This quinoa biryani has fragrant grains of quinoa in a highly spiced, scrumptious masala of black chickpeas, or kala chana. It is a very simple weeknight dinner that is able in beneath 45 mins!
A biryani could also be one of the indulgent Indian meals, however it could simply be remodeled right into a super-healthy– and decadently delicious– weeknight dish.
This vegan Quinoa Biryani with Kala Chana has all of the taste of a standard vegetable biryani as it has the similar spices and taste development blocks. And it comes in combination simply as briefly.
The quinoa biryani is even fitter, although, as it combines two of the healthiest components within the pantry: quinoa and kala chana, or black chickpeas. Each are loaded with fiber and protein.
Desk of Contents
Why use quinoa for biryani
A vintage biryani is made with rice, extra in particular long-grain white basmati rice, which makes a biryani extra fragrant and scrumptious. Rice is a wholesome meals, and basmati rice particularly has a decrease glycemic index than different kinds of rice. Even so, it lacks fiber. Quinoa is a more healthy selection to the rice and we make it simply as fragrant by way of simmering it with spices prior to including it to the quinoa sauce.
You’ll use any number of quinoa on this quinoa biryani recipe, together with the beige model maximum repeatedly present in shops, the black selection and the pink selection. Needless to say black quinoa and pink quinoa do want longer to prepare dinner, so you’ll have to alter the cooking time accordingly, by way of about 5 mins extra. The beige quinoa, which I used, wishes 12 mins of simmering after the water has come to a boil.
You’ll use common chickpeas on this recipe, however kala chana or black chickpeas have extra fiber and protein than common chickpeas, and so they even have extra antioxidants and minerals. I exploit them on this quinoa biryani as a result of they cling their form higher and are chewier, which provides scrumptious texture with out the desire for meat or a processed meat exchange.
Why you are going to love this quinoa biryani
- Scrumptious. Taking rice out of this biryani recipe does no longer imply there’s any compromise in taste. This quinoa biryani is as scrumptious as any biryani you might have eaten or will consume.
- Nutritious. The biryani makes use of rarely any oil and the chickpea and quinoa make a scrumptious aggregate that still provides quite a lot of fiber and heart-healthy protein on your nutrition. You’ll skip the tiny quantity of oil in case you are oil-free.
- Simple to make. When you’ve got the kala chana cooked and able, it must take you not more than half-hour to make this recipe.
- Allergic reaction pleasant. This can be a terrific biryani recipe for any individual who does not wish to come with any processed vegan meals or meats of their nutrition. The biryani could also be soy-free and gluten-free and it may be nut-free if you happen to use nut-free vegan yogurt.
Elements
For the quinoa rice
- Quinoa
- Spices: cinnamon stick, inexperienced cardamom pods, cloves and black cumin or shahi jeera.
For the kala chana sauce
- Spices: biryani masala, flooring coriander, turmeric and paprika (not obligatory)
- Herbs: ginger garlic paste, contemporary cilantro, dried mint and dried dill. When you’ve got contemporary herbs to be had, use ¼ cup contemporary mint and ¼ cup contemporary dill.
- Greens: onions and tomatoes.
- Vegan yogurt. Make your individual or use storebought yogurt. Once I first posted this recipe in 2013, I used coconut milk as an alternative of the yogurt, however I have since come to strongly consider that the flavour of coconut milk does not paintings neatly in maximum north Indian dishes. If you wish to make this recipe nut-free, use any nut-free vegan yogurt.
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Fried onions (not obligatory). You’ll skip those, however they upload a in reality particular, restaurant-style taste to the biryani so I strongly suggest the usage of them. You’ll fry sliced onion till golden and crisp, or use storebought fried onions, as I do. The sort made by way of French’s or the type to be had on the Indian retailer will each paintings.
- Oil of selection. Use any impartial oil, together with avocado oil, grape seed oil or sunflower oil. You want only a teaspoon for all the recipe.
Learn how to make quinoa biryani
Position 2 ¼ cups water in a saucepan. Upload cinnamon stick, black cumin seeds, inexperienced cardamom pods, cloves and bay leaves to the water. Upload salt to style.
Stir the washed quinoa into the water and produce to a boil. Decrease warmth to a simmer, quilt the saucepan with a good lid, and let the quinoa prepare dinner 12 mins. Flip off warmth and let the quinoa stand till it has absorbed all of the water. Then fluff it with a fork.
In a bigger pot or Dutch oven, upload a teaspoon of oil. Upload the salt with salt and flooring black pepper. Saute till the onions brown. If the onions begin to stick, upload some water and scrape up any brown bits from the ground of the pan.
As soon as the onions have browned, stir within the ginger garlic paste and saute for a few mins.
