Soya Chunks Biryani Recipe–Meal maker biryani recipe

Soya chunks biryani recipe / Meal maker biryani is an easy and yummy vegetarian biryani recipe. I have already prepared so many biryani recipes with soya chunks when I was doing my Sunday biryani series. But this meal maker biryani recipe is a completely different one. Here we are making this biryani by marinating the soya chunks in curd and masala mixture. So the taste of this biryani was so good.

Actually I tried this biryani after watching an YouTube channel. As the chef mentioned, the taste of this biryani was similar to non veg biryani. The flavor was so good. Friends, If you are a vegetarian like me and want to try a veg biryani in non veg taste, you must give this a try. Hope you will love it.

Lets see how to make soya chunks biryani / meal maker biryani recipe with step by step pictures.

Check out my soya chunks kurma for rice, roti

Soya chunks manchurian

Dindigul thalapakkatti biryani

Soya chunks biryani / Meal maker biryani recipe

Soya chunks biryani recipe - Easy and healthy biryani recipe adding meal maker

 

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Main course

Serves: 3

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 30 Minutes

 

Chitra Ganapathy

INGREDIENTS

1 cup = 250ml Steamed rice or basmati rice - 1 cup Meal maker / Soya chunks - 1 cup Big onion - 1 (Sliced) Tomato - 1 Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp Biryani masala powder or garam masala powder - 1/4 tsp Mint & coriander leaves - 2 tbsp Lemon juice - 1 tsp Salt & water - as needed To grind & marinate Green chilli -1 or 2 Ginger - 1 inch piece Garlic - 5 cloves Mint leaves - 2 tbsp Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp Water - to grind Curd - 1/4 cup (to marinate) Salt - little Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp Garam masala powder or biryani masala powder - 1 /4 tsp Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp To Temper Cooking oil - 2 tbsp Ghee - 1 tbsp Cinnamon - 1 inch piece Cloves - 2 Cardamom - 1 Star anise - 1 Black stone flower / Kalpasi - 1 Bay leaf - 1 Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp

HOW TO MAKE SOYA CHUNKS BIRYANI

1. Wash and soak soya chunks /meal maker in hot water for 10 minutes.
2. Wash and soak the rice in 2 cups of water for 15 minutes.
3. Grind green chilli, ginger, garlic, coriander and mint leaves to smooth paste.
4. Mix half of this paste with curd, chilli powder, biryani masala powder, salt.
5. Squeeze soya chunks and add to curd mixture. Mix well and marinate for 15 minutes.
6. Heat oil + ghee in a pressure cooker base. Add the whole garam masala spices.
7. Add fennel seeds. Saute onion. Add the remaining green paste. Saute for a minute.
8. Add tomato and saute till mushy. Add the marinated soya chunks. Mix well.
9. Add the soaked rice along with water, mix well. Add lemon juice and mint+coriander leaves in the water.
10. Pressure cook in low flame for one whistle. Open the cooker after the steam is released.
11. Fluff gently and serve with onion raita !

METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Wash and soak soya chunks in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes. Wash and soak the rice in 2 cups of water for 15 minutes. Grind green chilli, ginger, garlic, coriander leaves and mint leaves to smooth paste. Take half of this paste and mix with curd, chilli powder, biryani masala powder and little salt. Squeeze soya chunks and add to curd mixture. Let it marinate for 15 minutes. Heat oil in a pressure cooker base. Add cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, bay leaf and black stone flower. Add fennel seeds. Saute onion till transparent. Add the remaining green paste and saute till its raw smell goes off. Add tomato and saute till mushy.  Add the marinated soya chunks and mix well. Add the soaked rice along with water, lemon juice, coriander and mint leaves. Pressure cook in low flame for one whistle. Switch off the flame. Open the cooker after the steam is released. Fluff gently and serve hot with onion raita. Enjoy !

Note

Adjust the quantity of chilli powder as per your need. You can use basmati rice or jeera rice. I used normal Sona masoori rice. If you are using basmati rice or jeera rice, wash and soak it for minimum 30 minutes and use 1.5 cups of water for 1 cup of rice.

Try this easy and healthy Soya chunks biryani. Enjoy with onion raita !

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South Indian Tomato rice in Instant pot–How to make tomato rice in Instant pot

Here is a South Indian style (Tamil nadu style thakkali sadam) tomato rice as my first recipe post using Instant pot. I bought an instant pot for my own use few months back and started cooking some easy, one pot meals. I tried rice kheer, ven pongal, vegetable biryani, North Indian lunch menu and tomato rice so far. Everything came out so well and satisfactory in my first attempt. I just love this gadget.

