Peas And Mushroom Pulao

I love mushroom and this Peas and mushroom pulao is one of my favourite mushroom dishes. Mushroom has very high protein content and is great for growing kids. The taste enhancing ingredient in this dish is coconut milk.  Many of my friends complain about extracting coconut milk and substitute it with water. But for me, it is never a pain. I don’t mind putting a little effort for the taste of the coconut milk. The only drawback is that the kitchens gets a little messy, but why fear when my maid is here? 

This is an easy, one pot meal, helpful when packing lunch boxes. My twins just fall for the green colour of the dish, which is given by the pudhina and coriander leaves. And this makes my job of feeding them easier. Just a raitha would complete the meal. Try it out and pack it for your kids’ lunch box. And feel the grin when you see their boxes empty in the evening. 

Prep time: 15 min| Cooking time: 20 min
Course: main| Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients:

Basmati rice- 1 cup

Mushroom- 200 gms

Peas- ½ cup

Onion- 1

Ginger garlic paste- 1 tblsp

Garam masala- ½ tsp

Coconut milk- 3/4 th cup

Water- 1 cup

Salt- as needed

Oil- 2 to 3 tblsp

Cinnamon- 2 pcs

Bayleaves-2

To grind :

Mint leaves- ½ cup

Coriander leaves- a handful

Green chillies-3 to 4

Coconut-  1 to 2 tblsp(grated)

Method:

1.       Grind mint leaves, coriander leaves, green chillies and coconut into fine paste and keep it ready.

2.       Clean and cut the mushrooms. Wash and soak the basmati rice in water for 10 minutes

3.       Heat oil in a cooker. Add cinnamon and bay leaves.

4.       Add onion and fry until it turns golden colour. Then add ginger garlic paste and fry till raw smell goes away.

5.       Then add the ground masala. Add garam masala powder.  Fry well until oil floats on top.

6.       Now add mushroom and peas.  Add salt and mix well. Fry until water from mushroom evaporates.

7.       Drain the water from the basmati rice and add the rice to the cooker. Fry until the masala coats on the rice.

8.       Add coconut milk and water. Mix gently and check for salt. Add more salt if needed.

9.       Close the lid of the cooker. When the steam starts coming out put the weight and immediately reduce the flame to low

10.   Cook on low flame for exactly 10 minutes and switch off.

11.   Wait for the pressure to release on its own.

12.   Open the lid and mix gently with a fork.

13.   Hot mushroom peas pulao is ready to be served.

Notes:

·         You can increase or decrease the quantity of green chillies according to your spice levels.

·         It becomes a little watery after adding mushrooms. So fry it until water evaporates and then add the rice.

·         Soaking rice in water before cooking prevents rice from getting sticky and yields a better texture.

·         After adding rice, stir gently and take care that you don’t break the rice.

·         Use thick coconut milk (the first milk while grinding coconut).

Step by step pictures

 grind mint leaves, coriander leaves, 

green chillies and coconut into fine paste.

 clean and cut the mushrooms.

wash and soak basmati rice in water for 10 min

 heat oil in a cooker.

add cinnamon and bay leaves.

 add onion and fry till golden .

add ginger garlic paste and fry till raw smell goes.

 add the ground masala and stir.

add garam masala and fry till oil floats on top

add green peas and mushroom.

add salt and fry till water from mushroom evaporates.

 add soaked and drained basmati rice.

stir gently so that the masala coats on the rice

 add coconut milk and water and close the lid.

when steam starts coming out put the weight.

immediately reduce the flame to low

cook for exactly 10 minutes and switch off.

let the pressure release.

gently mix with  a fork.