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A recipe for vegetarian biryani for Eid

Make space for vegetarians with this aromatic and appetising biryani made with soya and barley

Warm barley biryani served with raita. (Photo: Hotel Sahara Star)
Warm barley biryani served with raita. (Photo: Hotel Sahara Star)

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While mutton biryani with fragrant basmati rice topped with crispy onion slivers is the order of the day, don’t leave your vegetarian friends behind. Here’s a recipe for barley biryani by by Chef Rupesh Khandekar, Chef de Cuisine, Hotel Sahara Star in Mumbai. It’s spiced with cardamom and mace, infused with kewra water and served with a generous garnish of sliced almonds.

Ingredients

For barely
450 gm soaked barley
80 ml oil
2 bay leaves
20 gm salt
2.5 ltr water
1 black cardamom
2 single mace strands
3 cloves

For soya bean
200 gm soya bean 
30 gm french beans, chopped
45 gm green peas 
30 gm carrots 
170 gm onion, finely chopped 
120 gm tomato, finely chopped
2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tbsp lemon juice 
250 cup thick curd 
30 gm cashew
15 gm raisin
30 gm almonds, peeled and sliced
2 tsp kewra water
20 gm red chilli powder
10 gm turmeric powder
1 handful of coriander leaves
1 handful of mint leaves
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp kasuri methi 
1 inch cinnamon stick
15-18 black pepper corn
8-10 cloves 
6-8 green cardamom 
1 black cardamom
1 tbsp biryani powder
Salt to taste
Slit chillies, as required 
Cooking oil or ghee as needed

Also read | In photos: The art of making vermicelli for Eid

Method

In a large bowl soak, soya chunks in warm water for about 20 mins. Then, squeeze the excess water and keep the soya aside. Coat the chunks with a blend of turmeric, 10 gm red chilli powder, salt and lemon juice. Mix well.

Use another bowl to prepare the marinade. Take thick curd and mix in 10 gm chilli powder, biryani masala powder, one tablespoon ginger-garlic paste, 5 turmeric and salt. Whisk well to make a smooth paste. Now add marinated soya chunks, beans, carrots and peas. Mix them well and let them sit for an hour in the fridge.

Heat ghee in a pan and add whole spices. Sauté for a few seconds for the spices to turn aromatic, then add cashew and raisin.

In a deep pan, pour in about two tbsp cooking oil or ghee. Add the finely chopped onion, sauté till translucent. Mix in one tablespoon ginger and garlic paste, cumin seeds and sauté for a few seconds. Add the finely chopped tomato. Mix in the marinated soya and vegetable to the pan and spread them evenly. Add in the chopped mint leaves, coriander leaves, kasuri and slit green chilles. Saute for a minute.

To cook barley: In a fresh pan, pour in two and half litres water, put the whole spices, salt and bring to boil. Mix in the barley with oil and when it’s about 90% percent cooked, drain and keep aside.

Spoon over the cooked barley on the soya and vegetable layer and spread it evenly. Cover the pan with the lid and let it cook on medium heat for some time till the barley gets cooked. Then turn of the flame, spread kewra water and keep it covered for about 30 minutes. Garnish with almond slivers and serve warm with raita.

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