Mushroom Pulao - Simple and yummy rice recipe.

The below measurements make 2 large or 3 medium servings.

Ingredients:

1. Rice - 200 gms
2/ Mushroom - 200 gms
3. Onion - 2 medium -sliced.
5. Green chillies - 6 nos - finely chopped.
6. Ginger garlic paste- 11/2 tablespoon
7.Bay leaf - 2 Nos
8. Cinnamon stick- 2 nos
9. Cardamom - 2 nos
10. Star anise - 1 nos
11. Black pepper - 4 nos
12. Salt - to taste'
13. Oil - 2 tbsp.

Method:

1. Wash the rice well until the water runs clear. Add the required quantity of water for cooking. I added 175 ml of water. add salt to taste and the whole spices. My family likes it spicy, so apart from the finely chopped green chillies, which I would be adding later, I have added 2 slit green chillies to the raw rice.

2. Pressure cook the rice for three - four whistles on medium flame.

3. Discard the whole spices off the cooked rice. I have retained pepper alone, for additional heat.

4. Add two table spoons of oil in a pan.

5. Once hot add the sliced mushrooms and finely chopped green chillies.

6. Add some salt to quicken the cooking process. 

7. Once the onion starts browning, add the ginger garlic paste.

8. Mix well and saute for 3-4 mins until the raw flavor of the ginger garlic paste goes off.

9. Add the diced mushroom.

10. Add a dash of salt , so that the mushroom starts leaving out its water.

11. Keep frying it on medium flame. A couple of minutes later, all you would find is a soggy, watery half cooked mushroom. Mushroom starts leaving out its moisture as it starts cooking. at one point of time, it leaves out all of its moisture content and when you further cook it, the water starts drying out and mushroom starts getting fried.

12. Keep frying for few more minutes. by this time the mushroom would have given out almost all of its moisture content. my Mushrooms looked like below, almost 7 minutes after adding them. 

13. Keep frying until all the moisture is evaporated. the pan should be completely devoid of any liquid, as shown below.

14. Make sure there is no water left out, before adding the rice. 

15. Add the cooked rice. please remember, we have added salt while cooking the rice, also for the onions and mushroom. so add the rice and mix well. please taste for seasoning. If you feel like adding some salt,please go ahead. 

16. Mix well and serve hot.