Tofu Scramble Egg-Free Biryani

Name: Tofu Scramble Egg-Free Biryani
Prep time: 23 min
Cook time: 58 min
Total time: 1 h 21 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1½ cups (300 g) aged basmati rice, rinsed in several changes of cold water until the water runs nearly clear, then soaked 30 minutes in cold water and drained; 8 cups (1900 ml) water, for boiling the rice; 1 tablespoon (18 g) kosher salt; 1 whole (1 g) bay leaf; 4 pods (1 g) green cardamom pods, lightly crushed; 4 whole (1 g) whole cloves; 1 2-inch piece (5 g) cinnamon stick; 14 oz block (400 g) extra-firm tofu, drained, pressed 15 minutes under a weight, then crumbled by hand into ½-inch (1-cm) pieces; 3 tablespoons (45 ml) neutral oil (such as avocado or sunflower); 1 teaspoon (2 g) cumin seeds; 2 large (about 10 oz) (300 g) large yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced into half-moons; 1 tablespoon (10 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic, finely grated or minced; 2 whole (15 g) green chilies (serrano or Indian green chili), slit lengthwise, seeded for less heat; 1 large (about 5 oz) (150 g) ripe tomato, finely chopped; 1 teaspoon (3 g) ground turmeric; 2 teaspoons (4 g) ground coriander; 1 teaspoon (2 g) Kashmiri chili powder (or mild paprika); 2 teaspoons (4 g) garam masala; 1 teaspoon (5 g) kosher salt; ½ cup (120 g) unsweetened plain vegan yogurt (soy or coconut), whisked smooth, at room temperature; 1 cup (140 g) frozen green peas, thawed under running water and drained; 1 teaspoon (4 g) black salt (kala namak), finely ground; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; ½ cup, loosely packed (10 g) fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped; ½ cup, loosely packed (10 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped; ¼ teaspoon (0.1 g) saffron threads, crumbled and steeped in the warm plant milk for 10 minutes (optional); 2 tablespoons (30 ml) unsweetened plant milk, warm, warmed until steaming but not boiling (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Turmeric-golden tofu scramble, seasoned with sulfurous black salt for a convincing "egg" flavor, is layered with par-cooked basmati rice, peas, mint and caramelized onions, then steamed in one skillet. It's a fully vegan, fragrant biryani.

Prep: 23 min
Cook: 58 min
Wait: 40 min
Total: 2 hr 1 min
Makes: 4 generous servings (about 8 cups)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the rice
1½ cups (300 g) aged basmati rice, rinsed in several changes of cold water until the water runs nearly clear, then soaked 30 minutes in cold water and drained
8 cups (1900 ml) water, for boiling the rice
1 tablespoon (18 g) kosher salt
1 whole (1 g) bay leaf
4 pods (1 g) green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
4 whole (1 g) whole cloves
1 2-inch piece (5 g) cinnamon stick
For the tofu scramble
14 oz block (400 g) extra-firm tofu, drained, pressed 15 minutes under a weight, then crumbled by hand into ½-inch (1-cm) pieces
3 tablespoons (45 ml) neutral oil (such as avocado or sunflower)
1 teaspoon (2 g) cumin seeds
2 large (about 10 oz) (300 g) large yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced into half-moons
1 tablespoon (10 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
4 cloves (12 g) garlic, finely grated or minced
2 whole (15 g) green chilies (serrano or Indian green chili), slit lengthwise, seeded for less heat
1 large (about 5 oz) (150 g) ripe tomato, finely chopped
1 teaspoon (3 g) ground turmeric
2 teaspoons (4 g) ground coriander
1 teaspoon (2 g) Kashmiri chili powder (or mild paprika)
2 teaspoons (4 g) garam masala
1 teaspoon (5 g) kosher salt
½ cup (120 g) unsweetened plain vegan yogurt (soy or coconut), whisked smooth, at room temperature
1 cup (140 g) frozen green peas, thawed under running water and drained
To finish
1 teaspoon (4 g) black salt (kala namak), finely ground
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
½ cup, loosely packed (10 g) fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
½ cup, loosely packed (10 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
¼ teaspoon (0.1 g) saffron threads, crumbled and steeped in the warm plant milk for 10 minutes (optional)
2 tablespoons (30 ml) unsweetened plant milk, warm, warmed until steaming but not boiling (optional)

Equipment (8)

12-inch (30 cm) deep skillet or sauté pan with tight-fitting lid
Large saucepan or Dutch oven (4-quart / 4-liter) for par-cooking rice
Fine-mesh sieve or colander
Large bowl for soaking rice
Clean kitchen towel or paper towels for pressing tofu
Heavy plate or skillet to weight the tofu
Chef's knife and cutting board
Wooden spoon and slotted spoon

Steps

Before you start

Use extra-firm or firm tofu (not silken). Softer tofu turns mushy and won't scramble into distinct curds.
Black salt (kala namak) is sold at Indian grocers and online. It smells strongly of sulfur, which is what gives the egg-like flavor. Add it only at the end because heat dulls it.
The skillet must be at least 12 inches (30 cm) wide and 3 inches (7.5 cm) deep with a tight-fitting lid. If your lid is loose, use foil under it.
Read the timing: the rice soaks for 30 minutes, so start there and prep everything else while it sits.

