High Protein Biriyani

I made this dish on Eid. Initially, I was thinking of cooking something else, but then my son asked for biriyani as it was eid and I decided to make this. I had some boneless chicken in my freezer which I had saved for making soup, but I ended up using it for this recipe. And since I only had some chicken, I also added soya chunks which compliments it well, both together is loaded with good amount of protein. So let's get started with making this simple and instant biriyani!!

Preparation:50 minutes
Serves 4
 
 Ingredients:

 Basmati rice-1 cup

 Ghee-4 tablespoon
 Oil-4 tablespoons

 Big onion-2 nos
 Tomato-1 big
 Green chilly-4
 Ginger garlic paste-2 tablespoon
 Coriander leaves-1/2 cup

 Mint leaves-1 cup
 red chilly powder- 1/2 tablespoon
 Garam masala powder-1/2 tablespoon
 Chicken-200 grams
 Soya chunks- 50 grams
 Salt to taste

 
 For seasoning:
 Cinnamon sticks-1 inch piece
 Cloves-2 nos
 Bay leaves-1
 Cardamom-2 nos
 Jeera-1/2 teaspoon
 Sauf- 1/2 teaspoon
 Mace(javitri)-1
 Star anise(annasipu)-1
 Kal paasi-1

 
 For marination:
 Turmeric-1/2 teaspoon
 Salt-1 teaspoon
 Curd-2 tablespoon
 
Preparation:
Wash the cut chicken thoroughly and add all the ingredients mentioned  for marination. Let sit for 20 minutes.
Wash and soak the rice for 20 minutes.
Wash and soak the soya chunks in warm water

.
In a Kadai add a teaspoon of ghee, drain the water and fry the rice just until it becomes warm and keep aside.
Wash and thinly slice onions, tomatoes and green chillies.
If you have to prepare ginger garlic paste, get it ready
Heat a pressure cooker and when it's hot and ready add 4 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp ghee.
Add the ingredients given in seasoning when it starts to splutter, add onion and green chillies and fry till the onions turn translucent.
Now add the ginger-garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes away.
Next, add the tomatoes and fry till the whole mixture become mushy.

Now add the chicken pieces and chilly powder, fry it till the outer colour changes, then add soya chunksafter squeezing the water in which it was soaked and fried rice into it with 1 1/2 cup of water.

Add enough salt and garam masala powder along with coriander and mint leaves.

Mix thoroughly and close the cooker, let it whistle for 2 sounds
When the pressure is gone, open, add the remaining ghee and mix gently with a lightweight spoon so that the rice doesn't break.

Now your high protein biriyani with chicken and soya chunks is ready to be enjoyed with raita of your choice.

Notes:
I always use classic India gate basmati rice(classic) which gives extra-long rice, but you can use whichever you prefer.

It's better to use small soya bites instead of big so that it absorbs the flavour well.

If you have fried onions or if you have time to fry them- deep fry some thinly sliced big onions until they are golden brown, then crush them and add it on top of the biriyani, it gives extra aroma and flavour.

Unless you marinate the chicken for a minimum of 20 minutes, the chicken won't be juicy and you won't get the biriyani's original taste.

This is just an instant cooker biriyani, I will post more variations of this recipe on my blog soon.