Soya chunks biryani

Soya chunks biryani is a unique, nutritious take on the traditional biryani. This flavorful and delicious rich dish is one of the easiest and quickest versions of biryani you can make. Soya biryani made with fragrant rice and either soya chunks or textured granules is perfect as a hearty meal or lunch box option. Biryani, the popular dish from Mughlai cuisine, is so versatile that you can serve as a weekday meal or turn into a gourmet creation for a special occasion.

What is soya biryani?

Fragrant basmati or seeraga samba rice is cooked in a bed of aromatic Indian spices and curd and enriched with soya chunks or granules. This is a creative take on vegetarian biryani which again is adapted from the traditional meat-based recipe.

Soaked soya chunks or ready-to-use soya granules are cooked with spices, curd and long grain rice. The resulting dish is bursting with bold flavors from the spices, the mild tanginess of the curd and the texture and feel of the rice and soya.

About this recipe

Vegetarian biryani, especially South Indian varieties, feature prominently in family meals at my home. These recipes are less elaborate unlike the layered and dum style recipes from Mughlai cuisine.

Old-style biryani are slow cooked meals that require time and effort. These are best saved for leisure days or weekends. And your vegetarian meal is ready in less than an hour compared to the long marination time required for chicken or mutton biryani.

Coming back to this dish, I am sharing two ways to make simple and fast soya biryani.

The first recipe uses soya chunks marinated in a spice paste and then cooked with curds or coconut milk and rice.

The second recipe is inspired by hyderabadi chicken keema biryani. Here you’ll be making a meaty, protein-rich vegetarian version with soya keema (granules), spices, curd and green peas. The rice is cooked separately and added to the soya and spices.

This soya biryani recipe is gluten free. Turn this vegan by subbing curd with lemon juice or using plain vegan/coconut yogurt.

A tasty and cooling raita complements both these soya biryanis. If you’re not a raita person, simply serve it with papads or papadums, sliced sweet onions, and lemon wedges.

You don’t need curries or stews as accompaniment as the biryani is wholesome and favorable on its own. Add a simple vegetable salad or side to make a richer and sumptuous dinner experience.

How to make soya chunks biryani (stepwise photos)

Prepare the rice and soya chunks

1. Rinse and soak 1 heaped cup basmati rice or seeraga samba or South Indian kaima rice for 15 minutes or according to the packet instructions. You can use any long grain, non-sticky rice to make this biryani.

2. Add half cup soya chunks to 2 cups hot water and soak until they soften, for 10-15 minutes. In the meantime, prep the rest of the ingredients like getting herbs and spices ready.

3. Squeeze the frothy liquid out of the chunks or nuggets and rinse it well in cold water. Repeat this squeezing and rinsing process a couple of times and set aside the soya chunks.

4. Drain all the water from the rice using a colander and set the rice aside.

Make the marinade

5. Grind the following spice into a paste with some water to use as marination for soya chunks.
½ cup mint (pudina) leaves
¼ cup coriander leaves
1-2 green chilis
1-inch ginger peeled
3 garlic cloves
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
Salt to taste

6. Add the green paste to a bowl along with ¾ to 1 teaspoon garam masala or biryani masala. You add ¼-½ tsp of meat masala along with garam masala to get the authentic taste of regular meat biryanis.

7. Marinate ½ cup of soya chunks in it for 15 minutes.

Cook the biryani gravy

8. Heat 1-2 tablespoons neutral oil in a deep pan or pressure pan. You can use ghee instead for a flavorsome dish.

9. Lower the heat and add the following whole spices –

• 1 small bay leaf (tej patta)
• 1 star anise 2 green cardamoms
• 3 cloves
• 2-inch cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon shahi jeera or cumin seeds. You can also add 1 strand of mace and 4 black pepper corns or skip these two spices. Fry the spices until fragrant for a minute.

9. Now add the marinated soya chunks along with remaining paste. Sauté the mixture for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat until the raw smell of ginger and garlic begins to vanish.

10. Reduce the heat to low and add ¼ teaspoon of turmeric and 2 tablespoons of plain curd/yogurt. This prevents the curd from breaking down or curdling. You can sub curd with 3 tablespoons of thick coconut milk or coconut yogurt for a vegan version.

11. Stir frequently as the soya chunks release moisture. Cook until spice mixture turns thick and starts to leave the sides of the pan.

12. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. If you’re using a pressure pan, reduce the amount of water to 1 ¾ cups.

13. Add drained rice and salt (start with ½ teaspoon). Taste and adjust seasonings.

14. Cover with lid and cook the biryani on low heat until all the water has been absorbed and the rice grains are tender and fluffy. If the pan lid isn’t tight, cover the lid with a damp kitchen towel to prevent the steam from escaping.

Cooking in pressure cooker

15. To fully cook biryani in a pressure pan, cover with the lid and add the whistle. Cook on low heat for 5-7 minutes and switch off before you hear the first whistle. Alternately you may cook on a medium heat, till you hear one whistle.

Remove from heat and let the soya chunks biryani remain covered for 15 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve warm or hot with raita or onion slices and lemon wedges.

Ingredients and substitutes

Keep soya chunks and spices handy and you can cook the biryani in a jiffy.

Basmati rice: Biryani and pulao require fragrant basmati rice to bring out the flavor and texture of the dish. Use samba seeraga rice or other long grain rice.

