Vegan biryani

Ingredients

For 4 portions

• 🍚 250g basmati rice (dry)
• 🥕 1 medium carrots
• 🥦 200g cauliflower
• 🪴 100g frozen peas
• 🥛 120ml soy yoghurt alternative
• 🍋 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 🪴 1 Tsp turmeric
• 🌿 2 pieces bay leaf
• 🧂 1 Tsp salt
• 🧅 1 large red onions
• 🌿 0.5 Tsp star anise
• 🌿 0.5 Tsp cinnamon
• 🌿 1 Tsp cardamom
• 🌿 1 Tsp cloves, ground
• 🌿 0.5 Tsp nutmeg
• 🌿 0.5 Tsp ground mace
• 🌰 2 Tbsp almond paste
• 🌿 0.2 Tsp saffron
• 🫚 1 Tsp ginger paste
• 🌶️ 1 medium red chilli peppers
• 🌶️ 1 medium green chilli peppers
• 🫑 1 medium green bell pepper
• 🥔 1 medium potato
• 🏺 2 Tbsp sunflower oil

Method

1. Rinse the basmati rice thoroughly and soak it for 20-30 minutes. Drain and set aside. Boil water with a little salt, add the rice and cook for about 5-7 minutes until 70% done. Drain and set aside.
2. Soak the saffron in 2 tablespoons of warm water. In a small bowl, whisk the plain unsweetened soy yoghurt with the lemon juice and almond paste until smooth, and set aside.
3. Heat the sunflower oil with a pinch of the salt in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the bay leaves, star anise, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg and mace. Fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. Add the sliced red onions and fry on medium heat until golden brown and crisp. Remove half of the fried onions and set aside for garnishing.
5. To the remaining onions in the pan, add the ginger paste and the slit green and red chilli peppers, and cook for 1 minute.
6. Add the chopped potato (in halves), carrots (julienned), cauliflower florets, green bell pepper (in medium squares) and frozen peas. Stir in the turmeric and the rest of the salt. Cook for 8-10 minutes until the vegetables are half-cooked.
7. Take the pan off the heat for a moment and stir in the soy yoghurt mixture, so it stays creamy and doesn't split. Return to the lowest heat.
8. Layer the partially cooked rice evenly over the vegetables. Drizzle the saffron water over the top and scatter the reserved fried onions.
9. Cover the pan tightly with a lid (seal with a simple flour-and-water dough for dum if you like). Cook on the lowest heat for 20-25 minutes until the rice is fully cooked and aromatic.
10. Rest for 5 minutes, then gently mix before serving.