Taste of Heaven - Mushroom and Carrots Biryani Recipe #64617
This is a wonderful layered rice dish that uses mushrooms, carrots and tomatoes in lieu of meat. It tastes excellent and is nourishing to the core!
2½ hours | 1¾ hours prep
SERVES 6
- 15-20 medium fresh button mushrooms, washed, drained and cut into quarters (You may also use the canned ones if you can't get fresh)
- 1 1/2 cups basmati rice, washed
- 1 carrot
- 2 medium onions, peeled and finely sliced
- 1 inch ginger, peeled
- 5 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves or cilantro, washed and finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, washed and finely chopped
- 2 medium fresh tomatoes, washed and chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/8 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 4 cloves
- 2 green cardamoms
- 2 black cardamom pods (optional)
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- salt
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 2 teaspoons red chili powder
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1/4 cup skim milk
- 1/4 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 4-5 drops kewra essence (optional)
- 1 pinch saffron
- Cut mushrooms into quarters and keep aside.
- Chop the carrot into 1/2 inch pieces and keep aside.
- Soak rice in 4 cups of water.
- Keep aside for 30 minutes.
- Drain and keep aside.
- Slice onions and keep aside.
- Grind together the ginger and garlic, adding water as required, to get a fine paste.
- Wash and finely chop coriander and mint leaves.
- Puree the chopped tomatoes in a blender.
- Whisk the yoghurt and keep aside.
- Soak saffron in 1/4 cup warm skimmed milk and keep aside.
- Boil 4 cups of water in a thick-bottomed vessel.
- Add bay leaf, cloves, green cardamoms, black cardamoms, cinnamon, sugar and 1 teaspoons.
- salt.
- Add rice when the water starts boiling rapidly.
- Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the rice is 3/4ths done.
- Drain in a colander.
- Heat oil in a non-stick pan.
- Add onions.
- Stir-fry over high flame for 3 minutes or until the onions turn translucent.
- Add ginger-garlic paste and cook briefly.
- Add red chili powder, coriander powder, cayenne pepper, cumin powder and turmeric powder.
- Stir-fry briefly.
- Add the pureed tomatoes.
- Cook over high flame for another 3 minutes, stirring continuously or until the masala is very thick.
- Add the whisked yoghurt, garam masala powder and half the quantity of chopped fresh coriander and mint leaves.
- Stir well.
- Cook for 2 more minutes.
- Add mushrooms, carrots and salt to taste.
- Stir-fry over high flame for 3 minutes.
- Remove from heat.
- Arrange the cooked rice and mushroom masala in alternate layers in an oven-proof dish or biryani vessel.
- Sprinkle chopped fresh coriander and mint leaves, kewra water and the skimmed milk with saffron on top.
- Ensure that the topmost layer is of rice.
- Cover the biryani with a tight-fitting lid.
- Seal the edges with kneaded atta (flour) dough (if required).
- Place the dish on a flat bottomed pan.
- Cook on low flame for 10 minutes.
- Place a few burning charcoals on the lid.
- Alternatively, cook in a pre-heated oven at 180C for 10 minutes.
- Break open the seal.
- Grab a spoon and serve this biryani immediately.
- ENJOY this with a raita of your choice.
- I like it with a cucumber raita.
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5 stars