Instant Pot Vegan Biryani with Tempeh

Name: Instant Pot Vegan Biryani with Tempeh
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 5 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 16 oz (2 blocks) (450 g) tempeh, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes; ¾ cup (180 g) plain unsweetened coconut yogurt, stirred smooth; 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice; 4 large cloves (20 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced; 1 tbsp (8 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated; 1 tsp (3 g) ground turmeric; 2 tsp (5 g) garam masala; 1 tsp (3 g) Kashmiri chili powder (or mild paprika with a pinch of cayenne); 1 tsp (6 g) fine sea salt; 3 tbsp (45 ml) avocado or neutral oil; 2 large (about 400 g) (400 g) large yellow onions, halved and sliced into thin half-moons (⅛ inch / 3 mm); 1 tsp (2 g) cumin seeds; 1 3-inch stick (3 g) cinnamon stick; 4 pods (1 g) green cardamom pods, lightly crushed; 4 cloves (½ g) whole cloves; 2 leaves (1 g) bay leaves; 2 chilies (15 g) green chilies (serrano or Thai), slit lengthwise; 1 medium (about 150 g) (150 g) medium ripe tomato, finely chopped; 2 cups (370 g) aged basmati rice, rinsed in several changes of water until nearly clear, then soaked 20 minutes in cool water and drained well; 1½ cups (360 ml) water, room temperature; 1 tsp (6 g) fine sea salt; ½ cup, packed (20 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped; ¼ cup, packed (10 g) fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped; ¼ tsp (a generous pinch) (0.1 g) saffron threads, steeped in 2 tbsp (30 ml) hot water for 10 minutes (optional); ¼ cup, packed (10 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped; 1 lemon (60 g) lemon, cut into wedges

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Cubes of tempeh marinated in turmeric-spiced coconut yogurt are browned with deeply caramelized onions, then layered under soaked basmati and pressure cooked into a fragrant, fluffy one-pot biryani with separate grains and no scorching.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 50 min
Wait: 35 min
Total: 1 hr 50 min
Makes: About 8 cups (5 generous servings)

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Ingredients

5 servings

For the tempeh marinade
16 oz (2 blocks) (450 g) tempeh, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes
¾ cup (180 g) plain unsweetened coconut yogurt, stirred smooth
2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
4 large cloves (20 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
1 tbsp (8 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 tsp (3 g) ground turmeric
2 tsp (5 g) garam masala
1 tsp (3 g) Kashmiri chili powder (or mild paprika with a pinch of cayenne)
1 tsp (6 g) fine sea salt
For the base
3 tbsp (45 ml) avocado or neutral oil
2 large (about 400 g) (400 g) large yellow onions, halved and sliced into thin half-moons (⅛ inch / 3 mm)
1 tsp (2 g) cumin seeds
1 3-inch stick (3 g) cinnamon stick
4 pods (1 g) green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
4 cloves (0.5 g) whole cloves
2 leaves (1 g) bay leaves
2 chilies (15 g) green chilies (serrano or Thai), slit lengthwise
1 medium (about 150 g) (150 g) medium ripe tomato, finely chopped
For the rice
2 cups (370 g) aged basmati rice, rinsed in several changes of water until nearly clear, then soaked 20 minutes in cool water and drained well
1½ cups (360 ml) water, room temperature
1 tsp (6 g) fine sea salt
½ cup, packed (20 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
¼ cup, packed (10 g) fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
¼ tsp (a generous pinch) (0.1 g) saffron threads, steeped in 2 tbsp (30 ml) hot water for 10 minutes (optional)
To serve
¼ cup, packed (10 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1 lemon (60 g) lemon, cut into wedges

Equipment (6)

6-quart (5.7 L) Instant Pot or similar electric pressure cooker
Medium bowl for marinating
Fine-mesh sieve for rinsing rice
Wooden or silicone spatula (non-scratch)
Measuring cups and spoons
Small bowl for saffron milk water

Steps

Before you start

Use a 6-quart (5.7 L) Instant Pot. For an 8-quart model the recipe works as written, but expect a slightly longer time to come to pressure.
Use unsweetened, plain coconut yogurt. Sweetened or vanilla versions will taste wrong in a savory dish.
Start the tempeh marinade first; the rice soaks during the last 20 minutes of the 30-minute marinade.
Do not stir after layering the rice. The rice must sit on top of the tempeh mixture, not on the pot bottom, to prevent the 'Burn' warning.
Slice the onions evenly and thinly so they brown at the same rate.

