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Healthy vegan biryani recipe
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Healthy Biryani

Indian style Biryani made from wild rice and tofu

Ingredients
Tofu Marinade
  • 1 packet Firm Tofu
  • 2 ladle scoops Yogurt (use vegan yogurt to make recipe 100% vegan)
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Sugar
  • 1/4 tsp Black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
  • 4 Cloves crushed
  • Chopped coriander
For Rice
  • 1 cup Wild rice
  • 4-5 cups Water
  • Salt (to taste)
  • 2 Bay Leaves
For Biryani
  • 2-3 tsp Oil
  • 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
  • 1 Bay Leaf
  • 3 Cardamom
  • 2 Cloves
  • 1/4 tsp Black pepper
  • 1 Star Anise
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
  • 1 Onion (finely chopped)
  • 1 Tomato
  • 1 tsp Chili Powder
  • 1 tsp Coriander Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Kasoori methi (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp Sugar
  • 1/4 tsp Pepper
Instructions
Prepare Wild Rice

  1. Let 4-5 cups of water come to a boil. Add Bay leaves and salt to the water. 

    (You could add more masala items, but because of the color of wild rice, it is hard to fish the spices out unlike in white rice, so I would advice you to only use bay leaf). 

    Add 1 cup of wild rice. Lower the heat to medium. Close the lid and let it cook for 40 minutes. 

  2. After 40-45 minutes, the grain should feel 90% cooked and some grains should have split and the white 'flesh' inside should peek out. Take out the bay leaves and close the lid. The rice portion of biryani is now ready to be layered.


Prepare Tofu

  1. Crank oven to 400F. Pat the tofu dry out of the package. Place the firm tofu in a heat proof bowl and put in the oven for 30-45 minutes. Flip tofu upside down at the half way point to ensure uniform cooking.

  2. Meanwhile, mix all items listed under 'Tofu Marinade' in a bowl

  3. Take the tofu out of the oven. Cut into cubes. Add the marinade. Lower the oven temp to 350F. Put it back in the oven for 15 minutes to soak up the marinade. (Alternatively, if you have time, let it marinade at room temperature for an hour).

  4. Once the tofu has 'soaked' up most of the marinade, it is ready to be layered.

Preparing the Biryani Masala

  1. In a pan add oil. Add whole masala items, jeera and stir till toasted.

  2. Add in chopped onions, cook until golden. Add ginger garlic paste, saute for a minute, and then add chopped tomato.

  3. Add all the powdered spices including salt and sugar, 1/4 cup of water and let it boil.

Layering the biryani

  1. Add the masala at the bottom of an oven proof dish. Add 1/2 rice and 1/2 tofu marinade. Add chopped coriander leaves and layer the rest of the rice and tofu. 

  2. Close the lid tightly and put the dish into the oven (350F) for an hour. Take it out after it is done, let it sit for 30 minutes or as long as your hungry family will allow :).