Taste of Heaven - Mushroom and Carrots Biryani

Charishma_Ramchandani's Note:

This is a wonderful layered rice dish that uses mushrooms, carrots and tomatoes in lieu of meat. It tastes excellent and is nourishing to the core!

• Total Time: 2 hrs 27 mins
• Prep Time: 1 hrs 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 ½ cups basmati rice , washed
• 1 carrot
• 2 medium onions , peeled and finely sliced
• 1 inch ginger , peeled
• 5 garlic cloves , peeled
• ¼ cup fresh coriander leaves or ¼ cup cilantro , washed and finely chopped
• ¼ 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
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ cup plain yogurt
• ¼ cup skim milk
• ¼ teaspoon curry powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 4 -5 drops kewra essence (optional)
• 1 pinch saffron

Directions:

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.

Reviews

[nzsailor]

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