In my opinion, I would say an instant pot is more like a pressure cooker or electric rice cooker with advanced features like delay start, slow cooking etc. It will be so helpful if you are a working women, student or a bachelor for hassle free cooking.

Even though I am a housewife, I like to cook everything quickly , spend less time in kitchen without any compromise in taste and health. So most of the time, I do use my pressure cooker for my cooking. So this instant pot, better than a pressure cooker in some aspects has won my heart. 

You can just saute all the ingredients directly, add water and pressure cook with delay start mode on. By the time you come back from office, your food will be ready, hot and fresh. Soon I will try to make a series of some easy and quick instant pot recipes. I hope you will find it useful.

Now lets see how to make our South Indian style tomato rice / thakkali sadam in instant pot with step by step pictures.

Instant pot tomato rice

How to make tomato rice in instant pot

 

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Main course

Serves: 3

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 30 Minutes

 

Chitra Ganapathy

INGREDIENTS

Cooking oil – 3 tbsp Cinnamon – 1 Cloves – 3 Cardamom –1 Bay leaf – 1 Black stone flower / kalpasi – 1 Fennel seeds – 1/2 tsp Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp Ripe tomato – 4 Big onion – 2 Mint leaves – handful Green peas – handful Red chilli powder – 1 to 1.5 tsp Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp Garam masala powder – 1/4 tsp Water – 1.5 cups Basmati rice – 1 cup (soaked in water for 15 minutes)

HOW TO MAKE TOMATO RICE IN INSTANT POT

1. Wash and chop onion, tomato finely. Wash and soak basmati rice for 15 minutes.
2. Switch on Instant pot and press SAUTE button. Add oil and heat it.
3. Saute whole garam masala items and fennel seeds. Add onion and saute till transparent. 
4. Add ginger garlic paste and mix till raw smell goes off. Add mint leaves and mix well.
5. Add tomato pieces, required salt and saute till mushy. 
6. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder and mix well. 
7. Add water and washed rice. Mix well and check for taste.
8. Close the lid. Keep the pressure valve button in sealing position.
9. Press CANCEL button and press PRESSURE COOK button. Set the time for 8 minutes in normal pressure. After cooking, instant pot will go to warm mode and releases the steam naturally.
10. Wait till the pressure valve button moves to vent position naturally. It takes 11 minutes.
11. Now press OFF button and open the lid. Fluff the rice gently and serve hot with onion raita.

METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Wash and soak the basmati rice for 15 minutes. In the mean time, wash and chop onion, tomato finely. Switch on the instant pot and press saute button. Add oil and once its heated, add the whole garam masala one by one. Add fennel seeds and saute for a minute. Add onion, ginger garlic paste and saute till onion turns transparent. Add mint leaves and mix well. Now add tomato pieces and required salt. Saute till tomato turns mushy. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder and garam masala powder. Saute for a minute.  Lastly add the soaked rice. Mix well and check for taste. Add more salt or chilli powder if required. Add green peas. Mix well and close the instant pot. Press cancel button to suspend the saute mode. Now press pressure cook button and set the time to 8 minutes in normal mode. Make sure pressure valve button is in sealing position.  Once its cooked, instant pot will go to warm mode by itself and pressure starts to release. Wait till the pressure valve handle moves to vent position naturally. It took 11 minutes for me. Press Off button. Now open the instant pot and fluff the rice gently with a fork like ladle. Serve hot with onion raita ! Enjoy !

Note

Make sure pressure valve/ steam release button is in sealing position before turning on pressure cook mode. For variations, you can skip garam masala powder.

Easy, yummy tomato rice is ready in instant pot under 20 minutes. Try and enjoy !

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Kovil Puliyodharai Recipe –Temple Style Tamarind Rice

Making a perfect Kovil puliyodharai / Temple style tamarind rice must be the dream for many. Me too not an exception. Whenever we visit temples, I never forget to buy a pack of tamarind rice from temple’s prasadam stall. Sometimes my FIL buys an extra packet of puli sadam just for me. I love the flavor of puli sadham packed in banana leaf or served in donnai (hand pressed plantain leaf bowls). I have always wanted to recreate that taste in my kitchen and tried so many recipes titled temple style puliodharai but never satisfied with the result.

