Ingredients:

• 2 cups basmati rice

• 1 bay leaf, 1 cinnamon stick, 5-6 peppers, 4-5 cloves, 2 star anise

• 6 onions cut thin and long

• 2 tomatoes cut finely

• 7 nos soya chaap sticks

• 6 nos small potatoes

• 1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves

• 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves

• 2 tbsp  chopped garlic 

• 1 tbsp chopped ginger

• 2-3 green chilies chopped finely

• 1 tbsp red chilli powder

• 2 tbsp coriander powder

• 1 tsp garam masala

• 1 tsp jeera (cumin) powder

• 1 tsp ginger powder

• 1 tsp pepper powder

• ½ tsp cinnamon powder

• ½ tsp cardamom powder (optional)

• 1 cup thick curds (yogurt)

• salt as per taste

• few cashewnuts

• 6-7 strands of saffron soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk

Method:

1. Wash and soak the rice for half an hour. Boil some water then add a little salt and all the whole spices (bay leaf, cinnamon stick, peppers, cloves, star anise) and cook the rice till it is semi soft or 80% cooked. Drain the water and keep aside.Each grain should be separate.

2. Peel, wash and chop the potatoes into halves.

3. Remove the soya chaap from the stick and cut into thick round pieces.

4. In a heavy based vessel or kadai heat some oil. First deep fry the cashewnuts, once done remove and keep it in a plate. Then in the same oil fry the potatoes till soft and slightly golden in colour then fry the chopped soya chaap. Lastly fry the chopped onions in small batches till they are brown and crispy.

5. Keep 2-3 tbsp of the onions for garnishing and crush all the remaining with your fingers..

6. For the marination add all the dry spices along with salt , ginger, garlic, green chilies, coriander, mint leaves, fried onions and tomatoes in the curds . Mix well then add the soya chaap and potatoes. Allow it to rest for 10 minutes. 

7. Cook the marination on low flame for 5- 10 minutes till all the water dries.

8.  In a heavy vessel take 4-5 tbsp oil then put half the quantity of rice and spread it evenly, on it place the cooked potatoes and soya chaap marination and then layer it with the remaining rice .

9. Garnish with the fried onions, cashewnuts , some mint leaves and 2-3 tbsp of ghee. Pour the saffron milk all over the rice. Cover the vessel with aluminum foil and place a lid over it.

10. Put the vessel on tawa and cook on low flame for 15-20 minutes. Remove from flame and serve hot.

    Serve this yummy Soya Chaap Biryani with yogurt and pickle.