Mushroom dum biryani recipe – Indian style

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Dhokla and idli may come and go
but the love for biryani will never stop

Out of so many types of biryani, mushroom biryani is a saviour for those who are vegeterians yet would like to have a biryani different from the regular veg biryani. It has that beautiful aroma of mushroom throughout the biryani. let us talk about the ‘biryan’  that evolved centuries ago in Iran.

My daughter loves biryani at this very young  age of 3. Ofcourse who can resist it, right? without much further explanation lets jump to recipe.

Method:

1. Firstly we need parboiled basmati rice cooked upto 90% by adding bay leaf, cloves, green cardamom. Strain and set aside.

2. Secondly we will keep some fried onions ready. Just thinly slice some large onion and deep fry it.
Once golden brown colour is achieved transfer to bowl. Do not use burnt onions else biryani will taste bitter.

3. Next we take 350 gms of white button mushrooms and remove the skin. Wash it well under running water and drain the excess water.

4. Cut the mushroom in large chunks and also add one large carrot sliced round and thin. You can add more vegetables if you wish but then it will not taste like how the mushroom biryani actually tastes.

5. In a wide mixing bowl add mushrooms, carrots, 1 large onion thinly sliced, freshly ground ginger garlic paste, any biryani masala 3/4 th tspn ( i use eastern biryani masala), turmeric powder,  kashmiri chilli powder, add green chilli if you want it extra spicy. For non spicy eaters like me be very careful with adding green chilli and red chilli powder. Add salt, cumin powder, coriander powder and crushed kasuri methi.

6. Add 1 cup of beaten thick curd. Finely chopped coriander leaves. Along with pudina leaves. Add some fried onions. Bay leaf, cloves, cashew and raisins. 1/2 tspn of lime juice just for aroma. 1/2 tspn honey.

7. Mix it well and gently with your hands (you can use hand gloves if need be). Make sure you dont break the tender mushrooms.

8. Take 1 to 1 and 1/2 cups of finely chopped Bangalore tomatoes. Heat oil in a comparatively wider pan, before its too hot add in the mixed spices like, fennel seeds, star anise, bay leaf, black cardamom, green cardamom, cinnamon. Add tomatoes and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook for few minutes until they are mushy. wider the pan, fluffier the biryani will be.

9. Now add in the mushroom mixture into the pan. Let it cook for around 10 – 15 mins with an occasional stir every 5 mins. Adjust the flame depending on the pan you choose. Cover and cook so the flavours dont escape.

10. Once you see the oil released from sides add the parboiled rice. Do not put the rice all at once. Spread it evenly on top of the gravy. Sprinkle fried onions, finely chopped coriander leaves and pudina leaves. One drop of kewda essence or 5 drops of kewda water. 4 drops of kashmiri kesar essence. 1/4 tspn of non fragrant rose water. 1 tbsp of ghee melted and poured all around.

11. Cover with air tight lid, keep a tawa on bottom of the biryani pot and simmer the flame.
15 mins for dum should do enough. Do not over dum, cooked rice may tend to dry.

Side dishes for biryani :

Serve with biryani raita (onion, coriander leaf, salt, chaat masala, salt)

Also if you want to make it more delightful add some crispy potato fries tossed with chilli powder and salt. The combination feels heavenly.