This vegan Biryani made with soybean meat strips is packed with flavors. Made with fragrant basmati, marinated plant based meat and classic Indian spices, this easy recipe is a great all time treat.
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Plant based meat is not new to me. When we lived in Singapore, there were so many mock meat options. While they weren’t necessarily pocket friendly, they were also a good source of protein.
Our move to Germany changed my perspective on vegan meat. After coming here, I discovered that eating vegan food is not as expensive as it was in Singapore. And the supermarkets here are flooded with options!
Soybean meat or soy strips remain my top choice. To be honest, I am not a fan of impossible burgers etc. But these strips that are protein rich find their way into my curries, Kurma and of course, Biryani!
Instant Pot Plant Based Biryani
- is easy to make.
- can be easily doubled.
- is a great recipe to bring to a party or a gathering.
- remains my go-to weekday meal to boost protein intake.
Soybean meat vs Soy Chunks
Soy chunks or textured vegetable protein are such a budget friendly protein source in India. As a child, I used to know them as Nutrela. They come in different sizes – granulated, large chunks, mini soy chunks – you get the drift, right?
To break it down into a nutshell, soy chunks
- are dehydrated and made using defatted soy flour
- typically need boiling or soaking
- are porous in texture and have a longer shelf life.
Plant based meat strips, however, are slightly different. They can be either dry or moist.
- They usually contain mostly soy but also include other plant protein sources like pea protein.
- Sold fresh, they usually have a best by date.
- They behave very much like chicken.
Ingredients
For the marinade –
- Ground spices
- Unsweetened coconut yogurt (or other unsweetened plant based yogurt)
- Mint and cilantro
- Ginger garlic paste
- Lemon juice
- Salt and ground spices
- Oil
For the biryani-
- Oil
- Whole spices (think bay leaf, cinnamon etc)
- Onions and ginger garlic paste
- Marinated soymeat
- Long grained basmati rice
- Coconut milk
- Water
- Salt
- Green chilis
- Mint and cilantro
Recipe Notes
Important to know
- Soybean strips work pretty much like meat. They do not need soaking or boiling followed by squeezing out the water. You marinate the strips and proceed to cook it with rice.
- Using soy chunks in this recipe will change everything from the water measurements to the cooking time. Therefore, soy chunks are not a replacement option here.
- I have used neutral flavored plant based meat strips for this recipe. It has no flavors, spices or seasonings added to it.
- My best plant based yogurt bets for this recipe are unsweetened cashew yogurt or coconut yogurt.
- Fat content in coconut milk is crucial. Cooking any dish in a liquid with a high fat content automatically leads to a BURN signal in the Instant Pot. Diluting coconut milk with water reduces the fat content. For this recipe, I have used thin coconut milk.
- If you do not have thin or low fat coconut milk, dilute 1/4 cup regular coconut milk with 1/4 cup water and proceed with the recipe.
- As with any rice recipe, soaking plays a big role here too. Rule of thumb- longer the soaking time, lower the pressure cooking time.
- Pressure cooking time here is 5 minutes because I have used aged Basmati rice. Reduce the timing to 3 minutes if you are using basmati rice from European supermarkets. (eg- Ja brand in Rewe or Basmati from Lidl).
- You can make this recipe in any electric pressure cooker that you have.
Make ahead, shelf life and storage
- Marination can be done at least two days ahead. Store the marinated soy meat strips in the fridge in an airtight container.
- Store leftover vegan Biryani in the fridge for 2 days. Reheat by steaming in the Instant Pot after bringing it to room temperature.
- Frozen plant-based meat strips change in terms of texture and taste. I will not recommend freezing this Biryani for these reasons.
Serving suggestions
This is a complete meal in itself. Rich in protein, it is filling and delicious at the same time. I dare to call it my lazy day biryani too. To take it up a notch, serve this alongside
- a creamy vegetable raita or
- a light salad like this Persian inspired Shirazi salad
- or some chilled vegan Lassi
Instructions
Marinate the plant based meat strips
- To a mixing bowl, add the yogurt, oil, lemon juice, herbs, salt and ground spices.
- Using a balloon whisk, combine everything until smooth.
- Now, add the vegan meat strips, mix well until they are coated evenly.
- Cover and set aside for at least 30 minutes.
Soak the rice
- Towards the end of the 30 minutes, begin soaking the rice.
- Place the rice in a colander and wash it well to get rid of any residual starch. This step is a game changer!
- Combine the washed rice with 2 cups of water in a mixing bowl. Set aside for 20 minutes.
Prep the other ingredients
- While the rice soaks, prep and assemble the remaining ingredients.
How to make vegan Biryani in the Instant Pot?
- Place the inner pot into the Instant Pot.
- Press SAUTE mode on HIGH and set the timer to 12 minutes.
- When the display reads HOT, add the oil and let it heat up for 20 to 30 seconds.