 
Recently I tried this kovil puliyodharai recipe from Royal Dakshin YouTube channel and was so happy with the outcome. I altered the quantity of ingredients as per my requirement and tried it. It tasted so close to the puli sadam served in Tamil nadu temples. I have tasted this kind of puliodharai in perumal koil madapalli and some other temples near Trichy, Kumbakonam. But one thing I observed is, this recipe needs some standing time for all the taste and flavor to blend well. Also if you store this tamarind rice in a bowl lined with banana leaf, it tastes exactly like kovil puliyodharai. 

Friends, do try this Tamilnadu temple style tamarind rice during this festival month and share your feedback with me. Lets see the making with step by step pictures and video !

Temple style puliodharai / Kovil puliyodharai recipe

Tamil nadu temple style puliyodharai recipe with stepwise pictures.

Cuisine: South Indian

Category: Main course

Serves: 4

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 30 Minutes

Chitra Ganapathy

INGREDIENTS

For Pulikachal Paste Gingely oil - 3 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Urad dal - 1 tsp Chana dal - 1 tbsp Roasted peanuts - 2 tbsp Curry leaves - few Red chilli - 2 ( pinched into 2) Hing/ asafetida - 1/4 tsp Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp Jaggery - 1 tsp Tamarind - Lemon size Salt & water - as needed For spice powder (Dry roast) Coriander seeds - 1.5 tsp Chana dal - 1.5 tsp Urad dal - 3/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp Red chilli - 4 Pepper corns - 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp Black or white sesame seeds - 2 tsp ( I used black ones) Asafetida / Hing - 1/4 tsp Curry leaves - 5 For tamarind rice Raw rice or steamed rice - 1 cup Water - 2 cups for raw rice / 3 cups for steamed rice Gingely oil - 1 tbsp + few drops for cooking rice Curry leaves - Few ( to decorate) Banana leaf - to store and serve the rice

HOW TO MAKE KOVIL PULIYODHARAI

1. Heat a kadai and dry roast all the ingredients given under “For spice powder”.
2. Cool down and grind to a fine powder. Set aside.
3. Heat oil the kadai and splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, red chilli, roasted peanuts, curry leaves and hing.
4. Add 1.5 cups of tamarind extract, required salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder, jaggery.
5. Let it roll boil till oil floats on top and becomes semi thick paste.
6. Lastly add 2 tsp of ground puliyodharai spice powder and boil for a minute.
7. It thickens more and leaves oil on sides. Switch off the flame. Cool down and store in a box. 
8. Pulikachal paste is ready. You can refrigerate and use up to 2 weeks. Store the remaining spice powder in an air tight box.
9. To make Kovil puliyodharai, wash and pressure cook one cup of raw rice adding 2 cups of water and few drops of gingely oil.
10. Spread the rice in a plate, cool down. Add the required tamarind rice paste and the spice powder. Mix well.Check for taste, add more if needed.
11. Add little gingely oil, mix gently. Garnish with chopped curry leaves and cover the bowl with a banana leaf.
12. Give a standing time of one or two hours. Serve and enjoy !

METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Heat a kadai and dry roast all the ingredients given under “For spice powder”. Cool down and grind to a fine powder. Set aside. Soak lemon size tamarind in 1 cup warm water for 20 minutes. Take 1.5 cups extract. Keep it aside. Heat oil in the same kadai. Splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, red chilli, curry leaves, hing. Add 1.5 cups of tamarind extract, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, required salt and jaggery. Boil till the raw smell leaves and starts to leave the oil. When the paste becomes semi thick, add the ground spice powder. Mix till thick and leaves oil. Pulikachal / tamarind rice paste is ready. Switch off the flame. Cool down the paste completely and store in a clean box. Use a clean spoon to handle. Stays good for 2 weeks under refrigeration. Also store the remaining spice powder in a box. To make temple style tamarind rice : Wash and pressure cook 1 cup of raw rice. Add 2 cups of water, few drops of oil and pressure cook in low flame for one whistle. Open the cooker after the steam is released. Spread the rice in a plate. Add 2 tsp of gingely oil. Cool down. Add the required paste, 1 to 2 tsp of spice powder and mix gently to coat evenly. Add more gingely oil if required. Garnish with fresh curry leaves. Keep the rice in a bowl lined with banana leaf. Cover it with another banana leaf and give a standing time for an hour or two to enjoy the original temple style puliyodharai. Enjoy !

