Ingredients
Basmati rice - 1 cup
Onion - 3/4 cup (cut lengthwise)
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Green chilli -1 slit
Tomato puree - 1/2 cup
Button Mushrooms - 1 cup (200 grams)
Paneer cubes - 3/4 cup
Coriander leaves -fistful (chopped )
Mint leaves -fistful (chopped )
Thick curd - 1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Spice powder
Chilli powder - 3/4 -1 tsp (use less if store bought)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Biryani masala powder - 1 tsp (available ready made)
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
For the seasoning
Oil/Ghee - 2 tbsp (or mix of both ghee and oil)
Cloves -2
Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
Cardamom -1
Bay leaf - 1 (optional)
For cooking the rice
Cloves 1
Cinnamon -1 inch piece
Ghee -1 tsp
Preparation
Soak basmati rice for 20 minutes, drain the water and keep it aside.
Cut mushroom into 2 pieces and paneer into cubes.
Cut onion lengthwise.
If your curd is watery, drain the water completely using a muslin cloth. In a bowl, add thick curd, half of the chilli powder, coriander powder, biryani masala, ginger-garlic paste, little salt and mix well. Then add the mushroom and paneer cubes and mix well. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes.
Method
1. Heat a tsp of ghee, add cloves, cinnamon and saute the rice for a few seconds. Then add 2 cups of water, little salt and cook the rice till 3/4 done. Drain the excess water (See picture below). Do not cook fully as we will be cooking again in the end. We do not want a mushy biryani.
2. Heat butter or oil in a kadai or pan, add the ingredients mentioned under seasoning, saute for a few seconds and add thinly sliced onions and slit green chillies. Saute until onions turn transparent.
3. Then add ginger garlic paste and saute for a few more seconds.
4. Now add the tomato puree, turmeric powder and the remaining spice powder (remember we added only half of it for marination) and cook till tomatoes become mushy.
5.See now the tomato is cooked nicely. At this stage add the marinated mushroom and paneer. Mix well.
6.Add the coriander, mint leaves, salt needed and cook until the mushrooms are three fourth cooked.