Mushroom Biryani
How often do you get friends who bring some yummy home cooked food everytime they visit you, even if it means visiting you atleast once a week.I am very fortunate to have a dear friend - Sudha who never fails to parcel some of the flavors of TamilNadu and rekindle my tamil taste buds, whenever she visits. So it has now become a saturday ritual for us to look forward for her box. Ok ! Enough of buttering up..
Mushroom biryani is one such delicacy she had given me one day. Though I do make it once in a while, I totally loved Sudha's version so I was sure I'll get the recipe and give it a try myself.
Mushrooms are a good source of B vitamins, including riboflavin, niacin, and pantothenic acid, which help to provide energy by breaking down proteins, fats and carbohydrates2. B vitamins also play an important role in the nervous system.Mushrooms are also a very good source of minerals.
Source: http://www.mushroominfo.com/benefits/#sthash.i8k47YLI.dpuf
So I had done slight modifications to her recipe with some of our family preferences and it was a total hit..
Here's the recipe..
INGREDIENTS :
Mushroom - 3 cups sliced. Tomatoes** - 3 (finely chopped) onions -1 medium sized (finely chopped) coconut milk** - 1 can or 1 n half cups Basmati rice - 2 Cups. water** - 2 Cups. Ghee - 3-4 Tbsp. Salt - 1 Tbsp. (according to your taste) Garam masala - 1tsp. (Optional)
To grind to a fine paste :
Onion** - 1 medium cardamom pods - 2 cinnamon - 1/2 inch stick ginger garlic paste - 1 Tbsp. Red pepper / red chillies ** - 2 to 3 fennel seeds - 1 Tbsp.
Difficulty Level - Easy Time Taken : 45 mts. Active Time : 15 mts.
DIRECTIONS:
1. Soak the rice in water for half an hour. 2. Grind all the ingredients under 'To grind' to a fine paste. 3. Heat a pressure cooker and add the ghee, then add the fennel seeds and the finely chopped onions. 4. Once the onions turn translucent,add the paste to this and add some salt and add the finely chopped tomatoes. 5. Add the mushrooms to this and add some salt , garma masala (if using) and cook until most of the water evaportes. 6. Add the soaked rice to this. 7. Mix the coconut water and water and make sure there are 4 cups - both combined. 8. Add this to the rice and check if sufficient salt is present and add more if need be. 9. Close the cooker and pressure cook it until 2 whistles.
Delicious mushroom biryani is ready to be served. Served usually with a raitha of your choice.
NOTES:
1. Onion can be replaced with shallots. 2. Tomatoes on the vine add to the tanginess and overall flavor. 3. Amount of pepper can be altered according to spice levels 4. Coconut milk is optional and can be replaced with the same amount of water.
