TOFU Biryani

**Author - Alee Venkatesh **



Ingredients
  • 2 cup brown basmati rice
  • 300 gms firm Tofu
  • 2 each - sliced onions & tomatoes
  • 1 tsp. Ginger & garlic
  • 1 tsp. cumin seeds
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • 1-2 strings of saffron thread soaked in 2 tsp. milk
  • 2 tsp. Biryani Masala powder (for home made - dry roast these ingredients & blend into smooth powder (few tablespoons each) - green & black cardamoms, pepper corns, clove & cinnamon, fennel seeds, star anise, coriander seeds, dry red chillies, cumin seeds, mace & nutmeg, 1-2 bay leaves)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 cup each - toasted cashews, almonds & raisins
  • 2-3 tsps each - olive oil & margarine




  1. Heat little bit of oil & margarine in a small pan, roast cashews, raisins & almonds until golden brown - remove from heat, keep it aside
  2. Cut tofu into bite size pieces (may be toasted lightly before adding to rice) - keep it aside
  3. Wash, soak and cook rice and allow it to cool
  4. In a separate pan, fry cumin seeds until golden brown, add soaked saffron strings & bay leaves
  5. Fry onions, ginger, garlic until golden brown
  6. Add tomatoes and fry for few more minutes 
  7. Add biryani masala, yogurt, salt, pepper - mix well to combine
  

8.  In a large oven proof dish -  add cooked rice (layer 1), add prepared sauce (layer 2), add toasted cashews etc., (layer 3), add toasted tofu (layer 4)


9.  Repeat step 8 until you assemble - 3 layers of rice & 2 layers in between of other ingredients (sauce, nuts, tofu)



10.  Bake in a pre-heated oven @ 200 deg. C for about 30-40 minutes

 11.  Remove from oven, allow it to stand for further 15 minutes or so and serve hot with any Raita