Vegetarian for Life
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Vegetable Biryani

This dish can be made in a number of ways. Essentially it is rice cooked with spices, dried fruit, nuts, and vegetables with a curry sauce. 

Serves: 6
Time to prepare: 15 mins
Time to cook: 45 mins
Dietary requirements: Dairy-free, Egg-free, Halal, Kosher, Vegan

Ingredients

Curry sauce

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 tbsp mild curry powder
  • 1 tbsp sultanas
  • 2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped
  • 200ml/7fl oz vegetable stock
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Biryani

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • 50g/2oz sultanas
  • 75g/2½oz chopped almonds
  • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 1 cauliflower, cut into small florets
  • 300g/10½oz vegan Quorn chunks
  • 300g/10½oz easy cook rice
  • 500ml hot vegetable stock

Garnish

  • 50ml/3 tbsp vegan natural yoghurt
  • 30g/1oz toasted flaked almonds
  • 3g (a sprinkle) fresh coriander

Instructions

Curry sauce 

  1. Gently fry the onion for at least 10 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the curry powder and cook for 5 minutes.
  2. Add the sultanas, apples, and stock, then simmer for 10 minutes. Set to one side until ready to use.

Biriyani

  1. Gently fry the onion for 5 minutes in a large frying pan. Add the garlic and curry powder and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
  2. Place the sultanas, chopped almonds, carrots, cauliflower, vegan Quorn chunks, rice, and the cooked onions and spice mix into an ovenproof casserole dish. Gently fold the ingredients then pour over the hot stock. Cover with foil and place into a preheated oven 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5 for 30 minutes.
  3. Carefully remove from the oven and gently stir. Note the consistency of the rice and the amount of liquid in the dish. If necessary, add a little extra stock and return to the oven for another 15 minutes. Your biryani is ready when the rice and vegetables are cooked, and the stock absorbed.
  4. To serve your biriyani, place a portion onto a serving plate and top with a spoonful of curry sauce. Add a spoonful of vegan natural yoghurt, a few toasted almond flakes, and a little fresh coriander.

Chef’s tip: This dish can use many different ingredient combinations. Aubergine, peppers, sweet potatoes, courgette, green beans, broad beans, and tomatoes all work well. Always add hot stock to the rice because this will considerably speed up the cooking process. The variety of rice used will also affect cooking time. This dish can also be cooked entirely in a large saucepan.

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