Mushroom Pulao

No Indian meal is complete without a flavorful rice dish. Try this delicious recipe for Mushroom Pulao, made with fragrant Basmati Rice and caramelized mushrooms. Serve it with raita, plain yogurt or a side salad…Wow!

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Serves: 4-5

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice – 1 cup, washed and soaked for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Mushrooms – 8 oz, sliced thick
Water – 2 cups
Salt – 1 tsp
Lemon/Lime Juice – 2 tsp
Oil – 1 Tbsp
Bay Leaf – 1
Cinnamon Stick – 1 inch piece
Green Cardamom – 2
Cloves – 4
Cumin Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Onion – 1/2 cup, chopped
Ginger – 1 Tbsp, minced
Garlic – 1 Tbsp, minced
Garam Masala – 1 tsp
Red Chili Powder – to taste
Frozen Green Peas – 1/2 cup, thawed
Red Bell Pepper – 1/2, chopped

To purchase spices online, visit www.herbco.com

Method:

1. Bring Water to a boil in a sauce pan with a lid and turn off the stove.
2. Add Salt and Lemon/Lime Juice and stir.
3. Add sliced Mushrooms, stir, cover and allow to steep while working on the rest of the process (about 15 mins)
4. Heat Oil in a non-stick pan with a cover.
5. Add Bay Leaf, Cinnamon Stick, Green Cardamom and Cloves. Cook for 30 seconds.
6. Add Cumin Seeds and allow them to sizzle.
7. Add Onions and cook for 1-2 minutes until translucent.
8. Add Ginger and Garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
9. Strain and reserve liquid from Mushrooms.
10. Add strained Mushrooms to the pan and cook until Mushrooms are golden brown and caramelized.
11. Drain water from the rice and add soaked rice to the pan.
12. Add Garam Masala and Red Chili Powder.
13. Mix well and cook for 1 minute until Rice is coated with the oil and spices.
14. Add Green Peas and Bell Pepper and mix well.
15. Time to add in Mushroom Water (broth) to the pan and allow it to come to a boil, uncovered.
16. Cover the pan, reduce the stove to a low (simmer) and set timer for 15 minutes. Do not open the pan or stir in between.
17. After 15 minutes, turn off stove and fluff the pulao with a fork to loosen all of the grains.
18. Cover again and allow the pulao to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
19. Serve hot with Raita, plain yogurt and/or salad.

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107 thoughts on “Mushroom Pulao

  1. Hi,just made your mushroom rice.Taste was very good.However,the rice was just slightly undercooked and i was hoping the grains would come out seperate but that didnt happen .I put the required quantity of water.Will try this again soon .Tks great recipe

  2. i bought some button mushrooms to try this,and left it in the freezer.the mushrooms changed colour the next day morning,slightly brown…is is safe to eat? .

    1. Hi Sandhya,

      Mushroom stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3-4 days but when you freeze them, they change color. They are still okay to eat, but they don’t look pretty.

  3. Hi Guys, Really loved this recipe. So easy and great flavour. Loved the big pieces of mushroom. Will make this a staple

  4. Hello Hetal and Anuja ,

    I luv the pan which you are using to make mushroom pulav.Kindly lemme know where to buy this.I have already asked the same question for the pan you used to make palak paneer.Kindly reply.

  5. Hi Hetal and Anuja,

    my husband and I tried this recipe for a dinner party and it came out great. You both are doing an amazing job, a boon for amateur cooks like me.Keep it coming.

  6. Hi Hetal and Anuja,
    It is really a very delicious pulav..quite different…my 2yr old son likes it a lot…..THANKS A LOT

  7. Hi Hetal & Anuja!

    I just made this dish for lunch today, this was the FIRST EVER DISH I had ever cooked in my life (I just started flatting) and I made it exactly the way you guys did. It came soo well, I’m so thrilled!! I had to come back and write to you! Thank you soo much!!! Yay!! 🙂

    1. Hi Jes,

      Provided your daughter is used to the flavors and “spiciness” of ginger/garlic/onions, this is a wonderful dish for her. The only two ingredients you need to watch out for are the Garam Masala and the Red Chili Powder. You can easily leave those out and make it kid friendly.

        1. Oh, man. I don’t know WHAT I did, but this is HOT. SPICY, SPICY, HOT. I could barely eat it. My lips are still burning. What did I do wrong?? (Except I forgot to leave out the Garam Masala and Red Chili Powder. Is it supposed to be that hot, naturally?) So sad!

          1. Oh no! Sorry to hear that Jes :(.

            Believe it or not, to the untrained (for Indian food) palate, the garam masala and red chili powder really do make a significant difference in the spice level. Other than those two ingredients, nothing else is really spicy. Ginger and garlic do contribute a bit to the spice level but its not significant.

