Recipe for South Indian Style Soya Kheema Biryani. The kheema balls fried in air fryer instead of deep frying. Healthy recipe. With step by step pictures.
I generally like to cook the traditional way. I received this Havells Air Fryer last week. I was kind of skeptical as I had never made anything in an air fryer or eaten out of one. I was not convinced if it will work. I never gave an ear all these days when someone talked about an air fryer. I was of the opinion that it was just another gadget that will occupy the kitchen counter. But now that the black, good looking machine was on the kitchen counter, I wanted to know if it will work myself. I cranked up the timer and went to work. I made a batch of classic French fries to start with and I was pleasantly surprised. OK. Potatoes, air fried – Whats the big deal? Right. I hear you. Just like anyone else, I wanted to know if the air fryer will work for non-conventional recipes. I just selected my regular Soya kheema biryani recipe for the test. The kheema balls are deep fried in the recipe. But instead of deep frying, I air fried. The results were mind blowing. It was so good that my husband could not find the difference. Whats more? The family favorite recipe is now healthy too.
Here is how to do Soya Kheema Biryani using an air fryer. I use Havells air fryer and I really like it. Its simple to use, easy to clean and comes with a self timer which I really like. Here is where you can buy the air fryer.
Wash the Basmati rice gently 2-3 times in running water. Soak Basmati rice in water for 20 minutes. Drain the water and set aside. For every cup of rice, we use 1.5 cups of water. We used 2 cups of rice today. So we need to add 3 cups of water. You can cook the rice either in a rice cooker or a pressure cooker. If cooking in a pressure cooker, cook for exactly 2 whistles or 5 minutes. Switch off the flame and place the cooker under running water to release the pressure in the cooker. We want to cook the rice to only 75%. So do not let the pressure to release naturally. Over cooked rice may spoil the texture of the rice. If using rice cooker, follow the cooker instructions. Once the rice is cooked, fluff up the rice and let it to cool.
Now lets make kheema for the Biryani. Grind the ginger and garlic in a small mixie without adding water. Let it be crushed but not pureed. Set aside. Heat oil in a pan and add in the onions, finely chopped green chillies and half of the ginger garlic mixture. Fry till the onions are soft.
When the onions are cooking, soak the soya chunks in water for 3-4 minutes. Drain the water and run it in a mixie / blender until the soya chunks becomes a paste / kheema. Add up-to a cup of water while grinding. Now drain the water. You can either squeeze the soya kheema in your palm to get rid of the water or use a strainer. I have shown both the methods in the picture below. Whatever works for you, go for it.
Add in the drained soya kheema, salt and turmeric. Mix well to combine. Add in the chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves and switch off the flame. Combine well.
Break an egg and add it to the kheema and mix well. We add an egg as its a binding agent and will help in keeping the kheema from breaking while frying. You can add 2 tablespoons of besan / gram flour if you are a vegetarian and want to avoid eggs. Make little balls and place in the air fryer. The balls can be baked too! If baking, bake at 400F for 20 minutes.
Note: Some readers have mentioned the balls breaking when deep fried. So avoid frying in oil.
Set the timer for 15 minutes and fry the kheema balls in 200 degrees Celsius temperature. Fry in batches. Do not over crowd the air fryer. You will be really pleased with the browned kheema that will come out of the fryer after 15 minutes. Balaboosta baby!
Now lets make the Gravy for the biryani.
Heat oil and ghee in a pan and add in the spices. Let the spices plump for 30 seconds. Add in the onions. Fry for 2-3 minutes. Add in the sliced green chillies, turmeric and the remainder of the crushed ginger and garlic. Fry for a minute. Add in the tomatoes and fry for a minute. Add in the chilli powder, salt and yogurt. Fry for a minute more.
Add in a cup of water to the pan and let it come to a boil. Add in the kheema balls and the lime juice. Gently mix to combine. Switch off the flame.
Now lets layer the biryani. I used my rice cooker pan. Add half of the kheema ball gravy on the bottom of a wide pan. Form a second layer with half of the cooked rice. Add a hand full of chopped mint leaves and chopped coriander leaves. Repeat once again. Top it with two tablespoon of ghee.
Now, Cook the layered rice mixture in a rice cooker for 10 minutes. If you don’t have a rice cooker, heat a dosa pan on the stove and put the biryani bowl with a tightly covered lid on top of the dosa pan and allow it to cook on low flame for 15 minutes.
Once its cooked, gently fluff up the biryani.
Serve hot.
Soya Kheema Biryani
Recipe for South Indian Style Soya Kheema Biryani. The kheema balls fried in air fryer instead of deep frying. Healthy recipe. Measurements Used – 1 Cup = 250ml
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
For Cooking Rice
- 2 Cups long grain Basmati Rice
- 3 Cups Water
For crushed ginger garlic
- Use half of the crushed Ginger Garlic for kheema balls and the other half for gravy.