Soya chunks: This is the heart of this biryani variant. The soya chunks nuggets provide the meaty texture and necessary proteins to the dish.

Coriander leaves and Mint leaves: Fresh mint and coriander leaves are needed for the green marinade. They enhance the taste of the dish along with spices.

Garam and biryani masala: The bold flavors of this biryani come from the warm masala. Use homemade or store bought. Add a dash of meat masala to give your dish that something extra.

Whole spices: Shahi jeera, mace, cardamon, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf and star anise are signature flavoring elements of every biryani dish.

Plain Curd/ yogurt: While curd is used in biryani to steep the meat or vegetables, I use it here to provide that mild tanginess.

How to make soya keema biryani (stepwise photos)

Prepare the rice

1. Rinse 1½ cups of basmati rice or seeraga samba rice and drain in a colander.
Boil 6-8 cups of water in a large saucepan or soup pot. Add 1 teaspoon of oil or ghee along with ¼-½ teaspoon of salt. Then add 1 small bay leaf, ½ teaspoon shahi jeera, 4 cloves, 1 small cinnamon stick and 2 green cardamoms to the boiling water.

2. Now add the rinsed rice, reduce the heat to medium and cook the rice until al dente (tender but crunchy). The rice must have a bite to it.

3. Drain water from the rice using a colander set over a bowl. Save the water and set aside the rice.

Prepare the soya keema

4. Add textured soya granules (keema) to this hot water and soak for 10-15 minutes. If you don’t have granules, soak chunks. To save time, boil fresh water separately and soak the granules while the rice is cooking.

In the meantime, prep the rest of the ingredients like slicing the onions and getting curds, peas, lemon juice, herbs and spices ready.

5. Squeeze the frothy liquid out of the chunks or nuggets and rinse it well using cold water. Repeat this squeezing and rinsing process a couple of times and set aside the soya keema.

Prepare the soya biryani gravy

6. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil or ghee in a deep saucepan or soup pot. Reduce heat to medium and add ¼ teaspoon shahi jeera or cumin seeds, 1 small bay leaf (tej patta), 1 anise, 4 cloves, 1 small cinnamon stick and 2 green cardamoms. Pan fry spices for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.

7. Add ½ cup of sliced onions and 1 slit green chili. Mix and sauté until onions turns golden brown, around 3-4 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of ginger garlic paste. Stir well and sauté for 2 minutes.

8. Now add ¾ cup of soya granules (keema) and ½ cup of fresh green peas and sauté well for 3 minutes. You can use thawed frozen peas or soaked cashews if you don’t have fresh peas. If you’re using soaked chunks, coarsely grind them in a mixer or food processor to resemble keema or granules. Add this to the pan and cook.

9. Add 1 teaspoon of red chili powder, 1 teaspoon of garam masala, 1 tsp of meat masala and salt as required. Sauté for 2 minutes more. You can sub garam and meat masala with 1½-2 teaspoon of biryani masala.

10. Lower the heat to low and add ¼ cup of plain curd/yogurt and 2 tablespoons of. Substitute curd with ½ cup of thin coconut milk for a vegan version.

11. Cover and cook until the mixture thickens to a gravy. Taste for seasonings and add more as needed. Chop a handful of fresh mint (pudina) leaves and coriander leaves.

12. Now add a layer of cooked rice and mix to combine. Sprinkle over the biryani. Drizzle 1½ tablespoon of melted ghee over the biryani.

13. Cover with a tight lid. Cover this with aluminum foil or place a heavy object over the lid. Continue to cook the biryani on low heat for 5-7 minutes.

14. Remove from heat and let the biryani rest for 10-15 minutes. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and fluff the rice with a fork. Your soya biryani should have no excess moisture at the bottom. If you see more moisture simply cook for a few more minutes.

Serve warm or hot with raita or onion slices and lemon wedges.

Ingredients and substitutes

Make the soya keema in advance and you have a dish that come together in less than 30 minutes.

Basmati rice: Biryani and pulao require fragrant basmati rice to bring out the flavor and texture of the dish. Use samba seeraga rice or other long grain rice.

Soya chunks: This is the heart of this biryani variant. The soya chunks nuggets provide the meaty texture and necessary proteins to the dish.

Coriander leaves and Mint leaves: Fresh mint and coriander leaves are used as toppings. They enhance the taste of the dish along with spices.

Garam and biryani masala: The bold flavors of this biryani come from the warm masala. Use homemade or store bought. Add a dash of meat masala to give your dish that something extra.

Whole spices: Shahi jeera, mace, cardamon, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf and star anise are signature flavoring elements of every biryani dish.

Plain curd/ yogurt: While curd is used in biryani to steep the meat or vegetables, I use it her to provide that mild tanginess.

Other ingredients: To make a spicy and zesty keema, I am adding both red chili powder and green chili, and ginger garlic paste while cooking the biryani

Pro tips

• Cook the rice and soya on low heat to ensure the spices and masala flavors are infused into the dish.
• Use ghee or clarified butter to add a richness to the biryani.
• Ensure the biryani pan is covered tightly to ensure the steam doesn’t escape.
• Add thick coconut milk for a vegan version.
• Add peas or carrots to make a healthier and tastier soya biryani

More Soya recipes
Soya chunks manchurian
Soya chunks curry
Meal maker fry

Recipe card

This soya biryani post is from the archives, first published in February 2013. Updated and republished in July 2021.