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    Home » gluten free

    Lentil Biryani and The Great Vegan Bean Book Review

    Published: Jun 25, 2013 · Modified: Apr 1, 2016 by Richa 154 Comments

    Lentil Biryani

     

    Hmm, lets see, do I need to eat more legumes, hell yes! and there is a perfect book to help me do that in so many different ways. Kathy Hester’s The Great Vegan Bean Book has a lot of my favorite things, beans, lots of beans, plant-based with options for gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free or oil-free. 

    There are beans for breakfast, meals and even dessert(chickpea cookies and black bean fudgesicles). There are usual vegan meals, burgers, dips and then other cuisines and fusion recipes to choose from Indian, Mexican, Jamaican, Asian, French, Moroccan, you name it. If you don’t win a copy at this giveaway, pick The Great Vegan Bean Book at amazon.

    Kathy explains all the possible standard beans, along with variations for specialty heirloom beans. She describes which beans are in each family and that can be used interchange-ably in a recipe.

    The book has nutrition information with each recipe.
    It has Recipes to make your own staples like chorizo and chik-un patties.
    Staples to keep food budget in check and also to avoid all the added preservatives.
    Allergy friendly, gluten- and soy-free and no added oil and also an index for gluten and soy-free.

    I made this Smoky White Bean dip from the book. I added a roasted Red bell pepper to it and spiced it up a bit more for my taste, and sent most of it and fresh veggies, packing with hubbs for his rafting trip. It was a definite hit with everyone. 



    I also used another batch of the dip to make sandwiches the next day. They will soon be posted in a separate post. I added some roasted Veggies and greens. 

    You can check out many more tried and tested recipes from the book on Kathy’s blog tour, like these Pecan Chickpea Chocolate Chip cookies, butternut Squash Frijoles, These Chickpea Seitan Crispy patties & Coconut Pecan Blondies! 


    Super Easy Lentil Biryani 
    soy-free gluten-free oil-free

    If you’ve had the longest day ever and still need to make dinner, this is the recipe for you. Throw everything into a pan or your rice cooker and dinner will be ready in no time!
    Ingredients:
    1 ½ cups (279 g) brown basmati rice
    4 cups (950 ml) water, plus more if needed
    ½ cup (96 g) lentils
    ¼ cup (35 g) chopped cashews
    ¼ cup (35 g) raisins
    ¼ cup (33 g) minced dried apricots
    2 teaspoons minced ginger
    ½ teaspoon turmeric
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    2 bay leaves
    2 cinnamon sticks or ½ teaspoon ground
    3 black cardamom pods or ½ teaspoon ground
    4 whole cloves or ¼ teaspoon ground
    8 whole black peppercorns or ¼ teaspoon ground
    10 coriander seeds or 1 teaspoon ground
    ½ teaspoon garam masala
    ¼ teaspoon salt

    Yield: 4 servings
    Total Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Total Cooking Time: 40 to 60 minutes
    Per 1 ½-Cup (340 g) serving: 
    377.0 calories; 5.0 g total fat; 0.5 g saturated fat; 10.0 g protein; 76.5 g carbohydrate; 7.5 g dietary fiber; 0 mg cholesterol.

    Stove-Top- Directions:
    Put all the ingredients except the salt into a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and
    decrease the heat to low and cook until the rice and lentils are tender, 40 to 50 minutes. Check after 30 minutes
    and add more water if needed.
    Add the salt and adjust other seasonings if needed and remove the bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, and cardamom
    pods before serving.

    Rice Cooker Directions:
    The two differences between cooking this on the stove top and in your rice cooker is that you will use 2 cups
    (380 g) brown basmati rice (use the measuring cup that came with your rice cooker) and add water to fill line 2
    in your rice cooker plus 1 cup (235 ml) water in a regular measuring cup.
    Put all the ingredients into the rice cooker and cook on the brown rice setting if you have one.
    When your rice cooker beeps, taste, add salt, and taste again. Adjust the other seasonings if needed and remove the bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, and cardamom pods before serving.
     
    Recipe from The Great Vegan Bean Book. Republished with permission. 

     

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    1. Tania

      June 05, 2021 at 6:57 pm

      can this be made in the Instant Pot/ if so, how much water?

      Reply
      • Helen Murray

        June 09, 2021 at 1:11 pm

        I would love to know this too, any idea on timings for an instant pot? Thanks

        Reply
        • Vegan Richa Support

          June 13, 2021 at 2:55 pm

          follow this recipe guidelines: https://www.veganricha.com/instant-pot-black-eyed-peas-rice-pulao-lobia-pulao/

          Reply
          • Helen

            June 14, 2021 at 10:25 am

            Thanks!