- Add all the whole spices now and let them splutter. This is called blooming the spices and helps bring out the flavor.
- Tip in the onions, mint, cilantro and ginger garlic paste. Combine and sauté until onions are soft and glassy. This takes 2 to 3 minutes.
- Now, add the marinated plant based meat strips, mix well and continue to cook until the mixture is almost dry. This step is important and takes 3 to 4 minutes.
Pressure cooking
- Drain the rice in a colander. Add the soaked rice to the inner pot.
- Now, add the coconut milk, water and lemon juice. Stir once or twice.
- Press CANCEL.
- Ensure that the SEALING RING has been fitted properly into the Instant Pot lid.
- Close the Instant Pot and turn the VALVE to SEALING.
- Press PRESSURE COOK and set it to HIGH PRESSURE for 5 minutes.
- Allow the cooking cycle to complete.
- When the cooking cycle is complete, wait for 10 minutes and then do a gradual QUICK PRESSURE RELEASE.
- Wait for 5 minutes before opening the lid.
- After 5 minutes, open the lid, fluff the rice with a fork and serve hot.
Vegan Biryani with soybean meat strips
A delicious vegan biryani cooked in the Instant Pot using soybean meat strips. The marinated plant-based meat cooks directly with basmati rice, resulting in a fragrant, hearty biryani.
Servings: 4
Calories: 457kcal
Ingredients
- 1.25 cups Basmati rice
- 2 cups water
For the marinade
- 10 mint leaves
- 2 tbsp cilantro chopped finely
- 1/4 cup coconut yogurt unsweetened and at room temperature
- 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 3/4 tsp Garam Masala
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp vegetable oil
- 200 grams soybean meat strips I have used neutral flavored meat strips here
For the Biryani
- 1.5 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 inch cinnamon stick
- 3 cloves
- 3 green cardamoms
- 1 mace
- 2 green chilis slit lengthwise
- 1.25 cups onions finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste
- 1/4 cup cilantro finely chopped
- 10 mint leaves
- 3/4 tsp salt or adjust to your preference. Keep an eye on the salt because there is some in the marinade mix too
- 1/2 cup light coconut milk unsweetened
- 1 cup water
Instructions
Marinate the plant based meat strips
- To a mixing bowl, add the yogurt, oil, lemon juice, herbs, salt and ground spices.
- Using a balloon whisk, combine everything until smooth.
- Now, add the vegan meat strips, mix well until they are coated evenly.
- Cover and set aside for at least 30 minutes.
Soak the rice
- Towards the end of the 30 minutes, begin soaking the rice.
- Place the rice in a colander and wash it well to get rid of any residual starch. This step is a game changer!
- Combine the washed rice with 2 cups of water in a mixing bowl. Set aside for 20 minutes.
Prep the other ingredients
- While the rice soaks, prep and assemble the remaining ingredients.
- How to make vegan Biryani in the Instant Pot?
- Place the inner pot into the Instant Pot.
- Press SAUTE mode on HIGH and set the timer to 12 minutes.
- When the display reads HOT, add the oil and let it heat up for 20 to 30 seconds.
- Add all the whole spices now and let them splutter. This is called blooming the spices and helps bring out the flavor.
- Tip in the onions, mint, cilantro and ginger garlic paste. Combine and saute until onions are soft and glassy. This takes 2 to 3 minutes.
- Now, add the marinated plant based meat strips, mix well and continue to cook until the mixture is almost dry. This step is important and takes 2 to 3 minutes.
Pressure cooking
- Drain the rice in a colander. Add the soaked rice to the inner pot.
- Now, add the coconut milk, water and lemon juice. Stir once or twice.
- Press CANCEL.
- Ensure that the SEALING RING has been fitted properly into the Instant Pot lid.
- Close the Instant Pot and turn the VALVE to SEALING.
- Press PRESSURE COOK and set it to HIGH PRESSURE for 5 minutes.
- Allow the cooking cycle to complete.
- When the cooking cycle is complete, wait for 10 minutes and then do a gradual QUICK PRESSURE RELEASE.
- Wait for 5 minutes before opening the lid.
- After 5 minutes, open the lid, fluff the rice with a fork and serve hot.
Video
Notes
If you soak the rice for longer than mentioned here, the rice will be mushy.
Using low fat or thin coconut milk prevents BURN signal in the Instant Pot.
Since we are making this Biryani directly in the inner pot, the minimum quantity is 1.25 cups of rice.
Using low fat or thin coconut milk prevents BURN signal in the Instant Pot.
Since we are making this Biryani directly in the inner pot, the minimum quantity is 1.25 cups of rice.
For Instant Pot & Air Fryer Recipes
Instant Pot timings may vary based on your geographic location. Air fryer settings and timings may vary based on the capacity and the model of the Air fryer.
Disclaimer
Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.
Nutrition
Calories: 457kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 1873mg | Potassium: 264mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 448IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 3mg
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