1
Marinate the tempeh
- In a medium bowl, stir together the coconut yogurt, lemon juice, grated garlic, grated ginger, turmeric, garam masala, chili powder and 1 tsp salt (salt_marinade) until smooth.
- Add the cubed tempeh and fold gently until every piece is coated.
- Cover and let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes (or up to 4 hours in the fridge).
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Ready when: Tempeh cubes are evenly coated in a thick, golden-yellow marinade
Tip: Fold gently so the cubes do not crumble.
2
Rinse and soak rice
- While the tempeh marinates, place the basmati in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cool running water, swishing with your fingers, for about 2 minutes until the water runs nearly clear.
- Transfer to a bowl, cover with cool water by 1 inch (2.5 cm) and soak for 20 minutes (this overlaps with the marinade time).
- If using saffron, steep it in 2 tbsp hot water now.
- Drain the rice very well in the sieve for at least 5 minutes just before layering.
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Ready when: Rinse water runs nearly clear and soaked grains look opaque white
Tip: Drain thoroughly; extra clinging water can make the rice mushy.
3
Brown the onions
- Press Sauté and set to More/High.
- When the display says Hot, add the oil and sliced onions with a pinch of salt.
- Cook, stirring every 1 to 2 minutes, for 10 to 12 minutes until the onions are deep golden brown with dark edges.
- If they stick, add 1 tbsp water.
- Remove about ⅓ cup (a generous handful) of the browned onions to a small plate for garnish.
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Ready when: Onions are deep golden brown, soft and jammy, with some crisp dark edges
Tip: Do not walk away in the last 3 minutes; onions go from brown to burnt quickly.
4
Bloom the whole spices
- Switch to Sauté on Normal/Medium.
- Add the cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, crushed cardamom, cloves, bay leaves and slit green chilies to the onions in the pot.
- Stir for 30 to 45 seconds until fragrant, then add the chopped tomato and cook for 3 minutes, mashing it with the spatula, until it breaks down into a thick paste.
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Ready when: Spices smell toasty and the tomato has collapsed into a thick paste with oil at the edges
5
Cook the tempeh
- Scrape the tempeh and all of its marinade into the pot.
- Cook, stirring gently, for 4 to 5 minutes until the yogurt thickens and clings to the tempeh.
- Pour in 2 tbsp of the measured water and scrape the bottom of the pot thoroughly with the spatula to lift every browned bit, so nothing is stuck to the base.
- Press Cancel.
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Ready when: Marinade is thick and clinging; the bottom of the pot is smooth with no stuck-on bits
Tip: Scraping the bottom clean is the key to preventing the Burn error.
6
Layer without stirring
- Spread the tempeh mixture in an even layer.
- Sprinkle the chopped cilantro (cilantro_rice) and mint over it.
- Spoon the drained rice evenly on top and sprinkle with 1 tsp salt (salt_rice).
- Gently pour the remaining water (about 1⅓ cups / 335 ml) down the side of the pot over the rice, then drizzle the saffron water on top if using.
- Lightly press the rice just to submerge it.
- Do not stir.
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Ready when: Rice forms an even layer, mostly submerged, sitting above the tempeh
Tip: Stirring pushes rice to the bottom where it can scorch.
7
Pressure cook
- Lock the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and cook on High Pressure for 4 minutes.
- The pot will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure, then count down 4 minutes.
- When the cycle ends, do not release the steam: let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
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Ready when: Display counts up to 10:00 after the cook cycle (natural release)
Tip: Quick-releasing too early can make the rice wet and uneven.
8
Release and rest
- After 10 minutes of natural release, turn the valve to Venting to release any remaining steam.
- Open the lid away from you.
- Cover the pot with a clean kitchen towel, replace the lid loosely, and let the biryani rest for 5 minutes.
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Ready when: Surface looks dry with small steam holes and no standing liquid
Tip: If the top looks wet, rest 3 minutes more with the towel.
9
Fluff and serve
- Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves if you can find them.
- Using a fork or flat spatula, fold the rice and tempeh together from the bottom up in gentle scoops, keeping the grains whole.
- Top with the reserved browned onions and chopped cilantro (cilantro_garnish) and serve with lemon wedges.
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Ready when: Grains are long, separate and tender, with no hard center, and evenly streaked with yellow and white
Tip: Fold gently rather than stirring to avoid breaking the rice.

Good to know

Tips

Aged basmati stays fluffy; fresh or low-quality rice turns sticky. Rinse until the water is nearly clear.
Scrape the pot bottom clean before layering and never stir after adding the rice to avoid the Burn notice.
If your pot shows Burn, release the pressure, stir briefly to loosen stuck bits, add ¼ cup water, and restart.
Serve with cucumber raita made with coconut yogurt and a simple kachumber salad for contrast.

Make ahead

Marinate the tempeh up to 24 hours ahead in the fridge. Slice the onions and chop the herbs a day ahead and refrigerate separately in airtight containers. Rinse and soak the rice just before cooking.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight container up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 3 months in portions. Reheat with 1 to 2 tbsp water per serving, covered, in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes or in a skillet over low heat until steaming hot throughout. Cool rice quickly and refrigerate within 1 hour.

Substitutions

plain unsweetened coconut yogurt → Unsweetened soy or almond yogurt. Same amount; thinner yogurts may need 1 extra minute of cooking to thicken.
tempeh → Extra-firm tofu, pressed, or 2 cups cauliflower florets. Cook tofu the same way; cauliflower is added without changing times.
aged basmati rice → Other long-grain white rice. Do not use brown rice, which needs more water and a longer time.
Kashmiri chili powder (or mild paprika with a pinch of cayenne) → Mild paprika plus a pinch of cayenne. Gives similar color with controlled heat.