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1
Cut mushrooms into quarters and keep aside.
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2
Chop the carrot into 1/2 inch pieces and keep aside.
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3
Soak rice in 4 cups of water.
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4
Keep aside for 30 minutes.
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5
Drain and keep aside.
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6
Slice onions and keep aside.
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7
Grind together the ginger and garlic, adding water as required, to get a fine paste.
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8
Wash and finely chop coriander and mint leaves.
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9
Puree the chopped tomatoes in a blender.
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10
Whisk the yoghurt and keep aside.
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11
Soak saffron in 1/4 cup warm skimmed milk and keep aside.
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12
Boil 4 cups of water in a thick-bottomed vessel.
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13
Add bay leaf, cloves, green cardamoms, black cardamoms, cinnamon, sugar and 1 teaspoons.
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14
salt.
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15
Add rice when the water starts boiling rapidly.
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16
Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the rice is 3/4ths done.
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17
Drain in a colander.
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18
Heat oil in a non-stick pan.
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19
Add onions.
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20
Stir-fry over high flame for 3 minutes or until the onions turn translucent.
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21
Add ginger-garlic paste and cook briefly.
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22
Add red chili powder, coriander powder, cayenne pepper, cumin powder and turmeric powder.
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23
Stir-fry briefly.
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24
Add the pureed tomatoes.
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25
Cook over high flame for another 3 minutes, stirring continuously or until the masala is very thick.
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26
Add the whisked yoghurt, garam masala powder and half the quantity of chopped fresh coriander and mint leaves.
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27
Stir well.
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28
Cook for 2 more minutes.
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29
Add mushrooms, carrots and salt to taste.
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30
Stir-fry over high flame for 3 minutes.
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31
Remove from heat.
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32
Arrange the cooked rice and mushroom masala in alternate layers in an oven-proof dish or biryani vessel.
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33
Sprinkle chopped fresh coriander and mint leaves, kewra water and the skimmed milk with saffron on top.
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34
Ensure that the topmost layer is of rice.
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35
Cover the biryani with a tight-fitting lid.
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36
Seal the edges with kneaded atta (flour) dough (if required).
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37
Place the dish on a flat bottomed pan.
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38
Cook on low flame for 10 minutes.
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39
Place a few burning charcoals on the lid.
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40
Alternatively, cook in a pre-heated oven at 180C for 10 minutes.
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41
Break open the seal.
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42
Grab a spoon and serve this biryani immediately.
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43
ENJOY this with a raita of your choice.
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44
I like it with a cucumber raita.