Note

Adjust the quantity of red chillies used for grinding for more spicy taste. Boil the tamarind paste till it leaves oil for best taste. Mixing spice powder along with tamarind paste in the rice is the highlight of this puli sadam. Do not hesitate to use more gingely oil. It gives nice flavor and also helps to pacify the body heat generated due to tamarind.

Try this easy, yummy, Kovil puliyodharai recipe and share your feedback with me.

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Masala Khichdi Recipe / Vegetable Dal Khichdi In Pressure Cooker

During this lockdown period, I prefer to make one pot meals for my weekend lunch. Last Sunday I made this masala khichdi with vegetables, rice, moong dal and spices easily in a pressure cooker instead of veg biryani. We all loved it very much. It was a tummy filling, healthy and tasty North Indian style lunch. Usually I make plain moong dal khichdi for Sendhil whenever he suffers from stomach upset problems for easy digestion.

This is the first time I made khichdi with vegetables and masala. Roasted papad, pickle and raita with onion or cucumber serves as the best side dish for this khichdi. So this recipe would be ideal for bachelors and working women as there is no grinding job and can be made easily in a pressure cooker. For variations, you can make this masala khichdi without vegetables, use toor dal instead of moong dal and modify it based on the ingredients available in your kitchen.

Also you can adjust the consistency of this khichdi slightly watery or thick as you like. Usually people use rice and water in the ratio of 1:4. You can use the same or add more water to adjust the consistency. Its a healthy wholesome meal for lunch or dinner. Friends, do try this yummy, easy masala vegetable khichdi. You will love it too ! Ok, lets check out this vegetable dal khichdi recipe with step by step pictures.

Masala khichdi Recipe / Vegetable Dal Khichdi Recipe in Pressure Cooker

Vegetable masala khichdi with rice, moong dal, vegetables and biryani spices easily in a pressure cooker.

Cuisine: North Indian

Category: Main course

Serves: Serves 2 to 3

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 30 Minutes

Chitra Ganapathy

INGREDIENTS

1 cup = 240ml Raw rice or broken basmati rice - 1/2 cup Yellow moong dal - 1/2 cup Cooking oil / ghee - 1 tbsp Cinnamon - 1 inch Cloves - 2 Pepper corns - 5 Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp Hing - 1/4 tsp Big onion - 1 Tomato - 2 Green chilli – 1 (slit) Red chilli – 1 Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp Carrot - 1 Beans - 10 Green peas - a handful Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp (optional) Coriander leaves - to garnish Ghee - 1 tbsp ( Add before serving) Salt - as needed Water - 5 cups

HOW TO MAKE MASALA KHICHDI

1. Wash the rice, moong dal and set aside. You can soak it for 15 minutes if you wish.
2. Wash and chop the vegetables into small cubes. Set aside.
3. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker. Saute cinnamon, cloves, cumin seeds, hing, pepper corns.
4. Saute red chilli, green chilli and onion till transparent. 
5. Add ginger garlic paste and saute till raw smell goes off. 
6. Now add tomato and saute till mushy.
7. Add turmeric, chilli powder and required salt. Mix well.
8. Lastly add the chopped vegetables, mix quickly. 
9. Add garam masala powder. Mix quickly. Add  rice and moong dal.
10. Mix well. Add 4 to 5 cups of water, chopped coriander leaves.
11.  Pressure cook in low flame for 2 whistles. Open the lid after steam is released.
12. Mash well. Top it with ghee and serve hot with roasted papad, raita , pickle !

METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Wash the rice and moong dal separately and soak for 15 minutes. In the mean time, chop the vegetables, onion and tomato. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker. Saute cinnamon, cloves. Add cumin seeds, hing, pepper corns and splutter. Add a red chilli, green chilli, chopped onion and saute till onion becomes transparent. Add ginger garlic paste and saute till raw smell leaves. Add chopped tomato and saute till mushy. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt. Lastly add the chopped vegetables, Mix well. Add garam masala powder and mix well. Add 4 to 5 cups of water,  chopped coriander leaves and mix well.  Check for taste, add more salt or spice powders if required. Close the cooker with lid. Keep the flame high till steam comes out. Put the weight valve and lower the flame completely. Pressure cook in very low flame for one or two whistles. Open the cooker after the steam is released. Mash the cooked rice, dal along with vegetables. Add 1/2 to 1 cup more hot water if the khichdi is too thick. Adjust salt accordingly. Top  it with ghee and serve hot with roasted papad, raitha or pickle as side dish. Enjoy !

