Mushroom Biryani - Fragrant Basmati rice cooked with Indian Biryani spices & Button Mushrooms

 

When my friends visited here recently we had endless stories to share. Part of our conversation also involved about our new foodie experiments. We were together in Sri Lanka and eventually we all moved into different directions. One girl came from Australia and other from UK. Never in our dreams we thought we would have our re-union here, in the most beautifully landscaped but land locked country.

Ingredients for Mushroom Biryani

Today's recipe is what I got from this friend D and it was an instant hit with my resident food critic (the Tall foodie). Button Mushrooms when stir fried along with fragrant Biryani spices creates a meaty texture to this Biryani. Food critic felt that it tasted like Beef biryani. Flavors were strong, with key note of Biryani spices nicely coated in Basmati rice. This Biryani is very flavorful so you just have to serve it with Raita (yoghurt based salad made with onion, green chili or carrot or cucumber, tomato) and a pickle.

I'm not a big fan of mushrooms, its one of the vegetable I consume due to its health benefits. It has lean protein with zero fats, so it's one the vegetable that burns fat during digestion. (other vegetable that burns fat is celery) Mushrooms also improves our immunity. It is a vegetable with protein, so its good for those following low GI diet. It's best to combine mushrooms with red or wild rice or legumes.

I add stir fried mushrooms to noodles, soups, make a stir fry curry and this Biryani is a another way to serve mushrooms. In fact this is an ideal rich meal to serve your guests who are not very fond of eating vegetables or vegetarian meal.

Print recipe here

Ingredients

1 large tomato

1 onion

4 garlic cloves

1 inch piece of ginger

4 green chilies (optional)

handful of coriander leaves

handful of curry leaves

piece of lemon rind (optional)

Salt to taste

(coarsely grind above ingredient in a food processor)

4 tbsp canola oil

2 tbsp biryani spice mix (I used Shan Biryani spice powder)

200g Brown button mushrooms thinly sliced

200g Basmati Rice

Method

Heat oil in a non-stick wok, add ground wet mixture and salt. Cover the lid cook till you see reduction in sauce, its almost dry, and oil starts to separate. Add sliced mushrooms and biryani spices, saute till mushrooms are well coated with spices. Cook for 5 minutes on high heat. Stir occasionally.

Once mushrooms are cooked and starting to brown, add rice stir well with a wooden spoon till rice is coated with spices.

Pour 400ml water, cover the lid, bring to a boil. When water starts to bubble, reduce the heat to medium level, close the lid and cook till rice is cooked and water is fully absorbed.

Turn off heat, open the lid and leave it to dry. Serve with Raita and Indian pickle.

Note : While rice is cooking do not stir frequently, use a wooden or plastic spoon. Otherwise rice grains may break.

and some photos taken during our local trips with friends.

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