Ingredients

oil for cooking and deep frying

1 1/4 cup diabetic friendly basmati rice, precooked up to 80%

1/4 cup masoor (brown lentils pre-cooked and kept aside)

1 or 2 packs Vegan soya fish sliced

10-15 small long brinjals ( Scrape and trim the stems. Slice the brinjals criss-cross while still leaving them intact. Soak in salted water and drain just before cooking)

2 large onions peeled and finely sliced, deep fried until golden brown

3 -4 potatoes peeled washed and cut into halves or quarters (season with salt and 1 tsp turmeric)

2 tbs minced garlic

500g frozen mixed veg (carrots, green beans and peas)

6-8 large jam tomatoes blended in a food processor or 2 cans of chopped Italian tomatoes

1-2 tbs thick tamarind concentrate or soak 1/2 cup of dry tamarind in 1 cup boiling water

4-6 green chillies

10 sprigs fresh thyme (for cooking and garnishing)

salt to season

a pinch of saffron soaked in 1/2 cup boiling water

Breyani spice mix

2 sprigs curry leaves

2-3 bay leaves

3 cinnamon sticks

3 cloves

4 green cardamom pods

2 black elachi pods

3 star anise

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

a pinch of fenugreek seeds

Powdered spice

2 tbs (30ml) crushed garlic and ginger

1 tbs coriander powder

½ tbs cumin powder

1 tbs garam masala

1 tsp turmeric powder

1-2 tbs mild Kashmiri chilli powder

1/8 tsp roughly ground black pepper

Soya fish marinade

(Double if using 2 packs of soya fish)

45ml olive oil

2-3 tbs mild Kashmiri chilli powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp minced garlic

Season with salt. Mix the marinade ingredients together and rub onto the soya fish. Allow to marinate for about 10 to 15 minutes or more.

Start by marinating the soya fish. Deep fry the onions until golden brown. Drain in a colander with a paper towel. Keep aside.

Fry the potatoes in the same oil as the onions until cooked thoroughly. Keep aside. Air fry the soya fish for 10 minutes at 180°C or pan fry and keep aside.

Now in a large pot, add and heat some oil that you fried the onions and potatoes in, and then add the spice mix and garlic and ginger. Cook for a few seconds.

Add the masala ingredients and stir. Stir in the liquidised tomatoes, 6 sprigs thyme and chillies. Season with salt. Cook for 10 minutes.

Mix in the tamarind extract.

Add the brinjals and mixed veg. Cook until the brinjals are soft but still intact and the tomatoes are cooked through. Lower the heat then remove half the gravy from the pot. Gentle stir in half the rice, half the masoor dhal some onions. Mix it together with a fork. Layer in some potatoes and soya fish.

Add another layer of rice and masoor. Add the balance of the gravy and again gently mix it with a fork. Layer in the balance of the soya fish and potatoes. Garnish with fresh thyme. Pour in the saffron water and steam for 15 to 20 minutes.

Serve with my vegan raitha and salad.

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