            Reply
            • Vegan Richa Support

              June 17, 2021 at 4:01 pm

              very welcome

    2. Tina M Kaufman

      May 26, 2019 at 12:09 pm

      If I don’t have lentils, can I substitute Chana deal in this recipe? If so, any adjustments needed?
      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Richa

        May 26, 2019 at 12:28 pm

        mung bean will work.for chana dal, soak it overnight before using

        Reply
    3. Desiree P

      February 20, 2015 at 5:13 pm

      I like black lentils w/coconut butter and pepper.

      Reply
    4. Jacky

      February 20, 2015 at 12:34 pm

      Black beans are definitely my favorite. I lived in France for a year and couldn’t find them anywhere and it was devastating! I love them in burrito bowls.

      Reply
    5. Heather Cornbleth

      June 30, 2014 at 5:39 pm

      Red lentils! There’s so much you can do with them. And they’re lower oxalate so my autistic son can eat them! (Along with chickpeas…)

      Reply
    6. Jenny Metler

      June 30, 2014 at 5:35 pm

      Mung beans. Sprouted.

      Reply
    7. Anonymous

      August 31, 2013 at 2:14 am

      I found wonderful tasty anasazi beans, little white beans with red spots. I like to serve them with a creamy soft jalapeno polenta…Yum

      Reply
    8. aquarhapsody

      August 25, 2013 at 5:48 pm

      I just had to come back and say I’ve made this dish 3 times now, and it blows me away every time! All my coworkers are jealous when I bring it for my lunch. 😉 Thank you so much for sharing it!

      Reply
    9. JD

      July 24, 2013 at 10:16 pm

      Red and black beans, cooked and served with rice. Yum!

      Reply
    10. Unknown

      July 22, 2013 at 9:41 pm

      favorite bean: any split pea or lentil. favorite recipe: any type of dal. i need to perfect my dal so i can eat it daily.

      Reply
    11. Lynda, SWFL Naturally

      July 15, 2013 at 1:47 am

      Cherokee Trail of Tears black beans which we grow, harvest and either replant or use for our own meals. Made a rockin’ burger with them recently.

      Reply
    12. sandra

      July 03, 2013 at 3:47 pm

      I love beans cooked all alone, with a little salt and pepper – but hummus is pretty good too.

      Reply
    13. con or heidi

      July 03, 2013 at 3:24 am

      just simple pintos 🙂 We eat a lot of pintos, black beans, kidney beans, and chickpeas.

      Reply
    14. Viswa

      July 02, 2013 at 3:49 pm

      I love Rajma / Pink Beans. They make the tastiest rajama masala.

      Reply
    15. Rebecca Pytell

      July 02, 2013 at 10:27 am

      I love black-eyed peas! I usually use them to make vegan tacos.

      Reply
    16. Erin from Long Island

      July 02, 2013 at 5:31 am

      Chick peas are my absolute fav, but lentils are a close second. I love them with eggplant and tomatoes, seasoned with rosemary and garlic, and served with spaghetti squash or whole wheat pasta

      Reply
    17. knitsh

      July 02, 2013 at 2:36 am

      I love black beans in homemade veggie tacos (avocado, hot sauce, fresh herbs and sauteed veggies). The are delicious and versatile!

      Reply
    18. Sunday Morning Banana Pancakes

      June 30, 2013 at 5:32 pm

      Oh my goodness, everything in this post has me drooling!

      Reply
    19. Mira

      June 30, 2013 at 1:34 pm

      Lately I’ve been loving black beans, cooked with spices and fruit (mango, strawberries, rhubarb…). But in the winter I love beans in soups!

      Reply
    20. Heather B

      June 30, 2013 at 1:10 pm

      White kidney beans are so versatile and tasty! Really love them in Italian style recipes.

      Reply
    21. Joann Lakes

      June 29, 2013 at 6:38 pm

      Cannellini beans done Italian style

      Reply
    22. Mia Aitken

      June 29, 2013 at 2:24 pm

      I love Adzuki Beans. They were hard to find but alas I found them. I used a recipe by Scott Jurek with them… Oh Yum. So Good. Are there any Adzuki Bean Recipes in this book? I’ve liked what I’ve seen with the recipes on the blogs so far. Yummmm

      Reply
    23. steph

      June 28, 2013 at 11:18 pm

      I love white kidney beans cooked with some spinach, pepper, and pan-roasted cherry tomatoes.

      Reply
    24. Kate

      June 28, 2013 at 9:13 pm

      Beans beans beans, love me some beans! Lentils have become a favorite, especially my lentil soup. Secret to making it heavenly is adding grated lemon peel to the broth, and lemon juice to the soup just before it’s done. I would LOVE this cookbook to pieces!

      Reply
    25. Corey

      June 28, 2013 at 6:09 pm

      I love black beans, especially in Thug Kitchen’s Black Bean with Cilantro Pesto Wrap.

      Reply
    26. Bethany Townsend

      June 28, 2013 at 12:56 pm

      I love lentils. I love them in soups, stews, salads, and tacos. They are a very versatile bean!

