Mushroom Pulao/Pilaf Rice
Mushroom Chawal, Pulao
Mamta Gupta
Rice pulao can be made using almost any vegetable of your choice. Here, I have used mushrooms and onions. Pulao is spelt as Pilaf or pilau in UK. Serves 2-3.
Also see BBQ Selection and Marinade Selection.
Ingredients
1 cup basmati rice or any good quality long grain rice
1 medium sized onion, peeled and thinly sliced
Approximately 200 gm. or 2 cups fresh mushrooms, washed and thickly sliced
2 tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
2 bay leaves
2 large black cardamoms
4 cloves
5-6 peppercorns
1 inch piece of cinnamon
2 cloves of garlic, crushed (optional)
Salt to taste
2 cup black tea*
Instructions
Wash and drain the rice in a sieve. Keep aside
Heat oil.
Add cumin, bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves and black peppers and cardamoms. Allow cumin to splutter or turn brownish.
Add garlic and onions and fry until moderately brown. Save a little of onions for garnish.
Add mushrooms and fry on high, until nicely browned.
Add rice and stir to coat the rice well with oil.
Add salt and tea.
Bring to boil, cover with a tight fitting lid and turn the heat down to minimum.
Allow to cook for approximately 8-10 minutes. Try not to keep taking the lid off to check.
Check at the end that the rice is cooked. Gently fluff it up using a fork.
Serve hot.
Notes
BBQ Biriyani Pulao: Cook rice as per your recipe. Make small parcels, one parcel per person, wrapped in aluminium foil. Place them on BBQ for a few minutes to heat. Serve straight from the BBQ.
*Tea is added to give the rice a nice, fried look. You can use water if you like it to be white. Alternatively, you can use 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder or a few strands of saffron.
If the rice is undercooked at the end of 10 minutes and you do not have any water left in it (very unlikely but happens sometimes), sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of water on top, close the lid again and allow to cook for a further 3-4 minutes on minimum heat.
Rice should be cooked just before eating, as far as possible.
You can garnish rice with fried onion slices or coriander leaves.
You can also add a handful of fried or roasted cashew nuts/almonds, at the end.