Taste of Heaven - Mushroom and Carrots Biryani
photo by eatrealfood
- Ready In:
- 2hrs 27mins
- Ingredients:
- 27
- Serves:
-
6
ingredients
- 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
directions
- 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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Reviews
-
this dish 'a taste of heaven' was well named its delicious although we are not vegitarians we found this to be a complete satisfying meal a few thoughts the kewra water listed as optional is worth the effort to source it adds a lot the riata suggested to accompany i would consider as obglitory it would have been dry without although i unresevedly give it five stars to suit my particular tastebuds next time i will increase the quantity of mushrooms perhaps as much as double but then im a real mushroom fiend also ill back way off the chilie powder even though im also a chilie fiend.....i just think this dish would be even better cooler my only cavet it is labor intensive but well worth it enjoy keith
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the name of this dish is surely not a misnomer! i took plenty creative licence with the veggies in this - tossed in a lot of veggies that i had on hand like green beans, shredded cabbage, peas, lima beans, sweetcorn and potatoes, so it was truly a veg biryani. i think with this kind of dish, there can be no strict guide on the spices, you just have to adjust accordingly - i grew up with spicy food so prefer more heat in my dishes. i served this with split pea dal and raita and i grudgingly have left some for my husbands lunch tomorrow. thanks for posting.
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<p>Hi Everybody! Thanks for stopping by in my little niche of the mighty Zaar world. <br />Here is a quick link to the beauty recipes I've posted (highest rated so far):http://www.recipezaar.com/r/chef=6357/253/451/18/ls=h <br /> <br />A few things I've done:- <br /> <br />1. Worked part time as a Telemarketer in Oman in the Crowne Plaza Hotel. <br /> <br />2. Worked as a Certified Professional Tarotist (Tarot Card Reader) and done accurate predicitions for many people from different parts of the world, most memorable of which is the reading I did for my college Law lecturer and it came true. <br /> <br />3. Written nearly 1000 poems several of which have been published in leading newspapers, ezines and magazines both in Oman and India. <br /> <br />4. Worked as a Moderator on www.allpoetry.com - my BEST and FAVOURITE site on the internet. <br /> <br />My other interests include: Numerology, Vaastu Shastra, Feng Shui, Face Reading, Reiki and Astrology! I am really very keen on getting well-versed with metaphysical sciences such as Astrology, I-Ching, Feng Shui, Runes, Enneagram, Kabbalah and many more. <br /> <br />I love researching on the mythology of ancient Goddesses and then condensing my research into poems. <br /> <br />In the mood to gift me something? Here's what I'd love - A Nissan 350Z {my dream car}</p>