      Reply
    27. farmersmarketvegan

      June 28, 2013 at 10:26 am

      Not fair that I can’t say the chickpea because they truly are my favorite! Although, I’ve had very good experiences with both fava and lima beans lately, so maybe I can switch it up for now. 😉

      Reply
    28. Madeline

      June 28, 2013 at 2:03 am

      I love fava beans- soo good in fuul!

      Reply
    29. Connor

      June 27, 2013 at 11:56 pm

      I love mung beans, in all forms. Whether it is sprouts in slaws, salads, noodle dishes….they are so versatile. They make a fun replacement to any kind of shredded vegetable (cabbage, squash, carrot, broccoli, etc.), green beans and the nuttiness can even be used in place of peanuts and sesame seeds. Delicious!

      Reply
    30. sarahhhhhh

      June 27, 2013 at 11:39 pm

      lentils will always be my go to!

      Reply
    31. Chris

      June 27, 2013 at 8:38 pm

      Hey, I like chickpeas! Grumble grumble … All right, I’m going to have to go with black beans – black beans and rice with a little bit of spice is fantastic, as is a good quinoa salad with black beans …

      Reply
    32. TeriPDX

      June 27, 2013 at 8:32 pm

      Purple Hull Peas, served with okra and cornbread!

      Reply
    33. Pittsburgh Exhumed

      June 27, 2013 at 6:46 pm

      Blackeyed peas! I love to use them to make BBQ beans and greens, Hoppin’ John and more! They are also excellent simply “naked” on a salad. I’ve honestly never met a bean I didn’t like.

      Reply
    34. MonsterAteMy

      June 27, 2013 at 4:51 pm

      Love ’em all, but let’s say black beans, spiced and served over quinoa or rice.

      Reply
    35. Tyeler

      June 27, 2013 at 2:57 pm

      I love lentils, especially as sloppy lentils or meatballs.

      Reply
    36. Multi Carrier Shipping

      June 27, 2013 at 5:22 am

      Very nice and so its unique to use lentils for biryani. Thank you for the idea to add on to my vegetarian journey.

      Reply
    37. Josiane

      June 27, 2013 at 5:00 am

      Beans? Really, I love them all! If I have to choose, I’d say pinto beans. I like cooking them in all kinds of ways; the last thing I did using them was a pinto bean dip/hummus. Reading the comments reminded me that I *love* adzuki beans too, and I haven’t cooked them in way too long… They’ll be on our menu soon!

      Reply
    38. Hawaii Travel Questions? Ask Evalani

      June 27, 2013 at 4:07 am

      Yum!! I love black beans. Black beans with rice that is! I make the beans with a bit of apple cider vinegar, onions, olives, different spices and the secret… A touch of agave to bring out the flavors!

      Reply
    39. Bobbie {the vegan crew}

      June 27, 2013 at 1:56 am

      OK, so if I can’t mention the chickpea, I’ll go with kidney beans. I love beans of all sorts, but we probably go through more dark red kidney beans than any other — except chickpeas, of course, but we aren’t going there. 😉

      Thanks for the giveaway!

      Reply
    40. Ellen

      June 26, 2013 at 10:57 pm

      Black beans are my favorite. I like them the best in black bean and corn salsa, but lately I have been trying them in baked goods. They are perfect in chocolate muffins and brownies, providing a delicious way to sneak in some healthy legumes.

      Reply
    41. LLuAnn

      June 26, 2013 at 10:23 pm

      Oh my, hard to choose a single favorite, but ONE favorite would be great northern beans, cooked the way my mother used to with tomatoes, onion and brown sugar. Best baked beans ever! Other favorites are pintos, black beans, lentils, kidney beans, lima beans…. (well, you get the picture)! 🙂

      Reply
    42. Eleanor

      June 26, 2013 at 9:35 pm

      Black beans…….black beans and more black beans…………

      Reply
      • Eleanor

        June 26, 2013 at 9:38 pm

        forgot …..love me some black beans in a myriad of soups. But I add them to salads, pasta, rice, quinoa……

        Reply
    43. Donia Fay Cook

      June 26, 2013 at 8:25 pm

      Yellow split peas (besides chick peas, who doesn’t loooovveee chick peas??) are my favorite. I make a thick dal curry with them that includes lots of garlic and onions and eat it with rice or roti and a simple green salad w/ a homemade lime dressing or steamed broccoli and cauliflower. Now I’m hungry.

      Reply
    44. Angie

      June 26, 2013 at 7:58 pm

      Lentils!!! I make a giant pot of lentil chili every week!!! Through out the week we dress the chili up different ways. Lentil chili, tacos, burgers etc.. So yummy!!

      Reply
    45. Kitchen Queen

      June 26, 2013 at 7:04 pm

      I love whole masoor, be it as dal or biryani.

      Reply
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