Indian · advanced · 75 min · serves 6
How to make chicken biryani vegan
Short answer
Replace chicken, yogurt, ghee with soy chunks, jackfruit or paneer-style tofu, thick soy yogurt, vegan ghee. The method is unchanged and takes about 75 minutes for 6 servings.
What makes the classic version non-vegan
- Chicken
- Yogurt
- Ghee
Swap table
| Instead of | Use | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken | Soy chunks, jackfruit or paneer-style tofu | Marinate overnight if you can |
| Yogurt | Thick soy yogurt | Won't split in the dum |
| Ghee | Vegan ghee | Layer between the rice |
Method
- 1Marinate the protein in soy yogurt, fried onion, ginger-garlic and biryani masala.
- 2Par-cook basmati with whole spices until 70% done, then drain.
- 3Layer marinated protein, rice, fried onions, mint, coriander and saffron milk.
- 4Seal the pot with dough or foil and cook on the lowest heat for 25 minutes (dum).
- 5Rest 10 minutes, then fold gently from the bottom up.
The one thing people get wrong
Birista — properly deep-fried onions — carries most of the flavour; don't skip or shortcut them.
Frequently asked questions
- Can chicken biryani be made vegan?
- Yes. Replace chicken, yogurt, ghee with soy chunks, jackfruit or paneer-style tofu, thick soy yogurt, vegan ghee. The method stays essentially the same and takes about 75 minutes.
- What is the hardest part of veganizing chicken biryani?
- Birista — properly deep-fried onions — carries most of the flavour; don't skip or shortcut them.
- How long does vegan chicken biryani take?
- About 75 minutes for 6 servings — a advanced recipe.
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