Blend coconut, mint leaves, coriander leaves, poppy seeds and green chillies into a smooth paste adding little water. Keep aside.

Wash and soak basmati rice for 20mins.

In a pressure cooker, heat oil. Add bay leaf, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon. After 30secs, add thinly sliced onions. For spicy biryani, add one or two slit green chillies along with the chopped onions.

When onion pieces turn translucent, add ginger garlic paste and chopped tomatoes. Cook for 5mins until tomatoes are mushy.

Add the chopped vegetables (juliennes) and soya chunks. Cook for 2-3mins. Add the ground coconut paste. Cook for 4-5mins. Add required salt and spice powders – turmeric powder, red chilli powder and garam masala powder.

Add water and let it boil. I usually add 2 cups of water for 1 cup of rice while making biriyani especially if there are vegetables to cook too. Adjust by ¼ cup if needed.

When the water gets boiling, add rice. Cover it with the lid of the pressure cooker and let the flame be on medium. And cover the pressure valve with a steel tumbler. After 5 mins, simmer the flame and let it cook for another 10mins. Alternatively, let the biryani cook for 2 whistles in the pressure cooker. Wait for another 15mins before opening the lid.

Mix well and serve hot with onion raita.