Mushroom Dum Biryani

Name: Mushroom Dum Biryani
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: North Indian
Ingredients: 1½ cups (300 g) aged basmati rice, rinsed until water runs almost clear, then soaked in cold water for 30 minutes and drained; 10 cups (2400 ml) water for boiling rice; 2 tablespoons (36 g) kosher salt, for the boiling water (water should taste like the sea); 4 whole (1 g) green cardamom pods, whole, lightly crushed; 4 whole (½ g) whole cloves, whole; 1 two-inch (5 cm) stick (3 g) cinnamon stick, whole; 2 whole (1 g) dried bay leaves, whole; 1 teaspoon (2 g) shahi jeera or cumin seeds, whole; 1¼ pounds (570 g) white button or cremini mushrooms, wiped clean and halved (quartered if large); ¾ cup (180 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, at room temperature, whisked smooth; 2 tablespoons (30 g) ginger-garlic paste, fresh, or equal parts grated ginger and garlic; 1½ tablespoons (10 g) biryani masala powder; 1 teaspoon (3 g) Kashmiri red chili powder; ½ teaspoon (1½ g) ground turmeric; 3 whole (15 g) green chilies, slit lengthwise; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice, freshly squeezed; 1½ teaspoons (6 g) kosher salt; 2 large (400 g) large yellow onions, halved and sliced into thin half-moons; ⅓ cup (80 ml) neutral oil or half oil and half ghee; 1 cup (25 g) fresh mint leaves, packed, roughly chopped; ½ cup (12 g) fresh cilantro, packed, roughly chopped; 1 large pinch (0.3 g) saffron threads, crumbled; ¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk, warm; 2 tablespoons (28 g) ghee, melted

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Fragrant basmati rice layered with yogurt-marinated, spiced mushrooms, crisp fried onions, mint and saffron milk, then sealed and steamed on dum so every grain drinks up the aroma.

Prep: 35 min
Cook: 1 hr
Wait: 1 hr
Total: 2 hr 35 min
Makes: 4 generous servings (about 8 cups / 1.9 L biryani)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the rice
1½ cups (300 g) aged basmati rice, rinsed until water runs almost clear, then soaked in cold water for 30 minutes and drained
10 cups (2400 ml) water for boiling rice
2 tablespoons (36 g) kosher salt, for the boiling water (water should taste like the sea)
4 whole (1 g) green cardamom pods, whole, lightly crushed
4 whole (0.5 g) whole cloves, whole
1 two-inch (5 cm) stick (3 g) cinnamon stick, whole
2 whole (1 g) dried bay leaves, whole
1 teaspoon (2 g) shahi jeera or cumin seeds, whole
For the mushroom masala
1¼ pounds (570 g) white button or cremini mushrooms, wiped clean and halved (quartered if large)
¾ cup (180 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, at room temperature, whisked smooth
2 tablespoons (30 g) ginger-garlic paste, fresh, or equal parts grated ginger and garlic
1½ tablespoons (10 g) biryani masala powder
1 teaspoon (3 g) Kashmiri red chili powder
½ teaspoon (1.5 g) ground turmeric
3 whole (15 g) green chilies, slit lengthwise
1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1½ teaspoons (6 g) kosher salt
2 large (400 g) large yellow onions, halved and sliced into thin half-moons
⅓ cup (80 ml) neutral oil or half oil and half ghee
For layering
1 cup (25 g) fresh mint leaves, packed, roughly chopped
½ cup (12 g) fresh cilantro, packed, roughly chopped
1 large pinch (0.3 g) saffron threads, crumbled
¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk, warm
2 tablespoons (28 g) ghee, melted

Equipment (7)

5-quart (4.7 L) heavy-bottomed pot with tight-fitting lid
Large 6-quart (5.7 L) pot for parboiling rice
Large skillet, 10-12 inch (25-30 cm)
Fine-mesh sieve or colander
Slotted spoon
Flat tawa or heat diffuser (optional)
Aluminum foil or a strip of dough for sealing

Steps

Before you start

Rinse the basmati until the water runs nearly clear, then soak it for 30 minutes. Start this first.
Whisk the yogurt until smooth and keep it at room temperature so it does not split when heated.
Warm the milk and steep the saffron in it for at least 15 minutes before layering.
You need a heavy-bottomed pot with a tight lid, plus dough or foil to seal it for the dum.

