chopped tomato and allow it cook well, until it gets completely smashed. Now its time to add mint leaves and coriander leaves. Mix well. Add meal maker and fry well for a minute.

Add the red chilli powder and coriander powder, give it a stir. Now add whisked curd and required amount of salt. Add one and half cups of water and let it boil. Meanwhile in a kadai, add a tablespoon of ghee, and slightly toss the drained basmati rice. Add the basmati rice to the pressure cooker, close the lid and simmer the stove to the lowest flame possible for 12 minutes.

After 12 minutes, transfer the meal maker biryani to a vessel and slowly fluff it with a fork, without breaking the rice. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon ghee and give a mix.

Soyachunks /Meal maker biryani can be served just with a bowl of raita.

Ps. The ratio of rice and water in this biryani is 1:1.5 which means for one cup of rice you have to add 1.5 cups of water, and this may vary depending upon the quality and how old the basmati rice is.