Mushroom Biryani e Dum Pukht

Ingredients for the rice:
Basmathi rice – 1 1/2 cups
Bay leaf -1
Cloves -3-4
Cardamom -5
Cinnamon -1″
Star anise – 1
Nutmeg powder – a pinch
Salt – to taste
Saffron milk – 1 tbsp (dilute few strands of saffron in milk)
Water – 3 cups
Ghee -3 tbsp

Ingredients for the birista:
Onions -6,sliced
Oil – to deep fry

Ingredients for the curry:
Mushroom – 250 g
Ginger -1/2″
Garlic -6-7
Curds -1 cup,beaten
Chilly powder – 2 tsp
Mace strands -2-3
Caraway seeds or Shahi jeera -1/2 tsp
Cloves -3
Cardamom -3
Cinnamon -1/2″
Birista (fried onions) -3/4th
Ghee – 2 tbsp
Salt – to taste

Ingredients for the layers and garnish:
Mint leaves -1 cup
Coriander leaves 1/2 cup
Kewra essence – 1tbsp
Rose water -few drops
Roasted cashewnuts – handful
Raisins – few,roasted with nuts
Saffron milk -2 tsp
Ghee – 1 tbsp(optional)

Method for the rice:

1. Wash the rice and soak it in water for 10 minutes.
2. Take an electric cooker and grease the base and the plate with 1 tbsp of ghee.
3. Add rice,spices,salt to taste,ghee and water.
4. Close the lid and once 3/4th cooked just spread the diluted saffron over the rice.
5. Cook until done.
6. Dont disturb the rice while it is getting cooked.
7. If you are cooking the rice directly cook until 3/4 th cooked and omit ghee.
8. Once cooked separate the grains with the fork and keep it aside to cool.

1. Crush ginger and garlic in a mortar and pestle.
2. Wash,clean and slice mushrooms.
3. Heat ghee and splutter caraway seeds.
4. Add all the whole spices and saute in low flame.
5. Add crushed ginger and garlic and saute for few seconds.
6. Add sliced mushrooms and saute further for 5 minutes.
7. Add chilly powder and crushed birista and saute well.
8. Add beaten curds and salt to taste.
9. Cook in high flame until mushrooms gets just cooked.
10. Add water only if required as mushroom releases water and curds are added.
11. Make the gravy thick and keep it ready.

How to assemble or give dum: 3 methods

• Take a borosil bowl,add half of the rice.
• Spread  the curry evenly,mint leaves,coriander leaves and birista.
• Cover it with the remaining rice and the remaining mint and coriander leaves.
• Spread the saffron milk,kewra essence and rose water over the biryani.
• Add some dots of ghee here and there.(optional)
• Finally add roasted nuts and remaining birista.
• Cover it with a cling film and microwave it for 7 minutes.
• Or you may give dum in a preheated oven for 10 minutes.(Cover with a foil here)
• Or you may give it dum by arranging biryani in a broad handi,covering it with a tight lid, and give dum by placing the handi over the tawa on slow flame for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Please place a heavy pounding stone over the handi or seal the sides with the Chapathi dough.

Some pictorials :