Name: Mildly Spiced Mushroom Biryani
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups (375ml) Basmati Rice soaked in water for about an hour; 3 cups (750ml) water; 3 tablespoons warm milk; A pinch of saffron; 2 tablespoon vegetable oil; 1 two inch cinnamon stick; 4 green cardamom pods; 5 cloves; 2 bay leaves; 6 black peppercorns; 1 large onion - finely chopped; 2 tomatoes - finely chopped; 1 tablespoon garlic and ginger paste; 2 green chillies - finely chopped; 200g thinly sliced button mushrooms; 1 tablespoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon garam masala (optional); 1 small bunch fresh coriander - finely chopped; Salt and pepper to taste

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Mushroom Biryani

This mushroom biryani is one of my all time favourite veggie dishes.

I love making this recipe and when I do, I almost always use a pressure cooker. The rice cooks in minutes and the mushrooms have the perfect texture. You could of course use my perfect white rice recipe and add it to the rest of the ingredients at the end. That is essentially all I’m doing here but faster.

If you do this, cook the rice until it is about 3/4 done and then add it to the other ingredients, cover again to allow to finish cooking in its own steam until done.

Here, however is my pressure cooker version. This is great for a quick lunch or dinner when you don’t really feel like doing much but still want to eat delicious food. I’m sure you know the feeling.

I like to serve this with my coriander raita or podina. You can find the recipe here.

Mushroom biryani makes a tasty main course but I often serve it as a side dish. As it is so quick and easy to cook, it makes the perfect side dish for those summertime tandoori BBQs.

Try my other vegetarian recipes if you enjoy this one:

Large Tandoori Mushrooms with Tandoori Raita
Tandoori Large Flat Mushrooms
Quorn Balti with Mushrooms and Peas
Indian Pickled Vegetables
Spicy Mediterranean Vegetables
Vegetable Fried Rice
Vegetable Momos
Vegetarian Chilli

And a close-up shot.

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Yield: 2 - 4

Mildly Spiced Mushroom Biryani

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (375ml) Basmati Rice soaked in water for about an hour
3 cups (750ml) water
3 tablespoons warm milk
A pinch of saffron
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 two inch cinnamon stick
4 green cardamom pods
5 cloves
2 bay leaves
6 black peppercorns
1 large onion - finely chopped
2 tomatoes - finely chopped
1 tablespoon garlic and ginger paste
2 green chillies - finely chopped
200g thinly sliced button mushrooms
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garam masala (optional)
1 small bunch fresh coriander - finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

First heat you milk and then sprinkle the saffron in it to infuse. Set aside
Pour the oil into the pressure cooker pan and heat over medium heat.
Throw in the cinnamon, cloves, black peppercorns and bay leaves and let the oil soak up their awesome flavour for about 30 seconds.
Now toss in the chopped onion and fry for about five minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.
Add the chopped tomato and cook for a further minute or so before adding the garlic and ginger paste and the chopped chillies.
Stir well to combine and then dump in your mushrooms, cumin, garam masala and chopped coriander.
Stir in the drained rice and coat with the oil and other ingredients.
Pour in the water and saffron milk and bring to a simmer and then cover with the pressure cooker lid.
Pressure cook over medium heat for four minutes and then allow to cool naturally for about five minutes.
Remove the lid and season with salt and pepper to taste.