Stir within the tomato puree and blend neatly with the onions.
Upload turmeric and cayenne and blend it in.
Stir within the flooring coriander, dill and mint. Let the sauce proceed cooking for 5-10 mins over medium top warmth, stirring often, till it has darkened visibly and lots of the moisture has evaporated.
Upload the vegan yogurt and lemon juice to the pot and stir them in.
Subsequent upload the kala chana…
…adopted by way of the biryani masala. Let the sauce come to a boil, decrease warmth, and simmer for a few mins. If the sauce is just too thick, you’ll be able to upload just a little little bit of water.
Stir within the cilantro…
…and part the fried onions, if the usage of.
Flip warmth right down to the bottom level, combine the entirety neatly, and take a look at for salt. Layer the cooked quinoa over the sauce in a good layer.
Sprinkle the remainder fried onions over the quinoa, and somewhat of dried mint. Quilt the pot with a good lid and prepare dinner over low warmth for quarter-hour. Flip off the warmth and let the quinoa biryani stand 10 mins prior to serving.
Most sensible pointers
- Browning the onions and cooking the tomatoes down till they have got darkened and misplaced their moisture are each key steps for creating taste. They’re going to upload the layers of taste so integral to Indian meals.
- If you’re the usage of retailer purchased biryani masala and are delicate to warmth, upload much less biryani masala in the beginning, style, and upload extra if wanted. The spice degree in biryani masalas, even inside of the similar emblem, can range very much for each batch.
Serving tips
Recipe FAQs
You’ll upload carrots, potatoes, squash, cauliflower, mushrooms and inexperienced peas to this recipe. Cube and upload them after the tomatoes have cooked and let the veggies simmer within the yogurt sauce till they’re fork-tender. Continue with the remainder of the recipe.
I’ve a scrumptious low-carb cauliflower rice biryani recipe at the weblog. You’ll mix the cauliflower rice with the quinoa sauce to make a yummy, low-carb biryani.
There is only one teaspoon of oil on this recipe, which makes about 8 servings. Then again, you’ll be able to completely skip the oil. Use water or vegetable inventory as an alternative to brown the onions.
Extra scrumptious biryani recipes
Quinoa Biryani
This fluffy, scrumptious and wholesome vegan quinoa biryani with chickpeas and spices has all the taste of a standard biryani however it’s full of vitamin.
Servings: 8 servings
Energy: 235kcal
Elements
For the kala chana biryani sauce
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Directions
Make the quinoa rice
-
Upload 2 ¼ cups water to a saucepan. Upload cinnamon stick, black cumin seeds, inexperienced cardamom pods, cloves and bay leaves to the water. Upload salt to style.
-
Upload the washed quinoa to the water with spices and produce to a boil over medium warmth. Decrease warmth to a simmer, quilt the saucepan with a good lid, and let the quinoa prepare dinner 12 mins. Flip off warmth and let the quinoa stand till it has absorbed all of the water. Then fluff it with a fork.
Make the biryani sauce
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Cook dinner the kala chana prematurely till gentle within the Speedy Pot (35 mins on top power), or in a stovetop power cooker or in a saucepan coated with two inches water.
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In a bigger pot or Dutch oven, upload a teaspoon of oil. Upload the salt with salt and flooring black pepper. Saute till the onions brown. If the onions begin to stick, upload some water and scrape up any brown bits from the ground of the pan.
-
As soon as the onions have browned, stir within the ginger garlic paste and sauté for a few mins.
-
Stir within the tomato puree and blend neatly with the onions. Upload turmeric and cayenne and blend it in.
-
Stir within the flooring coriander, dill and mint. Let the sauce proceed cooking for 5-10 mins over medium top warmth, stirring often, till it has darkened visibly and lots of the moisture has evaporated. Upload the vegan yogurt and lemon juice to the pot and stir them in.
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Subsequent upload the kala chana adopted by way of the biryani masala. Let the sauce come to a boil, decrease warmth, and simmer for a few mins. Upload just a little extra water, not more than ½ cup, if the sauce is just too thick. Take a look at for salt and upload extra if wanted. Stir within the cilantro and part the fried onions, if the usage of. Flip warmth right down to the bottom level and blend the entirety neatly.
Collect the biryani
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Layer the cooked quinoa over the biryani sauce in a good layer. Sprinkle the remainder fried onions over the quinoa, and somewhat of dried mint. Quilt the pot with a good lid and prepare dinner over low warmth for quarter-hour. Flip off the warmth and let the quinoa biryani stand 10 mins prior to serving.
Diet Information
Quinoa Biryani
Quantity in step with Serving
% Day-to-day Price*
* % Day-to-day Values are in line with a 2000 calorie nutrition.