Mushroom and Carrots Biryani

Name: Mushroom and Carrots Biryani
Prep time: 95 min
Cook time: 52 min
Total time: 147 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Mughlai (Delhi & Lahore)
Ingredients: 15 medium fresh button mushrooms; 1.5 cup basmati rice; 1 carrot; 2 medium onions; 1 inch ginger; 5 garlic cloves; 0.25 cup fresh coriander leaves; 0.25 cup fresh mint leaves; 2 medium fresh tomatoes; 1 bay leaf; 0.125 tbsp cayenne pepper; 2 green cardamoms; 2 black cardamom pods; 1 inch cinnamon stick; salt; 2 tsp oil; 2 tsp red chili powder; 1 tbsp coriander powder; 0.5 tsp turmeric powder; 0.5 cup plain yogurt; 0.25 cup skim milk; 0.25 tsp curry powder; 0.5 tsp cumin powder; 1 tsp sugar; 4 drops kewra essence; 1 pinch saffron

Gently simmered carrot, button mushrooms and basmati rice, warmed with ginger and cayenne, a South Asian biryani.

2 hr 27 min · Serves 6 · Takes some skill

Method

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Time: Prep 95 min · Cook 52 min · 147 min total
Difficulty: hard

1
Cut mushrooms into quarters and keep aside. Chop the carrot into 1/2 inch pieces and keep aside.
2
Soak rice in 4 cups of water. Keep aside for 30 minutes. Drain and keep aside. Slice onions and keep aside.
30 min
3
Grind together the ginger and garlic, adding water as required, to get a fine paste. Wash and finely chop coriander and mint leaves.
4
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.
5
Boil 4 cups of water in a thick-bottomed vessel. Add bay leaf, cloves, green cardamoms, black cardamoms, cinnamon, sugar and 1 teaspoons.
6
Salt. Add rice when the water starts boiling rapidly. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the rice is 3/4ths done.
10 min
7
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.
3 min
8
Add ginger-garlic paste and cook briefly. Add red chili powder, coriander powder, cayenne pepper, cumin powder and turmeric powder.
9
Stir-fry briefly. Add the pureed tomatoes. Cook over high flame for another 3 minutes, stirring continuously or until the masala is very thick.
3 min
10
Add the whisked yoghurt, garam masala powder and half the quantity of chopped fresh coriander and mint leaves.
11
Stir well. Cook for 2 more minutes. Add mushrooms, carrots and salt to taste. Stir-fry over high flame for 3 minutes.
3 min
12
Remove from heat. Arrange the cooked rice and mushroom masala in alternate layers in an oven-proof dish or biryani vessel.
13
Sprinkle chopped fresh coriander and mint leaves, kewra water and the skimmed milk with saffron on top.
14
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).
15
Place the dish on a flat bottomed pan. Cook on low flame for 10 minutes. Place a few burning charcoals on the lid.
10 min
16
Alternatively, cook in a pre-heated oven at 180C for 10 minutes. Break open the seal. Grab a spoon and serve this biryani immediately.
10 min