Mushroom Peas Pulao

Mushrooms are known for their meaty texture although not considered as a vegetable but contribute as good source of vitamin B. They taste good no matter how they are used, be it grilled, sautéed or cooked any other way. In the past couple weeks, mushrooms have been frequenting my kitchen in some form or the other.

Normally, I take an easy route to making dishes, nothing too complicated, no elaborate procedures...that's me!! There have been days when I don't really cut anything but manage to make a good dish with things at hand...I'll save that story for another day. 

Now, coming back to mushrooms, I am sure many of us have several different ways to cook them. I like spicy food, so I decided to make mushroom peas pulao (the other version of pulao I make, is by adding coconut milk and using green chillies and skipping other spices). 

Here's a recipe that doesn't take too long but makes no compromise on your taste buds...

Ingredients:

8 oz white mushrooms, sliced
1 big onion, thinly cut lengthwise
1 tomato, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups basmati rice, washed and soaked for 1/2 hour
1-2 green chillies, cut lengthwise (adjust to taste)
1/2 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste 
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp black pepper powder (fresh is better but store-bought will do too)
2 1/2  cups water
1/4 cup cilantro, freshly chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice (adjust to taste)
Salt, to taste
3 tbsp oil
3-4 cloves
3-4 cinnamon
3-4 bay leaves

Method:

In a pan, heat oil, add cloves, cinnamon and bay leaves. Add the onions and green chillies and fry for few minutes. Now, add  the ginger-garlic paste (preferably use home-made, big difference in flavor) and fry until the raw smell fades away.

Add the chopped tomato and cook until it gets a bit pulpy. Add chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala and black pepper powder and mix well. Add the mushrooms and peas and cook until it blends well with the spices. Add the basmati rice, and fry for 3-4 minutes until the rice starts to separate.

Add water and salt to the rice and allow it to boil. As it starts boiling, add lemon juice and chopped cilantro. Close the lid and reduce to medium flame. Allow the rice to cook for about 10-12 mins. Remove from heat and stick it in the oven (a tip I learned from my grandma) - (just regular, not preheated oven) for about 5 mins. The heat generated from the rice lets it cook longer and remains grainy. This tip works flawless every time!! So, no more pans with sticky rice at the bottom :). Serve hot.

Makes 4 servings.