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| Mushroom Biryani |
This is a myth buster Mushroom Biryani! This delicious biryani does not use coriander. If you think that it is failing on taste then you are wrong. It's yum, yum, yum.
My mythsbuster Biryani! There
There are two myths bust here! One is that you need basmati rice to make Biryani and second you need coriander leaves to make Biryani! How? Well, read on!
This year we brought mushrooms, wild mushrooms that are available only in the rainy season. These mushrooms are prized and available only for a short period in Sharavan and are all over by the time its Nagpanchami. I have already written about the mushroom tonak and fried mushrooms also known as Almi Fry.
But this time Apeksha, in line with her name wanted something different, a Biryani!
For people who are aware of the way it pours here, in Goa, it will not be a surprise if I said I had very few vegetables and
no coriander in the house. I did not have any basmati rice also so I was very reluctant.
no coriander in the house. I did not have any basmati rice also so I was very reluctant.
But then when Apeksha wants something she can be very pervasive. So I ended up making the Biryani in the mud pot that I had picked up from a restaurant. Thanks, Sanjeev Anna and Vaani Vaini for the pot. It brought us back the memories of the time we spent together.
To make the Biryani you will need this long list of ingredients don’t worry the list is long but all the ingredients’ are in your pantry. These are the only pictures I have of this Biryani never expected I will be posting this one ever!
Mushroom Biryani
Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups or 500 grams rice
Mushroom Biryani - 4 ½ cups water
- 3 cups mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
- 1 bulb of garlic
- 1 inch of ginger
- 5 medium onions
- 3 tomatoes
- 3 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 ½ teaspoon of jeera
- 2 masala cardamoms
- 1-inch piece of cinnamon
- 3 cloves
- 5-6 peppercorn
- 2-3 strands of mace or jaipatri
- 2 green cardamoms
- 1 petal of star anise or dagad phool
- 2 green chillies
- 2 red chillies
- Turmeric
- ½ tsp red chilli powder (optional)
- Few strands of saffron
- ½ cup milk
- Oil
- 3 tbsp ghee
Method:
- Wash and drain the rice. Set aside.
- Heat a steel katori/bowl switch off the gas and drop the saffron strands in it. The saffron strands will shrivel up. Let the katori cool before you crush some of the strands then add the milk. Set aside.
- Slice 2 onions lengthwise and keep them on a paper napkin. Then deep fry them in oil. Drain and set aside.
- Now fry the cashew nuts and set them aside. You can also fry raisins but since they are not appreciated at home I don’t.
Rice for the Biryani:
- To the rice add the black cardamom or masala elicihi and star anise. Add the water, salt to taste and bring to boil.
- Cook till the rice is ¾ done or till all the water evaporates.
- Let the rice cool fully before fluffing it with a fork.
Masala for the Biryani:
- Grind the rest of the onions, ginger, garlic, coriander seeds, jeera, cloves, pepper, mace, green cardamom, ½ the
cinnamon, green chillies, red chillies, turmeric, red chilli powder( if using) to a fine paste. Set aside. - Grind the tomatoes to a puree.
- In the oil that you have fried the onions and cashew nuts tip in the ground masala paste.fry till the oil oozes out.
- Add the tomato puree fry till the oil oozes out.
- Add the mushrooms mix well and cook covered till the mushrooms are done.
To assemble the Biryani:
- In the vessel that you are assembling the Biryani (generally its same vessel in which I cook the rice)
- Pour 1 tablespoon ghee into the vessel and spread half of the rice at the bottom followed by the mushroom gravy spread to rest of the rice as the top layer and drop 2 tbsp ghee.
- Pour the saffron milk on top.
- Seal the mouth of the vessel with a tight fitting lid. Seal the lid with some dough and place the vessel on the tawa.
- Heat the whole contraption for 15-20 minutes. After which you are free to open the seal and serve delicious fragrant Biryani.
- Serve with onion raita.
vaishali sabnani says
Wow the biryani sounds awesome. .would love to tty it..minus the mushrooms. .instead with load it with fresh green peas ..the ingredient list is interesting.
Varadas Kitchen says
Your biryani without the must haves turned out great. Fresh monsoon mushrooms I brings back memories.
Chef Mireille says
a protein packed version with mushrooms
Srividhya says
Mushroom in biriyani. Awesome combo
Harini-Jaya R says
Interesting variation to the Biryani!
Srivalli says
Nice reading about your experience Archana, in south most biryanis are not done with basmati..the biryani sounds good, yes I might try with something else..:)
Priya Srinivasan says
Biriyani looks scrumptious archana!! We don't eat mushrooms here, but would love to try with some other veggies!!!
sneha datar says
I love mushrooms and must try this biryani, must have taste awesome.
Priya Suresh says
My all time favourite briyani, eventhough i make very rare at home, inviting and delicious biryani.
Suma Gandlur says
This must be a treat for mushroom lovers.
Nalini's Kitchen says
Flavorful and protein packed,biriyani..
Jayanthi Sindhiya says
Such a flavourful biryani is sure a treat for mushroom lovers like me...
Pavani N says
I love mushrooms but nobody else in the house wants to be bothered by them. So I would have to sub mushrooms with another veggie. But that mushroom biryani sounds super.