Beets And Soy Briyani

          Beets And Soy Briyani, this is again an one pot meal, with all your veggies and protein in one, you get them from the beets and the soy chunks that's added to the rice. I love the color of beets, in fact kids would like to have this dish just for that. Serve it with some cucumber raitha and pappads or chips for a complete meal, also a good lunch box idea..

Need To Have

• Basmati Rice - 1 cup
• Soy Chunks - 11/2 to 2 cups
• Beets - 1 cup chopped
• Onion - 1 big chopped
• Tomato - 1 chopped
• Mint Leaves - a handful
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Chilli Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Coriander Powder - 1 teaspoon
• Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Cinnamon Stick - 1" piece
• Cloves - 2
• Star Anise - 1
• Bay Leaf - 1
• Cardamom - 2

Method
           Soak the basmati rice for 1/2 an hour. Boil water, add the soy chunks, till immersed, switch off and cover and keep it for half an hour, then squeeze the excess water and chop them if too big. Heat some oil, add the cinnamon, cloves, star anise, cardamom and bay leaves, when the cardamom starts spluttering, add the onions, saute till they turn pink, then add the ginger and garlic, saute for 3 or 4 minutes till the raw smell goes away. Then add the tomatoes, saute for 2 more minutes, add the turmeric, chilli and coriander powders, mix well, then add the beets, soy chunks, salt, garam masala and the mint leaves, give one final mix. Add 3 cups of water, when it starts to boil, reduce the heat and cover and cook. When almost all the water is gone, switch off and leave it covered and undisturbed for at least half an hour. Serve it warm with some raitha and chips.
Sending it to Cooks' Joy for Kalyani's Kitchen Chronicles - Only Vegan event

Note
Can add some peppercorns along with cardamom, if you want it to be more spicy. 
Taste the water added to the rice for the salt level, it should be a little salty, that way once cooked the briyani will be perfect, if you try mixing salt to the cooked rice, then it will become mushy.