Mushroom Biryani

     This is a Tamilnadu / Dindigul style biriyani recipe. For vegetarians, I am using  mushrooms instead of chicken. This recipe is very special for people in Coimbatore region just like Hyderabadi Biriyani is for others.

Recipe Cuisine : India | Recipe Category: Lunch

Preparation Time: 25 mins  | Cooking Time: 25 mins | Serves: 3

Ingredients:

Basmathi / Seeraga Samba Rice	1 cup (200 gm)
Mushroom	150 - 200 gm
Onion (mdium size)	1
Tomato	½
Green Chilly	1
Mint Leaves	Handful
Coriander Leaves	Handful
Red Chilli Powder	1 tesp
Coriander Powder	2 tbsp
Salt	To taste
Water	1 ¾ cup
To Temper
Oil	1 tbsp
Bay Leaves	2
Cinnamon	1 inch
Cloves	2
Cardamom	2
Star Anise	1
Marati Mokku	1
Black Stone Flower / Kal paasi	2 pieces
To Grind into Paste
Small Onion	5
Cinnamon	1 inch
Cloves	2
Cardamom	1
Ginger	1 inch
Garlic Pods	3
Poppy Seeds	1 tesp
Green Chilly	1

Procedure:

Preparation Procedure:

1. Mix 5 cups of warm water and 1 tbsp of salt together. Then add the mushrooms and set it aside for 5 mins. Now wash them and drain it completely. Then cut them into 2 or 4 pieces and keep it aside.

2. Wash and soak the rice for 15-20 mins. Then drain the water completely. This will take 10-12 mins. Heat the ghee in a heavy bottomed pan or non stick pan, and add the drained rice and fry till the rice become non sticky.

3.  Grind the small onion, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger, garlic, green chillies and poppy seeds with little water into a fine paste.

4. Peel and wash the onion and cut it into lengthwise thin pieces (not too thin).

5. Wash and chop the tomato into small pieces.

6. Wash and drain the water from the mint and coriander leaves. Then chop them into small pieces.

Cooking Procedure:

7.  Heat the oil in a pressure cooker, add bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, marati mokku and kalpaasi. Fry for few seconds.

5. Add chopped onion and fry till they become translucent.

6. Then add the green chilly (slit it into lengthwise) and chopped tomato. Fry till the tomato becomes mushy.

7. Now add the ground paste and fry till the raw smell goes off. (for 2mins)

8. At this stage, add the chopped mushroom pieces and add ½ of the salt. Close the cooker with normal plate (not cooker lid) and cook for 3 mins.

9. Now add the chopped leaves and give a stir, then add fried rice and mix them well.

10. Add water, red chilli powder, coriander powder and remaining salt. Mix them well. Close the pressure cooker with its lid and wait till the steam comes out. Put the whistle immediately when the steam comes out from the cooker lid and keep the flame at very low. Cook for 12-14 mins. [if whistle does not come, don’t worry about it]

11. After 12 mins switch off the flame. Once pressure has gone completely, open the cooker and transfer the biriyani into a wide bowl. Mix the biriyani with the help of the fork only.

      Now the yummy and tasty mushroom biriyani is ready to serve. Serve it hot with onion raitha.

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Sundal / Channa Biriyani

     The sundal gives a slightly different taste to the normal plain biriyani. This is a healthy and vegetarian biriyani which can be tried for vegetarians especially.

Ingredients:

Basmathi / Seeraga Samba / Normal Rice	1 cup
Channa / Sundal / chickpea	¾ cup
Onion	1
Tomato	1
Red Chilly Powder	1 tesp
Coriander Powder	1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder	½ tesp
Garam Masala Powder	½ tesp
Mint / Puthina leaves	Handful
Coriander Leaves	Handful
Ginger Garlic Paste	1 tbsp
Salt	As required / 1 1/2 tesp
Water	2 cups
To Temper:
Oil	1 tbsp
Ghee	1 tbsp
Cinnamon	1 inch
Cloves	2
Cardamom	1
Bay leaf	1

Procedure:

1. Wash and soak the chickpea/sundal for 8 hrs or overnight.  Pressure cook for 1 whistle and keep it aside.

2. Wash and soak the rice for 15 mins and drain the water completely.

3. Peel, wash and cut the onion into small pieces.

4. Heat the oil and ghee in a pressure cooker, add bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Fry them for a min.

5. Then add the chopped onion and fry till it becomes translucent.

6. Next Add the chopped tomato and fry till it becomes mushy.

7. Then add chopped mint leaves and coriander leaves and fry for a min. Now add the soaked rice, red chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt. Mix them well.

8. Add chickpea and 2 cups of water-  (you can use rice soaked water also). Mix them well and add garam masala.  Again give a stir and close the lid of the cooker.

9. Put the whistle and keep it in full simmer after the steam has come out. Cook for 10 - 12 mins.

10. Open the cooker after the pressure has gone. Give a gentle mix with fork and serve with raitha.

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Tomato Biriyani / Thakkali Biriyani

Personally this is a very special recipe for me, because it is from my mother. This easy to make biriyani can make simple family events memorable.

Ingredients:

Rice (Basmathi / Seeraga Samba / Normal Rice)	1 cup
Tomato (medium size)	3
Onion	2
Mint Leaves / Puthina	Handful
Red Chilli Powder	1 tesp
Ginger	1 inch
Garlic	4 pods
Salt	To taste
Water	1 1/2 cup
To Temper
Oil	1 tbsp
Cinnamon / pattai	1 inch
Cloves / Kirambu	2
Cardamom	2
Marathi Moggu	2
Fennel Seeds / Sombu	1 tesp
Black Stone Flower / Kalpasi	1 piece

Procedure:

1. Wash and soak the rice for 15 mins. ( I used normal barboiled rice)

2. Wash the tomatoes and grind them into a fine paste with ginger and garlic. Do not add water to make a paste. Keep it aside. ( use ginger-garlic paste also).

3. Heat the oil a heavy bottomed pan or pressure cooker, temper with fennel seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, kalpasi and Marathi moggu.

4. Then add chopped onion and fry till the onion becomes translucent.

5. Now add the clean and washed mint leaves, fry till the raw smell goes off.

6. Add the tomato puree, salt and red chilli powder. Cook till the oil separates from the mixture.

7. At this stage, add the soaked rice and water. Mix them well. Allow it to cook till the steam has come out. Then put the cooker whistle and again cook for 15 mins in full sim. Then switch off the flame and allow it to cool down for 5 mins.

8. Then transfer it into broad vessel or store it in a hot box.

    Yummy and tasty tomato biriyani is ready to serve. Serve it with raitha.

 

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