Delicious Mushroom Biryani- South Indian Recipe

Mushroom Biryani is one of my favorite ways to eat mushrooms. Delicious and flavorful biryani makes a wholesome meal for weekends or gets together. Mushroom biryani may not be popular, as the meatier versions of biryani, but has a unique taste and flavor. Mushrooms have a fleshy texture, a distinct umami flavor, and make for a pleasant meat substitute. If you want to make it gourmet, use a variety of mushrooms. You can use assorted mushrooms like the white button, shiitake, baby Bella/cremini, pearl oyster mushrooms, or king oyster mushrooms. Together they will add unique textures and flavors to the rice.

Mushrooms taste best when fried or sautéed in butter. But clarified butter or ghee has a rich nutty taste and takes the flavor to another level. Mushrooms will get a nice golden brown sear and a concentrated mushroom flavor. Add mushrooms in batches from hardier mushrooms to most delicate for a final quick stirfry. Mushroom biryani is irresistibly delicious and packed with flavor. This recipe is very forgiving, and you can also add vegetables of your choice like peas, carrots, or cauliflower. You can do the layering and traditional dum method or stir everything together for a quick one-pot meal.

Are you a biryani lover? Biryani is a celebratory meal in India and is a must for all festive occasions. The South Indian biryani is fierier with chilies and warm aromatic spices. Adding coconut milk will mellow down the spice. It will add a unique south Indian flavor to the biryani.

There is a two-step process in cooking this biryani. The rice and mushroom masala gets cooked separately. It is then beautifully layered with additional garnishes like fresh herbs, toasted nuts, dried fruits, and fried onions. It is best when served with some spicy pickle, yogurt/ raita, salad, potato chips, or pappadam. It is a delicious treat for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. This home-style biryani is simple to put together. I have been making it for a while, and my family loves this biryani. Give this recipe a try. I would love to hear from you. Please let me know how it turned out for you. Happy cooking :)

Delicious Mushroom Biryani- South Indian Recipe

Ingredients
Basmathi Rice- 3 cup
Cinnamon stick- 1 inch thick
Clove- 2
Cardomon-2
Star aniseed-1
Mint- 3-4 leaves
Lemon juice- 1/2 lemon
Salt to taste

For the masala
Mushroom- 12 oz
Onion- 2 finely chopped
Ginger garlic paste- 2 tsp
Green chilly paste- 1 tsp
Tomato- 3
Yogurt- 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Chilly powder- 2 tbs
Coriander powder- 2 tbs
Fennel powder- 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder- 1/3 tsp
Garam masala- 3/4 tsp

To garnish
Thinly sliced fried onions- 1
Coriander leaves- 1/4 cup
Mint leaves chopped- 4-5
Saffron - a pinch soaked in 1/3 cup of milk
Ghee- 1 tsp
Cardamon and Cinnamon powder- 1/3 tsp each

Soak rice for half an hour, drain and set aside. Heat a heavy bottom pan and add one tsp ghee into it. When hot, add the rice and stir fry on a low flame so that the oil coats the rice. Pour in 6 cups of water. Add cloves, cinnamon, cardamom( preferably tie the whole spices in a cheesecloth, and put it into the boiling water), mint, and salt to taste. When the rice is 70% cooked, drain it and spread it on a plate for cooling.
Fry Onions till they are crispy. Roast cashews and then add raisins. Keep this aside for garnish.

Wash and wipe dry mushrooms. Cut the larger ones into smaller cubes. Heat ghee in a pan and stir fry or sauté the mushrooms. Add mushrooms in batches. Fry the king oyster mushrooms till it is nice and golden. Add the delicate mushrooms towards the end for a final quick stir fry. Set this aside.

Heat oil in a pan and add in crushed or finely chopped garlic, ginger, green chilly, and mint leaves and fry for a minute. Add sliced onions and crushed shallots and fry till golden brown. Add finely chopped tomatoes and saute till it is soft. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, chilly powder, half of the garam masala, fennel powder, and saute for two minutes. Take one spoon full of this cooked onion masala, mix it into the yogurt and blend well. Now add this to the masala ( this will prevent it from curdling). Pour half a cup of hot water and stir well. Add the mushrooms and cook for two to three minutes.

In a heavy bottom pan, layer half the rice. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves and some fried onions, nuts, and raisins. Layer the mushroom masala. Continue layering, alternating between rice and mushroom masala. Garnish the top of the rice with chopped coriander leaves, fried nuts and raisins, and fried onions. Sprinkle cardamom powder, pour melted ghee on top, and saffron soaked in milk on top. You can add a bit of yellow color if you like. Cover tightly and set in low flame for 10- 12 minutes for the biryani to steam and the flavors to develop. Serve warm with pappadam, pickle, and raita or yogurt. Enjoy!