Mushroom Biryani

Mushroom, this is one veggie(?) which cooks so fast and yet you can make super yummy dishes with it. My cook makes this mushroom biryani. mostly on weekends, i ask her to make this mushroom biryani, which she makes super fast and perfect!

Mushrooms should be cooked the day you buy. fresh mushrooms are good to cook. cleaning mushroom is very important. i normally wash each and every mushroom by scratching the dirt. then i wipe the mushrooms with a clean cloth before chopping it.

If you are seeing the basmati rice grains distinct and apart, the credit goes to Rak's kitchen. she was so kind to help me with suggesting good basmati rice and the water level for it. Thanks Raks!

                                                            Mushroom Biryani


serves - 3
preparation time: 20 minutes
cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• Basmati Rice - 300gms / 3 cup's
• Water - 4 and half cups
• Mushrooms - 200 grams
• Green peas - 1/4 cup
• Big Onion - 3
• Tomato - 1 big in size
• Green chilli - 3
• Ginger-Garlic paste - 2 tbsp
• Mint leaves - 1/2 cup
• Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup
• Lemon juice - 1 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Ghee - 1 tbsp
• Cinnamon - 1' inch
• Cloves - 3
• Sombu / fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Star anise - 1/2
• Marati mokku - 1 small
• Bay leaf - 1

Method:

Measure Basmati rice. Rinse the rice and soak in water for about 20 minutes. use the same measuring cup to measure water. the ratio for rice and water is 1 : 1 & 1/2. so measure 4 and half cups of water and keep aside.

Wash the Mushrooms thoroughly and wipe them with a clean cloth. chop the mushroom into thin strips and set aside.

Chop the onions into thin slices. slit the green chillies. chop the tomatoes into 4 parts and grind into a smooth tomato puree.

Wash the mint and coriander leaves thoroughly and keep aside.

Heat a wide bottomed pressure cooker. add oil and ghee to it. add fennel, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf, star anise and maratti mokku.

Add finely sliced onions and saute it well for at least 2 minutes in medium flame. then add sliced green chillies and the mint and corriander leaves.

Add ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell leaves. now add the Mushrooms and saute till they shrink and leave little bit of water. mushroom takes 2-3 minutes to cook.

Then add Tomato puree and green peas and give a good mix. let the mix stand in medium flame for about 2 minutes. Now add chilli powder, garam masala, salt to taste and mix well.

Add measured 4 and half cup's of water, let it boil and then add the soaked and drained basmati rice. add lemon juice and mix.

Close the pressure cooker with its lid and do not put weight on it. let the steam escape. let the flame be in medium for exactly 12 minutes. after 12 minutes switch off the flame and let the cooker rest for 5 minutes before opening it.

Serve the biryani with onion or cucumber raita.

My hubby liked the biryani most, its not easy to impress or get a word from him, but when he told its nice, i have to believe, because i tasted it too:)

* if you are a food blogger, put the hot biryani on a fancy bowl, click pictures of the hot biryani on different angles with different props till you are satisfied and by the time you click, family leaves you and finishes off the hot biryani! finally you got to eat the cooled biryani with a high level of satisfaction indeed!!