1
Soak rice, steep saffron
- Rinse the basmati in a bowl under several changes of cold water until it runs almost clear, then cover with fresh cold water and soak 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, warm the milk until just hot to the touch, stir in the saffron, and set aside to steep.
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Ready when: Grains look opaque white and the saffron milk is deep orange
Tip: Do not soak longer than 45 minutes or the grains become brittle and snap.
2
Fry the onions
- Heat the oil in the large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the sliced onions with a pinch of the salt and fry, stirring often, 15 to 18 minutes until deep golden brown.
- Lift out with a slotted spoon onto a plate lined with paper towels, leaving the oil in the pan.
- They crisp as they cool.
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Ready when: Onions are evenly deep golden brown, not dark brown or bitter-smelling
Tip: Lower the heat to medium in the last 5 minutes; onions go from golden to burnt quickly.
3
Marinate the mushrooms
- In a large bowl combine the yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, biryani masala, chili powder, turmeric, lemon juice, remaining salt, green chilies, half the mint, half the cilantro and about one third of the fried onions (crush them in your hand).
- Fold in the mushrooms until coated.
- Let sit 20 minutes while the rice cooks.
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Ready when: Every mushroom is evenly coated in thick, orange-red marinade
Tip: Do not salt the mushrooms earlier than this; they will release water and thin the marinade.
4
Cook the masala
- Measure 2 tablespoons of the leftover onion oil into the 5-quart pot and heat over medium-high.
- Add the marinated mushrooms and all the marinade.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes until the mushrooms have released their liquid and the sauce is thick and clings to them with oil beginning to separate at the edges.
- Spread the mushrooms in an even layer across the pot base and turn off the heat.
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Ready when: Sauce is thick and clingy, not watery; mushrooms are about 80% cooked
Tip: A watery masala makes soggy rice. If liquid pools, cook 2 more minutes.
5
Parboil the rice
- Bring the 10 cups (2.4 L) water to a rolling boil in the large pot with the 2 tablespoons salt, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaves and cumin seeds.
- Drain the soaked rice and add it.
- Boil uncovered 5 to 6 minutes.
- Test a grain: it should snap into 2 or 3 pieces when pressed and be soft outside with a firm white core.
- Drain immediately in a sieve and spread loosely.
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Ready when: Rice is about 70% cooked: outside tender, thin firm core in the center
Tip: Err on the undercooked side; it finishes cooking in the steam.
6
Layer the biryani
- Spoon half the parboiled rice (with its whole spices) over the mushrooms in an even layer without pressing.
- Scatter over half the remaining fried onions, remaining mint and cilantro.
- Top with the rest of the rice, then the last onions.
- Drizzle the saffron milk in streaks and the melted ghee over the top.
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Ready when: Distinct white rice layers streaked with orange, topped with golden onions
Tip: Keep the rice fluffy; packing it down makes the biryani gummy.
7
Seal the pot
- Cover the pot with a sheet of foil pressed around the rim, then set the lid on top, or seal the lid edge with a rope of dough.
- Steam must not escape.
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Ready when: No gaps around the lid
Tip: Place a heavy object on the lid if it is loose.
8
Dum steam
- Put the pot over high heat for 3 minutes until you hear steam hissing, then reduce to the lowest heat, ideally on a tawa or diffuser, and cook 25 minutes without opening.
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Ready when: Fragrant steam escapes at the seal and the rice is fully tender when tried
Tip: If you smell scorching, move the pot onto a heavier diffuser; do not open early.
9
Rest and serve
- Turn off the heat and rest the sealed pot 10 minutes.
- Remove the lid and gently fluff from the edge down with a fork or large spoon so the layers mix with streaks of masala.
- Remove the cinnamon and bay leaves if desired.
- Serve hot.
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Ready when: Rice grains are long, separate and fluffy; mushrooms are tender
Tip: Serve with raita and a sliced onion-cucumber salad.

Good to know

Tips

Aged basmati stays separate and elongates better than new-crop rice.
Mushrooms release a lot of water, so cook the masala down until thick before layering.
Store-bought fried onions work if you are short on time; add them at layering.
Keep the dum heat very low; a thin pot may need a tawa underneath to prevent scorching.

Make ahead

Marinate the mushrooms (without salt and lemon) up to 8 hours in the fridge, and fry the onions up to 1 day ahead (store airtight at room temperature). Assemble and dum just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Fridge: airtight up to 3 days. Freezer: up to 2 months. Reheat with 1 tablespoon water per serving, covered, in the microwave 2 to 3 minutes or in a covered pan over low heat 8 minutes, until steaming hot throughout.

Substitutions

white button or cremini mushrooms → Oyster or shiitake mushrooms, or half mushrooms and half paneer cubes. Tear oyster mushrooms by hand; add paneer to the masala for the last 2 minutes.
plain whole-milk yogurt → Thick unsweetened coconut or cashew yogurt. Keep the lemon juice for tang.
ghee → Neutral oil or vegan butter. Flavor will be slightly less rich.
biryani masala powder → 1 tablespoon garam masala plus 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander. Result is milder and less complex.