DUM MUSHROOM BRIYANI

Ingredients

1 heaped cup basmati rice, about 100 gms
2 cups water, add little more if required
50 gms thick curd
200 to 250 gms button mushrooms
2 medium sized onion, finely chopped
1 or 2 green chilies sliced/split
2 tsp ginger garlic paste, about 5 to 6 garlic and 1 inch ginger crushed in a mortar-pestle
¼ cup tightly packed chopped mint leaves
¼ cup tightly packed chopped coriander leaves
8 to 10 medium sized curry leaves
½ tsp turmeric powder
¼ tsp red chili powder
½ tsp garam masala powder
1.5 tsp coriander powder
¼ tsp black pepper powder
2 to 3 tbsp oil
salt as required

Optional

100 gms mixed chopped vegetables (carrot, beans, cauliflower and potato)
25 gms peas

Whole Spices

¾ tsp cumin/cumin
¾ tsp fennel seeds
1 inch cinnamon
2 to 3 cloves/lavang
2 to 3 green cardamoms/choti elachi
2 to 3 strands of mace
1 small to medium indian bay leaf/tej patta
1 star anise

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Soak rice in enough water for 30 mins. After 30 mins drain the rice and keep aside.
2. When the rice is soaking, prepare up the rest of the ingredients like chopping veggies etc.
3. Heat oil & ghee mixture in a deep pan or pot. Make sure that the bottom of the pan is thick, otherwise the rice can get browned or burned.
4. When oil becomes hot, add all the whole spices - fennel, cumin, cloves, tej patta, cinnamon, green cardamoms, star anise and mace.
5. Fry the spices till fragrant for a few seconds then add chopped onions and saute till translucent.
6. Next add ginger-garlic paste, green chilies, half of mint+coriander leaves, optional veggies & curry leaves.
7. Stir well. saute this mixture till the veggies are soften.
8. Then add coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, red chili powder and black pepper powder.
9. Stir again very well so that the masalas or dry spice powders gets mixed evenly with the rest of the mixture.
10. Add sliced mushrooms. stir again.
11. Saute on a low to medium flame for 6 to 8 minutes. keep on stirring at intervals.
12. Then add water,bring the mixture to a simmer.
13. Add the rice and rest of the mint, coriander leaves. Stir it once.
14. Season with salt. Check the taste of the stock and it should taste a bit salty.
15. Cover the pan with a lid and add curd and stir well once steam comes out. Now put whistle and keep the pan on a low flame for 20 mins on tawa.
16. Now serve hot briyani with onion raita.

Yummy yummy Mushroom Briyani is ready to eat.