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Dinner with Rukmini
Browse all of the recipes in Rukmini Iyer’s cookbooks by ingredient.
All-In-One Mushroom and Pistachio Biryani
Introduction from Rukmini Iyer
This is a lovely special occasion dish, where the mushrooms are treated to a yogurt marinade before going through the rice. Traditionally, for a biryani you’d part-cook the rice before layering it up with other ingredients, but I’ve simplified this recipe so the rice cooks along with everything else. Do use the best saffron you can find – I like Belazu compared to regular supermarket brands.
Ingredients
Method
Prep time: 20 minutes + 1 hour marinating. Cook time: 1 hour.
Mix the mushrooms with the yogurt, garlic and ginger, then cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/gas 6.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter or ghee in a large frying pan and add the cinnamon scroll, cloves, cardamom pods and bay leaves. Stir-fry over a medium heat for 1 minute until aromatic, then add the sliced onion and cook for 7–10 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Set aside.
Tip the mushrooms into a lidded casserole dish or deep roasting tin and cover with the lid (or tightly with foil). Transfer to the oven to cook for 30 minutes. Put the pistachios on a baking tray and pop them into the oven for the final 10 minutes. Roughly chop when cool enough to handle.
Meanwhile, infuse the saffron threads in a mug with 2 tablespoons of the hot stock.
Remove the casserole dish from the oven and increase the heat to 210°C fan/230°C/gas 8. Add the rice and remaining stock to the casserole dish and stir. Scatter over the fried onion and spices, add the remaining tablespoon of butter or ghee, then pour over the saffron stock. Cover with the lid (or tightly with a double layer of foil) and return to the oven to cook for 30 minutes. Serve the rice hot, scattered with the garam masala, sea salt flakes and chopped pistachios.
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From the book
India Express: Simple and Delicious Recipes for Every Day
75 recipes inspired by the vibrant flavours of South India and Bengal
Speedy and fuss-free recipes for maximum flavour in return for minimum effort
Trademark traybakes, as well as stir-fries, snacks, weeknight curries, and simple desserts
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