Ingredients:

• 1 cup – Long grain rice, soaked for 20 mins
• 10-12 – White button Mushrooms
• 6-8 Cashewnuts, soaked for some time (optional, you can replace with green peas)
• 1 – Medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp – Ginger Garlic paste
• Fistful of Mint leaves, chopped finely
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp – Ghee
• 1 tbsp – Oil
• Dry spices:
• 6-8 – Cloves
• 2 inch – Cinnamon stick
• 1 – Bay Leaf
• 1 – Star anise
• 1/4-1/2 tsp – Shahi Jeera / black cumin
• 3-4 – Green Cardamoms

Method:

1. Wash and soak rice for at least 20 mins.
2. Drain the water and set aside for at least 10 to 15 mins, make sure there is no water left in the rice.
3. Wash and cut the mushrooms.
4. Heat a wide pan with ghee, fry mushrooms for a minute or 2 and set aside.
5. Add rice and fry on high till the rice becomes crunchy.
6. Mix the mushrooms and rice and continue to fry for another 1-2 minutes.
7. This process makes the rice more flavourful.
8. Heat a pressure cooker or a heavy bottom pan with oil, add dry spices and saute till you get an aroma
9. Add onions and fry till they turn translucent.
10. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute.
11. Add mint leaves and fry for another 1-2 minutes.
12. Add cashews or peas and fry for a minute or more.
13. Add water and salt bring the water to a boil.
14. Add rice along with the mushrooms and cook till almost all of the water evaporates fully.
15. Refer to the picture.
16. Close the pressure cooker lid and cook for 4-5 minutes on a very low flame if using basmati rice.
17. If you are using any normal aged rice, then let it whistle once.
18. If cooking without a pressure cooker, cook till the rice turns soft and cooked fully.
19. Serve hot with any raita or gravy.
20. Recipe courtesy: Indian Healthy Recipes.