Note

Rice + dal and water ratio is 1:4. But you can add 1:5 based on the consistency you like. Adjust the quantity of chilli powder, dhania powder and chillies as per your taste. You can skip garam masala powder. Its completely optional. But adding it gives a nice flavor. Don’t forget to add ghee at the end before serving. It adds a nice flavor and taste to the khichdi. Temper cumin seeds, hing in 1 tbsp ghee. Switch off the flame. Add 1/4 tsp of red chilli powder in hot ghee and pour over the khichdi. This step is optional.

Try this easy, yummy one pot masala khichdi and enjoy !

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Karnataka Style Tomato Bath Recipe | Karnataka Tomato Pulao

Here is my second version of Karnataka style tomato bath recipe / Tomato pulao recipe. Few weeks ago, I shared a Karnataka style tomato bath recipe which tastes like hotel ones in Bangalore. This version is a bit different in masala part. This tomato bath tastes like the one served in temple festivals as prasad (Served in Jaatre ) and weddings. You can call this as home style tomato bath recipe.  

Most of my Kannadiga friends make in this way a nd they call it as tomato palav. In fact I loved this version more than my previous one. You don’t need any side dish for this tomato rice. If you like, you can serve with onion raita. Its a great lunch box recipe because its taste and flavor improves over the time. I am sure your family would love it. As usual I made this tomato rice directly in a pressure cooker to ease my job. So it took less than 20 minutes to prepare. You can add some green peas to make it more colorful and healthy. 

Friends, do try this Karnataka style tomato bath recipe / tomato palav and share your feedback with me.

Karnataka style tomato bath recipe

Karnataka style tomato bath recipe in a pressure cooker

Cuisine: Karnataka

Category: Main course

Serves: 4

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 30 Minutes

Chitra Ganapathy

INGREDIENTS

1 cup = 240ml Raw rice / Ponni rice / Sona masoori - 1 cup Cooking oil - 3 tbsp Bay leaf - 1 Cinnamon - 1 Cloves - 1 Cardamom - 1 Big onion - 1 (finely chopped) Ripe tomato - 2 (I used big sized Bangalore tomato) Mint + coriander leaves – a fistful Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp Dhania powder / coriander seeds powder - 3/4 tsp Chicken masala powder - 1/2 tsp  Salt - as needed Water - 2 cups To grind masala Cinnamon - 1 inch piece Cloves - 2 Ginger - 1 inch piece Garlic cloves - 6 Green chilli - 1

TOMATO BATH RECIPE

1. Wash and soak raw rice in water for 10 minutes. Wash and finely chop onion, tomato.
2. Grind the ingredients given under “ to grind masala” to a coarse paste without adding water.
3. Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Saute the whole garam masala, onion.
4. Add ground masala and saute till nice aroma emits. Add finely chopped tomato.
5. Add mint + coriander leaves and saute quickly. Add the spice powders, salt and mix well.
6. Lastly add the soaked rice along with water and pressure cook in low flame for one whistle.
7. Open the cooker after the steam is released. Fluff the rice gently and serve hot. Enjoy !

METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Wash and soak 1 cup of raw rice in  2 cups of water for 10 minutes. Wash and chop onion, tomato and set aside. Grind all the ingredients given under “ to grind masala” to a coarse paste. I used mortar and pestle and grind it without water. Heat 3 tbsp cooking oil in a pressure cooker base. Saute cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and bay leaf. Add onion and saute till transparent. Add the ground masala and saute till nice aroma emits. Now add the finely chopped tomato, mint leaves, coriander leaves, salt and saute till tomato becomes mushy. Add the red chilli powder, coriander seeds powder, chicken masala powder and turmeric powder. Mix quickly without burning. Lastly add the soaked rice along with water. Mix well and check for salt. Close the lid and keep the flame high till steam comes off. Now put the weight valve and lower the flame completely. Pressure cook in very low flame for one whistle. It takes maximum 10 minutes for one whistle based on the size of cooker. Open the cooker after the steam is released naturally.  Fluff the rice gently and serve hot with raita if you like.  Enjoy !

Note

For variations, you can use basmati rice or jeera rice but in Karnataka people use Sona masoori for rice varieties like pulao and bath. Adjust the quantity of chilli powder as per your taste. If you use Tamil nadu tomato, add more chilli powder based on its tanginess.

Friends, do try this easy version of Karnataka style tomato bath recipe and enjoy !

Technorati Tags: karnataka style tomato bath,karnataka style tomato rice,tomato bath recipe,tomato bath,tomato rice,karnataka tomato rice,tomato pulao

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