Mushroom Biryani

Serves : 5

Ingredients : 

Mushroom - 1/2 kg ( 2 packets)
Basmati Rice - 2 1/2 cups
Water - 3 1/2 cups
Onions (medium) - 3 (finely chopped)
Tomato (medium) - 2 (finely chopped)
Ginger paste - 2 teaspoons
Garlic paste - 2 teaspoons
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Red Chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
Mint leaves - 1/2 cup (finely chopped)
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup (finely chopped)
Ghee - 2 te
Oil and Salt as required

Seasoning:
Bay Leaves - 2
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Green Caaspoonsrdamom - 2 nos
Cloves - 2 nos
Black Cardamom - 1

Method: (Similar to tomato rice preparation)

1. Soak the rice in water for 15 minutes.
2. Drain and fry the rice along with few mint leaves in ghee for 3 minutes.
3. Add oil in a kadai and heat it to medium high. Add the items given for seasoning one after another and fry for few seconds
4. Saute onions , green chillies, ginger and garlic paste for 5 minutes till the raw smell goes away
5. Add mint and coriander leaves and saute for few minutes.
6. Add the tomatoes and saute until it becomes mushy.
7. Add Red Chilli powder, Turmeric powder and salt to the contents in the kadai.
8. Leave the kadai in low heat for 5 minutes. This is again for the raw smell of red chilli powder to subside
9. Cut the mushroom into small pieces and mix it with the contents of the kadai.
10. Transfer the contents to a pressure cooker and water. Put the weight and keep the cooker in low heat for 10 minutes.
11. After 10 minutes, check if the rice is done, else keep for another 5 minutes in low flame only.
12. Once the rice is done transfer the contents immediately into another container else rice will become mushy if left in the cooker for long.
13. Serve hot with raita or any choice of kurma

Notes:
Do not leave the cut mushroom pieces outside for long as it will loose its colour. Cut the mushroom only when you are ready to put into the kadai.