1
Soak rice, press tofu
- Rinse the basmati in a bowl of cold water, swirling and draining 4 to 5 times, until the water is almost clear.
- Cover with fresh cold water and soak for 30 minutes.
- While it soaks, wrap the tofu in a clean towel, set it on a plate, and weight it with a heavy skillet or cans for at least 15 minutes.
- If using saffron, warm the plant milk, crumble in the saffron and leave it to steep.
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Ready when: Soaked grains look opaque white and break easily when pressed; tofu feels noticeably drier and has released a few tablespoons of liquid
Tip: Don't skip the soak. Unsoaked rice cooks unevenly and breaks.
2
Prep the aromatics
- Thinly slice the onions, grate the ginger and garlic, slit the chilies, chop the tomato, mint and cilantro.
- Crumble the pressed tofu by hand into uneven ½-inch (1-cm) pieces and set aside.
- Drain the soaked rice well in a sieve.
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Ready when: Everything is chopped and within reach of the stove
Tip: Crumbling by hand gives ragged edges that grab the masala better than cubes.
3
Brown the onions
- Heat the oil in the 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
- Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 20 seconds.
- Add the sliced onions and ½ teaspoon of the masala salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 12 to 15 minutes until deep golden brown with dark edges.
- Lower the heat to medium if they darken too fast.
- Scoop out about one third of the onions onto a plate for garnish.
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Ready when: Onions are deep golden brown, soft and sweet-smelling, with some crisp dark edges
Tip: Pale onions mean a bland biryani, so be patient. If they stick, splash in 1 tablespoon water.
4
Build the masala
- Reduce heat to medium.
- Add the ginger, garlic and green chilies and stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the tomato, turmeric, coriander, chili powder and the remaining salt.
- Cook for 4 minutes, mashing the tomato with your spoon, until it breaks down into a jammy paste and oil begins to separate at the edges.
- Turn heat to low, stir in the yogurt and cook for 2 minutes more.
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Ready when: Paste is thick and glossy, with no raw tomato smell and small beads of oil at the edges
Tip: Keep the yogurt at room temperature and the heat low so it doesn't split.
5
Scramble the tofu
- Raise heat to medium-high.
- Add the crumbled tofu and stir gently to coat it in the masala.
- Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often and scraping the bottom, until the tofu is evenly golden yellow and most of the moisture has cooked off.
- Stir in the thawed peas and garam masala and cook 1 minute.
- Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and black salt.
- Taste and add a pinch of regular salt if needed.
- Spread the mixture evenly across the skillet.
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Ready when: Tofu looks like soft-scrambled egg: golden, slightly dry, and clinging to the masala, with no pooling liquid
Tip: Add black salt off the heat. Its eggy aroma fades when cooked for long.
6
Par-cook the rice
- While the tofu cooks, or right after, bring the 8 cups (1.9 liters) water to a rolling boil in the large saucepan with the tablespoon of salt, bay leaf, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon stick.
- Add the drained rice and boil, uncovered, for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Drain immediately in the sieve and discard the whole spices if you like.
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Ready when: A grain bitten in half has a firm white dot in the center and the outside is soft (about 70% cooked)
Tip: Don't cook the rice longer. It finishes in the steam, and fully cooked rice turns mushy.
7
Layer the biryani
- Spoon half the rice over the tofu in an even layer without pressing it down.
- Scatter over half the mint and cilantro and half the reserved browned onions.
- Add the remaining rice in a loose mound, then top with the remaining herbs and onions.
- Drizzle the saffron milk (if using) in a few spots over the top.
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Ready when: Rice sits in two loose layers on the tofu, with herbs and onions between
Tip: Keep the rice fluffy. Packing it down makes it gummy.
8
Steam on dum
- Cover the skillet with a tight lid (put a sheet of foil under the lid if it fits loosely).
- Cook over the lowest heat for 20 minutes without lifting the lid.
- If your burner runs hot, place the skillet on a flat griddle or heat diffuser to prevent scorching.
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Ready when: Steam escapes around the lid edge and you smell toasty spices, with no burnt smell
Tip: Lifting the lid releases the steam and leaves the rice undercooked.
9
Rest the pot
- Turn off the heat and leave the skillet covered for 10 minutes so the rice firms up and the moisture distributes.
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Ready when: Rice grains are fully tender with no hard center
10
Fluff and serve
- Remove the lid.
- Use a fork or wide spoon to gently fold the layers together from the edges inward, lifting from the bottom so the yellow tofu streaks through the rice.
- Serve hot, with extra mint on top, and with vegan raita or sliced cucumber and tomato on the side.
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Ready when: Grains are long, separate and fluffy, streaked golden, with no wet clumps
Tip: Fold gently. Stirring hard breaks the long grains.

Good to know

Tips

Pressing the tofu is what makes the scramble curdy rather than watery; don't skip it.
Basmati should be aged and long-grain. Rinse until the water is nearly clear to remove surface starch.
If the bottom layer starts to smell scorched during steaming, move the skillet to a smaller burner or use a heat diffuser.
For extra richness, finish with 1 tablespoon of vegan butter or ghee-style oil drizzled over the rice before steaming.

Make ahead

The tofu scramble masala (through the end of the scramble step) can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated; add the black salt and lemon only after reheating. Rinse and soak the rice up to 1 hour in advance. Par-cook and layer just before steaming.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight container up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 2 months in portions. Reheat single servings in a covered skillet over low heat or in the microwave with 1 tablespoon of water per serving for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring halfway, until steaming hot.

Substitutions

black salt (kala namak) → regular kosher salt plus an extra ¼ teaspoon turmeric. You'll lose the eggy sulfur flavor but the biryani is still delicious.
unsweetened plain vegan yogurt (soy or coconut) → 2 tablespoons tomato paste mixed with 6 tablespoons water, plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Gives acidity and body without dairy-free yogurt.
frozen green peas → diced carrots or green beans, cut into ½-inch (1-cm) pieces. Cook them 3 minutes with the tofu before adding the garam masala.
garam masala → 2 teaspoons store-bought biryani masala. Reduce chili powder to ½ teaspoon as biryani masala is often spicy.