Instant Pot Soya Keema Biryani

Soya Keema Biryani is made with Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP), also know as Textured Soy Protein (TSP), Soy Meat, Or Soya Chunks / Soya Granules , which is 100% Vegetarian. Keema meaning minced soya chunks / granules, and biryani meaning flavorful rice, together is cooked with Instant Pot in 15 minutes ( cooking time is only 7 minutes ).  This One Pot biryani is totally guilt free, and high protein rice dish. You can add any vegetables and easily customize the biryani for more nutrition. Perfect lunch box recipe , and quick – healthy meal option. Recipe includes cooking biryani with Instant pot and Stove top method , stepwise pictures, detailed Instructions and tips.

Textured or texturized vegetable protein (TVP) is a defatted soy flour product, a by-product of extracting soybean oil. It is often used as a meat analogue or meat extender. It is quick to cook, with a protein content comparable to certain meats . If all your hacks of trying to get your kids to eat healthy have failed, then the Soya Chunks / Soya Granules is the answer. With soya chunks / granules you can make this dish that are both healthy, and tasty. The highest source of protein in TVP is equal to consuming many servings of cooked daal, boiled eggs, and drinking more glasses of cows milk!

This soya keema biryani is an easy 3 step process , marinate – sauté for two minutes – pressure cook for 4 minutes. Not much of preparation required, like chopping veggies or cooking the soya granules separately. It is so easy to prepare from scratch , and it is great for busy days , makes a great lunch box dish , perfect for party trays too ( a very different rice dish).

Soya Chunks Or Soya Granules ?

In this recipe I’ve used soya granules, which I bought it from Indian Store . Soya granules are also available online in amazon , or in any leading grocery store. Bob’s Red Mill brand Textured Soy Protein also works well for this recipe.

Note – I do not recommend using Textured Soy Protein Powder for this recipe.

Difference between, using soya granules and soya chunks in this recipe is, If using granules – after soaking in water, you don’t have to grind it in the mixer to mince it down to small pieces.

If using Soya Chunks – Soak the chunks in warm water for three minutes, drain the water , add cold tap water , rinse chunks using your hands , SQUEEZE THE EXCESS WATER FROM THE CHUNKS USING YOUR HANDS ( make sure to press firmly and remove the water from the chunks ). Then grind it in the mixer / food processor, to break them into smaller pieces ( Only whip , do not over run the mixer, and make it into a paste ). The texture is very important.

What rice to use to make the biryani ?

I have made this biryani with both Seeraga Samba and Basmati rice , both takes the same amount of water to cook the rice.  Seeraga samba rice (This recipe picture is with this variety rice ) is a great quality rice to make any biryanis , you can buy this rice online in amazon or in Indian market in USA.

Note – I’ve not tried it with other variety rice like sona masoori / jasmine , so I’m not sure about the quantity of water required to cook the rice.

Serve this Biryani with onion and tomato raita

Raita is great accompaniment for biryani, made with plain yogurt, and it perfectly balances the spices in the biryani. Recipe for raita is here ,

• Onion Tomato Raita

Storage and reheating instructions

Store any leftover in the fridge, in an clean – dry – air tight container,  stays good in the refrigerator for up to three days . For reheating, use a clean-dry ladle to scoop the biryani out every time. Sprinkle Some water on the biryani and cover the bowl or plate with a lid/ cover and microwave on high for 2 to 5 minutes depending on the quantity of food. (By sprinkling some water over the rice before reheating, rice retains the moisture and prevents it from getting dry).

How to prepare the biryani without the Instant Pot?

You can use the Indian pressure cooker to make this biryani , follow this same recipe ingredients and measurement.

• Preparation – Soak the rice ( basmati or seeraga samba rice) , soak soya granules and Almonds in water before starting the preparation. Then chop onions , grind tomato, make almond paste (using pedestal and mortar and make a paste), and prepare the marination (add all ingredients under marination in a bowl and mix).
• Sauté – Place the pressure cooker on the stove and heat it on medium – high flame. Add oil / ghee , once oil is hot, add cardamom, clove , cinnamon and green chillies and sauté for a minute. Add chopped onions, and sauté for a minute, followed by ginger and garlic paste, quickly stir for 30 seconds, switch off the flame. Now dump the marination , add soaked rice ( drain water and add only rice) , then add the given amount of water in the recipe , stir once ( if you taste the water after mixing , it should be slightly salty ).
• Pressure cook – Close the lid of the cooker ( with the gasket fitted in it ) , When the STEAM BUBBLES ALONG WITH the WATER , put the weight and IMMEDIATELY SIMMER THE STOVE for EXACTLY 10 MINUTES ( No Need to wait for the Whistle to come ). After 10 minutes switch off the flame.
• Wait for natural pressure release , open the lid of the pressure cooker, and carefully fluff-up the rice without breaking the rice. Serve the biryani hot with raita.

Check out the stove – top method, Chicken Biryani Recipe – Popular on the blog,

• Restaurant Style Chicken Biryani

Other Indian Cuisine  Recipes , made with Instant Pot ,

• Instant Pot Vegetable Kurma
• Instant Pot Butter Chicken Recipe
• Easy Instant Pot Pav Bhaji
• Instant Pot Drumstick | Moringa Vegetable Curry
• Instant Pot Plantain | Vazhakkai Curry

Step By Step Pictures Of How To Make The Soya Keema Biryani

Ingredients required – Ghee , whole green cardamom , clove , cinnamon stick , whole green chillies , finely chopped onions , ginger and garlic paste , soak rice in water when you start the preparation ( I used Seeraga Samba rice ) , water. Ingredients for the marination – soya granules ( soak in water for when you start the preparation ( for 2 minutes approximately) , squeeze excess water from the granules using your hands and set aside ( discard the water) , yogurt , salt , whip the tomato in mixer just to break down , red chilli powder , pepper powder , fresh cilantro , fresh mint leaves , Soak almonds in water for 5 minutes ( use pedestal and mortar and make a paste ).

Marinate The Soya Granules

In a bowl add all ingredients under marination – add soaked soya granules , yogurt , salt , tomatoes , red chilli powder , pepper powder , fresh cilantro , fresh mint leaves , almond paste and mix well , set aside.

Sauté using the Instant Pot

I used Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus 8 Quart for cooking. Place the inner vessel into the Instant Pot. Press SAUTE mode on HIGH power. In CUSTOM settings, SET Timer for THREE minutes. Now Press START. Once it is ready and preheating is done, add ghee, followed by clove , cinnamon , cardamom and green chillies , sauté for ONE minute, then add onions and sauté for ONE more minute. Press CANCEL , and then add ginger garlic paste sauté for 30 seconds. Dump all the marination and give it a quick stir .

Now add soaked rice ( drain water completely and add rice alone) and given amount of water , mix well ( make sure there is no food stuck to the bottom of the pot ) ( if you taste the water after mixing , it should be slightly salty ).

Pressure cook

Close the LID of the Instant Pot . Press the PRESSURE COOK mode on HIGH power, and SET CUSTOM TIMER to “TWO” minutes. SEAL the Pressure Valve ( this model IP automatically seals the vent). Switch off the KEEP WARM MODE ( light should not be on in the keep warm mode). Now press START. After the pressure cooking is done. Press CANCEL . Wait for NPR (natural pressure release) leave the quick release switch in the SEAL position for FIVE minutes. Then do QPR (quick pressure release) by moving quick release switch from SEAL TO VENT.

After the steam is released, open the lid, Fluff up the rice slowly ( make sure not to break the rice ). Serve the biriyani hot with onion – tomato raita ( made with plain yogurt ).