Mushroom pulao

Ingredients:

 Basmati rice            : 1 cup

 mushrooms, sliced   : around 10 medium sized

 water to cook          :  2 cups

 lime juice                 : 2 tbspn

1/2 bell pepper chopped(red or yellow)

 peas(fresh or frozen) :1 small cup

 onion chopped          :2 medium

 red chill powder        :1 tspn

 garam masala            :1/2 tspn

Whole garam masalas: 
1tspn shahi jeera 

1 tspn jeera

1 bay leaf

2" cinnemon sticks

3 cardamom

4 cloves


Method:

• Washed n soak the basmati rice for 30 mins
•  Heat 2 cups of water in a bowl, once it comes to a boil, add salt lime juice, add sliced mushrooms, stir , put the lid on and turn off the gas. Allow the mushrooms to set inside the covered vessel for about 12-15 mins. meanwhile we can work on the rest of the process.
• Heat some oil in a non stick pan , add bay leaf, cinnamon , cloves, cardamom, shahi jeera, give a quick stir and immediately add onions, cook till translucent, add ginger n garlic cook for another 1-2 mins.
• Now strain the mushrooms and preserve the liquid which we can later us it to cook rice.
• Add the strained mushrooms into the pan and cook them till golden brown 
• Now its time to add the soaked rice. drain out the water and add into the pan .Saute it quickly
• add garam masala powder n red chilli powder. Saute on medium flame for 2-3 mins.
•  add the green peas and bell pepper. 
• Now add the preserved water of mushroom into the pan (if this mushroom water is not 2 cup, then add some more water and make it up to 2 cups) . When it comes to a boil, cover the pan with a perfectly fitting lid and cook on simmer till 15 mins. Do not open the pan or stir in between .
• After exactly 15 mins , turn off the stove. gently fluff the pulao with a fork just to loosen the rice grains
• cover again n allow it to rest for some more mins.
• Serve hot with any raita

preparation time 20 mins

cooking time: 40 mins