- 15 cloves garlic
- 3 inch piece ginger
For the Kheema Balls
- 2 teaspoon Vegetable Oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2 green chillies finely chopped
- 2 cups soya chunks
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric
- 1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves (roughly 5 sprigs)
- 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves (roughly 15 leaves )
- 1 Egg (or) 2 Tablespoon Besan Flour
For the Gravy
- Spices – 2 each of cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, star Anise and bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon Vegetable Oil
- 1 teaspoon Ghee
- 2 Onion, chopped
- 3 green chillies
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 teaspoon chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup yogurt
- 1 cup water
- Juice of 1 lime
For layering the Biryani
- handful of chopped coriander leaves
- handful of chopped mint leaves
- 2 tablespoon ghee
Instructions
For Cooking Rice
- Wash the Basmati rice gently 2-3 times in running water. Soak Basmati rice in water for 20 minutes. Drain the water and set aside. In a pressure cooker, cook for exactly 2 whistles or 5 minutes. Switch off the flame and place the cooker under running water to release the pressure in the cooker.Once the rice is cooked, fluff up the rice and let it to cool.
For the Kheema Balls
- Grind the ginger and garlic in a small mixie without adding water. Set aside. Heat oil in a pan and add in the onions, finely chopped green chillies and half of the ginger garlic mixture. Fry till the onions are soft.
- When the onions are cooking, soak the soya chunks in water for 3-4 minutes. Drain the water and run it in a mixie / blender until the soya chunks becomes a paste / kheema. Add up-to a cup of water while grinding. Now drain the water in a strainer.
- Add in the drained soya kheema, salt and turmeric. Mix well to combine. Add in the chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves and switch off the flame. Combine well.
- Break an egg and add it to the kheema and mix well. You can add 2 tablespoons of besan / gram flour if you are a vegetarian and want to avoid eggs. Make little balls and place in the air fryer. Set the timer for 15 minutes and fry the kheema balls in 200 degrees Celsius temperature.
For the Gravy
- Heat oil and ghee in a pan and add in the spices. Let the spices plump for 30 seconds. Add in the onions. Fry for 2-3 minutes. Add in the sliced green chillies, turmeric and the remainder of the crushed ginger and garlic. Fry for a minute. Add in the tomatoes and fry for a minute. Add in the chilli powder, salt and yogurt. Fry for a minute more. Add in a cup of water to the pan and let it come to a boil. Add in the kheema balls and the lime juice. Gently mix to combine. Switch off the flame.
For layering the Biryani
- Add half of the kheema ball gravy on the bottom of a wide pan. Form a second layer with half of the cooked rice. Add a hand full of chopped mint leaves and chopped coriander leaves. Repeat once again. Top it with two tablespoon of ghee.
- Now, Cook the layered rice mixture in a rice cooker for 10 minutes. If you don’t have a rice cooker, heat a dosa pan on the stove and put the biryani bowl with a tightly covered lid on top of the dosa pan and allow it to cook on low flame for 15 minutes.
- Once its cooked, gently fluff up the biryani.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 mins
- Category: Main dish, Biryani
- Cuisine: South Indian, Chettinad
This Biryani turned out so good…thank you for the detailed recipe and all the tips and tricks..
Have tried so many of your recipes as a newbie in the kitchen and feel like a pro 🙂
Thank you!
this was simple & delicious. thankyou ❤️🙏
Thank you!
Hi. You have asked to cook the rice and gravy for 10 minutes in a pressure cooker, low flame or high?
Prepared this last week and it turned out very yummy.Kids loved it.
thank you !
Sorry forgot to ask. Is there any recommended ratio of soya balls to the rice? i tend to make them usually small (using a melon baller).
Thanks
Nipura
For every cup of rice, make atleast 10 balls so there is even distribution of the balls.
Hi Akka
The recipe looks delicious.. I cook with Kannma cooks on all. Weekends..
So, for this recipe could you please tell me how do I get kheema from conventional stove top please.. I see your note on balls breaking if deep fried.. Please help
Check this
https://www.kannammacooks.com/soya-kola-urundai-recipe-meal-maker-fritters/
Hi,
Very interesting recipe. I wanted to make it this weekend. I was a little confused with the assembling part – so order of layering would be gravy+soya – rice – gravy+soya and rice. – is that correct?
yes Nipura. Thats perfect.
Hi
Wonderful recipie. I plan to make it this weekend. I just want to clarify the layering process. Half of the sauce and soya are at the bottom, then rice then sauce and soya and finish of with rice – right?
Thanks,
Rakhi
Yes. you are right.
Hi Sugana,
I dont have the soya chunks, can the granuels work? If so, how many cups should i use.
Thanks Harika
You can use about 1 cup.
Hi Suguna, tried the Soya Biryani today..came out well and tasted real good. One small point I want to make is as I don’t have an air dryer, I fried the balls in oil..they began to break so added a piece of crumbled soaked slice of bread and the keema balls came out well…Thnx for a very yummy recipe..will be trying the others soon..
Thanks Sudha. You can also use an oven of you don’t have an air fryer. The soaked bread is a cool idea.
Hi,
Can you tell me for how long you cooked the assembled biryani in rice cooker?
15-20 minutes. But each and every rice cooker heats differently. You might want to check your instruction manual.
Very yummy….a must try for vegetarians
Thank you dear!
I had never heard of an air fryer. This is so intriguing!
Guna…Air Fryer?? hmmm.,first time hearing about it…interesting one…Cheers!
Thank you!