Taste Of Heaven - Mushroom And Carrots Biryani

Total Time: 2 hrs 27 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr 35 mins Cook Time: 52 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 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 1/4 cup 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

Recipe

• 1 cut mushrooms into quarters and keep aside.
• 2 chop the carrot into 1/2 inch pieces and keep aside.
• 3 soak rice in 4 cups of water.
• 4 keep aside for 30 minutes.
• 5 drain and keep aside.
• 6 slice onions and keep aside.
• 7 grind together the ginger and garlic, adding water as required, to get a fine paste.
• 8 wash and finely chop coriander and mint leaves.
• 9 puree the chopped tomatoes in a blender.
• 10 whisk the yoghurt and keep aside.
• 11 soak saffron in 1/4 cup warm skimmed milk and keep aside.
• 12 boil 4 cups of water in a thick-bottomed vessel.
• 13 add bay leaf, cloves, green cardamoms, black cardamoms, cinnamon, sugar and 1 teaspoons.
• 14 salt.
• 15 add rice when the water starts boiling rapidly.
• 16 cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the rice is 3/4ths done.
• 17 drain in a colander.
• 18 heat oil in a non-stick pan.
• 19 add onions.
• 20 stir-fry over high flame for 3 minutes or until the onions turn translucent.
• 21 add ginger-garlic paste and cook briefly.
• 22 add red chili powder, coriander powder, cayenne pepper, cumin powder and turmeric powder.
• 23 stir-fry briefly.
• 24 add the pureed tomatoes.
• 25 cook over high flame for another 3 minutes, stirring continuously or until the masala is very thick.
• 26 add the whisked yoghurt, garam masala powder and half the quantity of chopped fresh coriander and mint leaves.
• 27 stir well.
• 28 cook for 2 more minutes.
• 29 add mushrooms, carrots and salt to taste.
• 30 stir-fry over high flame for 3 minutes.
• 31 remove from heat.
• 32 arrange the cooked rice and mushroom masala in alternate layers in an oven-proof dish or biryani vessel.
• 33 sprinkle chopped fresh coriander and mint leaves, kewra water and the skimmed milk with saffron on top.
• 34 ensure that the topmost layer is of rice.
• 35 cover the biryani with a tight-fitting lid.
• 36 seal the edges with kneaded atta (flour) dough (if required).
• 37 place the dish on a flat bottomed pan.
• 38 cook on low flame for 10 minutes.
• 39 place a few burning charcoals on the lid.
• 40 alternatively, cook in a pre-heated oven at 180c for 10 minutes.
• 41 break open the seal.
• 42 grab a spoon and serve this biryani immediately.
• 43 enjoy this with a raita of your choice.
• 44 i like it with a cucumber raita.