Soya Chunks Biryani

4.88 from 8 votes

Instant Pot Soya Chunks Biryani is a perfect one pot dish which is healthy, flavorful and high in protein and can be prepared under 30 minutes.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian, South Indian

Keyword biryani recipes, healthy, instant pot, instant pot soya chunks biryani, protein-rich, soya chunk biryani

Diet Gluten-Free, Vegetarian

Method Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings

Calories 395kcal

Author Bhavana Patil

1 cup soya chunks (or meal maker) I used nutrela brand, available in indian grocery store
2-2.5 cups hot water for soaking

Soak 1 cup of soya chunks in 2 cups of hot water for at least 15 mins until they soften.

Squeeze out all the water from the soya chunks and transfer it to a bowl. Add thick yogurt (curd) and spices like turmeric, red chili powder, and salt. Mix everything well until they are well coated. Cover and allow it to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Heat oil (or ghee), then add all the whole spices, and saute for a few seconds until fragrant.
Add sliced onions, and saute for 2-3 minutes until they turn soft and light brown - stir regularly.
Then add ginger garlic paste, green chilies and saute for another few minutes till the raw smell of the ginger garlic goes away.
Add finely chopped tomatoes along with spices like turmeric, red chili powder, biryani masala, salt, and cook until tomatoes are soft and mushy.
Add the marinated soya chunks and cook for 1-2 minutes. Keep stirring. Else masala paste may get burnt.
Next, add coriander and mint leaves and mix well.
Add rinsed basmati rice, water, and give a stir.
Select "MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK" (High Pressure) and adjust the time to 5 minutes.
After the pot beeps, Natural Pressure Release for 5 minutes, and then quick release the remaining pressure.
Add 1 tablespoon of ghee (if preferred) and garnish with coriander leaves. Fluff up the rice using a fork.
Pressure cooker Soya Biryani/Meal Maker recipe is ready. Serve with Raita or plain yogurt.

Follow the same steps as Instant Pot in a stovetop pressure cooker and close the lid. Cook for 2 whistles on medium flame. All other steps remain the same.

I have prepared this dish in my electric pressure cooker, Instant Pot DUO60 6 QT

Soaking Soya Chunks: Soak the soya chunks in hot water for at least 15 minutes to soften them.
Microwave: You can also mix together soya chunks, and water, in a bowl and cook in the microwave for 2-3 minutes to save time.
Marinating the Soya Chunks: Marinating the soya is an optional step, but I highly recommend it because it enhances the biryani flavors.
Spices: Increase or decrease spices accordingly to your preference.

Rice: Use top-quality long-grain basmati rice to make fluffy and fragrant authentic soya chunks biryani recipe. However, you can also use short-grain rice like seeraga samba rice or sona masoori rice if that's what you have in hand.
Veggies: You can use vegetables of your choice, like carrots, green beans, potatoes, peas, and capsicum, along with soya chunks.
Protein: You can replace soya chunks with sauteed paneer or tofu for a protein-rich variation.
Biryani masala powder: Use Shan Biryani Masala to get restaurant-style soy biryani flavor. I highly recommend this brand. You can easily find biryani masala in any Indian grocery store or on amazon. If you don't get biryani powder, replace it with the same quality of garam masala powder.
Coconut Milk: You can also use thin coconut milk instead of water to make the biryani rich and flavorful.
Vegan: Use plant-based yogurts like almond milk yogurt, or coconut yogurt, and substitute ghee with oil.

Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.