Mushroom biryani

Biryani is a rice dish with a flavourful combination of spices. The main ingredient is the basmati rice which gives it a unique flavour. In south indian cusine, biryani is also made with Jeerasamba rice (‘Seeraga samba’ in Tamil) and its flavour is out of the world ( I like it personally). But the quantity of water to cook these rices differ (Will mention later in the post). Its very easy to prepare when all the ingredients are handy . The recipe here serves 2 members.

Ingredients:

Basmati rice – 1 cup

Onion – 1

Tomato – 2 (medium sized)

Green chilli – 2 nos

Ginger garlic paste – 2 tbsp

Mint leaves – 2 tbsp chopped

Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp chopped

Curd – 1 tbsp

Mushrooms – 1/2 cup ( chopped)

Coriander powder – 1tsp

Chilli powder – 1tsp

Turmeric powder – 1 tsp

Garam masala – 1 tsp

Ghee – 2 tbsp

Oil – 2 tbsp

Cashews – 4 to 5 nos

Water – 1 3/4 cups

Salt – to taste

Spices:

whole black Pepper – 4 cons

Cloves – 2 nos

Cinnamon – 2 inch piece

Green cardamom – 2 nos

Star anise – 2 nos

Bay leaf – 1

 

Method :

1. Rinse and Soak the basmati rice for half an hour . Strain it in a strainer and keep aside.
2. In a pressure cooker, Heat both oil and ghee.
3. Initially add the pepper cons and cashews and let the cashews turn golden brown.
4. Then add all the ingredients under the spices. Let the flavour of the spices arise.
5. Now add the green chilli and fry for a minute in the ghee+oil mixture.
6. Add the sliced onions at this stage and fry till golden brown. It takes a while.
7. Ginger garlic paste is added when onion turns golden brown and fry till the raw smell of ginger and garlic goes away.
8. Put the mint leaves and coriander leaves at this stage and fry for a minute.
9. Then add the tomatoes and cook till it turns mushy. You can add little salt at this stage which helps to cook tomatoes faster.
10. After the tomatoes turn mushy and gets cooked, you can see the oil releasing from the mixture.
11. Add the chopped mushrooms now.
12. Now add all the flavourful powders. Coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder and garam masala. Add 1 tbsp curd also at this stage.
13. Cook the masala well till u see the ghee+oil releasing from the mixture. Check for salt and spiciness at this stage and adjust as needed.
14. Now add the soaked basmati rice in the cooker and mix well (Do not mix too much as the basmati rice grains may break)
15. In another vessel, heat the 1 3/4 cups of water. Switch off the flame when it starts to boil.
16. Pour the hot water in the rice mixture in the cooker. Mix well and allow it to boil till the water and rice incorporates with each other ( that is , the rice will absorb little water and the mixture comes to a thick consistency)
17. Now add little extra ghee at the top and close the lid of the cooker.
18. Cook in a simmer flame for about 12 to 15 mins.
19. Now the biryani is ready to be served with raita of ur choice.

Note:

• Adding pepper cons is optional. I add this as it helps in digestion.
• After the pressure releases from the cooker, open the lid and do not mix with laddle immediately. Let it be open for few seconds and then you can transfer it to other container.
• If jeera samba rice is used, the water quantity differs                                                                          For 1 cup rice = 2 cups water   i.e; 1:2 ratio
• If using basmati rice,                                                                                                                                      For 1 cup rice : 1 3/4 cups of water is the ratio I prefer ( because it gives soft unbroken grains). But most of the people prefer 1:1 1/2 ratio