With the countless scrumptious versions of aromatic Biryani coming from different regions, there is no reason left why we should not call this exotic dish an indigenous recipe of India. Every state  in India has its own flavor and ways to cook a prefect biryani, if long grain basmati rice is used in the northern region, the short grain rice makes a delicious biryani in south India.

Most of the versions in Tamil Nadu do not use the layering method or giving Dum to the biryani, and the rice & vegetables are cooked together along with spices. Though we do not get the layered texture and the heady aromas of a traditional biryani here but it does save a lot of time. The reason why I prefer this regional biryani over the much time consuming traditional one.

This recipe is shared by a neighbour friend of mine whom I meet daily when I go to give lunch to my kids in their school. Uma J. is a sweet lady and never tires to talk about her love for food and recipes. A wonderful cook that she is, she has shared many a recipes with me during our daily meets. Some unusual and very healthy recipes such as Fenugreek steamed rice cakes (idlies), horse gram curries are the few recipes she cooked & brought for me.

And this mushroom biryani is another of her specialty which she taught me long back and since then it has become a staple at my home. Try this recipe and am sure you will not miss out the real one like me.

She uses small grain rice variety which is quite famous in South India, but you can use the basmati or any other aromatic and non sticky rice for the same. Turmeric in the recipe is used to give saffron color to the dish.

Ingredients;

(serves 2)

• 1 cup basmati rice
• 1 cup shredded mushroom
• 1 onions
• 1 large tomato
• A few mint leaves
• 2 tbsp of oil
• 1 small bay leaf
• 3 cardamom pods
• 3 cloves
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric
• 2 cups of water

To grind into paste

• 1 green chili
• 1 onion
• 3 pearls of garlic
• 1 tbsp of coriander leaves
• 1 tsp. of aniseed

Method; Peel and chop the onions, dice tomato and mushrooms or any other vegetables you are using for making biryani. Grind the ingredients listed for making paste. Keep the paste aside. Wash and soak the rice for half an hour. Heat 2 cups of water in a vessel. Clean and shred the mint leaves.

Heat oil in a kadai/wok  and add bay leaf, cardamom pods, cloves and fry for a few seconds. Add diced onion, tomato, mint leaves and fry for another  two minute. Add the ground masala and fry till the raw smell disappear for about 5 minutes on medium heat.

Add diced mushrooms in the masala and fry again for 5 minutes. Drain water from the soaked rice and add it in the kadai/wok with spice and mushroom mixture, turmeric powder and sprinkle the shredded mint leaves over it. Pour the hot water and cover the kadai. Cook for about 20 minutes at medium heat till the rice is cooked.

If you are using pressure cooker, it becomes quite easy and quick to make the biryani. Do the whole process of frying the ground masala paste to adding the rice in the pressure cooker and close the lid. One whistle is enough to give a fluffy and fully cooked rice.

Flavors of mint and whole spices is quite prominent in the biryani.

This version of biryani is moist and less fluffier than the traditional one. My parents-in-law like this recipe more a it is easy for them to chew and has less whole spices in it.

I like the fact that how easy & quick it is to get a biryani which is as good as the real one. Serve the Biryani with fresh yogurt raita and veggie salads. If you love good food and have time at your side try this traditional Biryani for a royal treat.

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