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Mushroom biryani is made with long-grain basmati rice cooked with tender mushrooms in a mixture of ghee and cooking oil. A variety of whole spices, sliced onions, tomatoes, green chilies, ginger-garlic paste are first fried along with mint leaves, Kasuri methi, curd and different powdered spices. The rice, mushrooms and water are finally added and pressure-cooked until the rice is done. Learn the steps to make mushroom biryani at home from my simple recipe.

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

Mushroom biryani is a very popular biryani variant in India.
Serve it hot with any vegetable, yogurt dip, onion rings, or pickle.
Mushroom biryani tastes slightly spicy, creamy, earthy and savory.
Other similar recipes are paneer biryani, vegetable biryani, soya chunk biryani, and aloo biryani.

The Ingredients:

1 cup basmati rice
250 grams mushrooms (cut into small pieces)
1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
1 tbsp cooking oil
1 piece bay leaf (whole)
1 piece cinnamon stick (1.5 inch in size)
2 pieces green cardamom (whole)
2 pieces cloves
1 piece star anise
1 piece black cardamom (whole)
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
2 pieces onions (finely sliced)
2 pieces green chilies (slit in the middle)
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
¼ cup mint leaves
1 tsp Kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
1 piece tomato (roughly diced)
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
¼ cup curd
1.5 cup water

Back in my college days, I went to my South Indian friend’s home one day, when her mother made this really wonderful biryani for lunch. It was so tasty, so aromatic and flavorful, that I started wondering should I ask for the recipe, and I did. Her mother explained everything, even shared a couple of expert tips, but she spoke only Tamil. My friend then translated it for me into English and I wrote it down hurriedly in a notebook that I later found years later in a drawer somewhere.

I actually cooked it for the first time after marriage, because my two sons wanted biryani, but they didn’t really want the usual chicken and mutton kind. So, I tried making it the way her mother had described, and honestly it came out quite well. The rice and mushrooms were cooked just right, with that balanced mix of spices that makes it taste properly comforting. My sons loved it very much and my husband appreciated the unique twist. It was such a lovely feeling and I thanked my friend’s mother for sharing the wonderful recipe with me.

How to Make Mushroom Biryani? (Step by Step Guide with Images)

Step 1: Wash and soak 1 cup of basmati rice for 30 minutes. Also cut 250 grams of mushrooms into small pieces.

Step 2: Fry 1 piece of bay leaf, 1 piece of cinnamon stick, 2 pieces of cardamom, 2 pieces of cloves, 1 piece of star anise, 1 piece of black cardamom, 1 tsp of cumin seeds (jeera) and 1 tsp of fennel seeds (saunf) in a mixture of 1 tbsp of ghee (clarified butter) and 1 tbsp of cooking oil on a medium flame in a pressure cooker.

Step 3: Add 2 pieces of finely sliced onions and add salt to taste when soft.

Step 4: Add 2 pieces of green chilies (slit in the middle) when the onions turn slightly golden.

Step 5: Add 1 tbsp of ginger garlic paste and sauté until the raw smell is gone.

Step 6: Add ¼ cup of mint leaves. Mix and then add 1 tsp Kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves).

Step 7: Add a piece of roughly diced tomato. Then add 1 tsp of red chili powder, 1 tsp of coriander powder, 1 tsp of garam masala powder, ¼ tsp of turmeric powder, and salt to taste when the tomatoes turn soft.