Hyderabadi Mushroom Dum Biryani

Lets go ahead and get into action and make a quick Biryani.

For the Rice:

Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cup of Basmati Rice
1/2 tsp salt
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp oil

Method:
Wash and cook the rice with 3 cups of water.The rice should be cooked till almost done but not fully done.
Once cooked,remove the whole spices and keep aside.

For the gravy:
Ingredients
3 and 1/2 cups mushroom slices
1 big onion finely sliced
2 green chilies slit
1 tomato-sliced
1 tbsp ginger paste
1 tbsp garlic paste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/4 cup thick yogurt
1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves
salt to taste
2 tbsp oil

whole spices
1 bay leaf
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 big cardamom
2 small cardamoms
1 star anise
1-2 maze strand
few saffron strands(soaked in a tbsp milk)

For Garnish
Fried onions and fried cashews
few sprigs of coriander or mint

Method:
Marinate the mushrooms with all the ingredients for the gravy except the oil  for about 2 hours.

In the pressure cooker or deep thick pan,heat the oil and add the whole spices.Allow it to splutter.

Now add the marinated mushrooms and cook in medium speed until it cooks well and leaves the raw smell.

Cook for another 5-8 minutes in simmer,until the gravy leaves excess water(from onion and mushroom) and thickens.


Once the gravy is done,remove a part of it and spread the remaining evenly to bottom of the pan,this will be our mushroom layer.
Top the mushroom layer with an even layer of cooked rice.

Pour over the half of saffron soaked in milk with few sprigs of coriander leaves.


Repeat an other layer of mushroom,followed by rice,saffron and coriander.

Finally add a tbsp of melted ghee(optional).

Now close the cooker or pan with the  lid,sealing the edges with wheat dough.Place a heavy weight like mortar(filled with water) on top of the lid to retain the dum.


Cook the Dum Biryani in simmer for 20 minutes.
The water in the mortar would be hot and the sealed dough would be cooked and peeling off by now.
Remove the lid.Slowly mix the rice and gravy with fork.Do not over mix.
Garnish with fried Cashew nuts and fried onions and Serve Hot.