  8. Hi Hetal & Anuja,
    I bought some fresh mushroom hoping to try this recipe, but i left it in the fridge for a week & then when I tried to clean it using wet paper towels it just seemed to peel off/ turn mush & was quite smelly. I threw it out simply because I didn’t know if it was good. Can you please do a tip video on how to clean/ buy good mushrooms? ( I don’t know how to coz my mom never bought/ made them.
    Thank you for all the tips & recipes; it’s a treasure trove for a new bride learning to cook!

  9. hie,
    I tried this today following your recipe to the T. But after 15 mins of cooking on low heat, there was still water left in my pulao and the rice wasnt cooked thru…..any ideas on what went wrong?

      1. yes did ussee basmati and dd cover…but maybe iM just not used to cooking rice on the stove…I always do it in the rice cooker….
        I retried ur recipe in the rice cooker and voila….an excellent meAL 🙂
        looking forward to the many more recipes to come….
        love
        asha

  10. have tried most of ur recipes,all were delish,but tried mashroom pulao today,was a disaster:(,actually i did not have basmati rice so i used regular sona massuri rice( double the measurement) & i did not soak it,cooked 50% in microwave to make it faster,it was all mushy, i know i messed it up big time,can u plz give the measurement for regular rice & the method of cooking it,if basmati not available,plz help

    1. Hi Niki,

      Sorry to hear about your disaster :(. Unfortunately, any pulao or biryani recipe requires Basmati Rice if you want the desirable texture. Some recipes allow you to change them without any major effect on the outcome, however, you changed the cooking process quite a bit with this recipe. If you cannot get Basmati Rice, maybe you can try a small batch with your rice but follow all of the recipe steps exactly — if not the best, you may get better results than this time.

  11. Hi there,

    I regularly watch your recipes and love them all. You both are doing a fab job.

    Only comment is that, can you please refrain yourselves from lengthy talks. Its really difficult to watch your videos for so long. Do take it as a healthy comment rather. Rest as I said, I really enjoy your work and ofcourse your cooking. You guys rock !!!!

  12. dear anuja and hetal

    you’ll seem to have ditched your trademark aprons in your recent videos. i know its none of my business but is there any particular reason?

    1. Hi Mer,
      Are you happy or sad that we gave up the aprons? Depending in that I can give you an answer 😉
      J/K…we have over 350 videos with us wearing the aprons and just thought we’d give it a break… 🙂

  13. I had some mushrooms in my fridge and was looking for a good way to use them when I stumbled upon this recipe. But, after all the prep work I did, I realized the mushrooms had gone bad. So, I made the pulao without mushrooms and increased the amount of bell peppers. It was really yummy. Next time, I will have to try it with mushrooms.

  14. Hi Anuja & Hetal,

    Could you please share some tips about how to clean the mushrooms (do you remove the outer skin of the cap and remove the gills)?

    Warm regards,
    Sahna

    1. Hi Sahna,
      “Fresh mushrooms have a firm texture. They are delicate, highly perishable, and must be handled with care; they are sensitive to hot temperatures and rough shipping. Many varieties of fresh mushrooms are seasonal. Watch out for mushrooms that are moldy or soft. You are looking for them to be clean and firm.

      Avoid overripe mushrooms (shown by wide-open caps and dark, discolored gills underneath) and those with pitted or seriously discolored caps.” – http://whatscookingamerica.net

      Regarding, cleaning, you can either wipe them clean with a moist paper towel or wash them and them wipe them dry before using them. Every part of the mushroom can be used, just chop off the end of the stem so you get a clean line 🙂

      1. Thanks, Anuja…

        Tried this recipe with pre-cleaned (chopped) mushrooms, it came out pretty well. Thanks again!

  15. Hi Hetal and Anuja

    Ah .. so many recipes .. haven’t been seeing them for a month .. was off on a holiday to India .. where to start .. this pulao i suppose …. and the mousse .. minus mangoes .. ha ha … will the canned mushrooms taste this nice .. ’cause I have found that it never loses its texture even after cooking …??

    The chicken koftas also look amazing … slurp ….

    1. Hi Bindu,
      Welcome back, hope you had a great trip 🙂
      We “strongly” suggest you try ALL the recipes, but pl. do try the Mushroom Pulao with fresh mushrooms 🙂
      Enjoy!

  16. hi hetal/anuja

    this jus looks so fabolous i cannot wait to try to it.. can you clarify is mushroom a vegeterian or non vegeterian because some say its a non veg… iam asking this because iam a strict vegeterian… do confirm this factor alone.

    regards
    shobana

    1. Hi Shobana,
      Well, Mushroom is a fungus and grows from soil (like other vegetables) so we would definitely classify it as a vegetarian item. According to us (personal opinion), anything that was moving and living or going to live would be “non-vegetarian”.
      Having said that, we suggest you make the decision and do what you feel is right 🙂

  17. I tried this mushroom pulao today..it came out very well,yummy …..i just used canned mushroom,since i ncouldnt find fresh ones..but it tasted goood.
    thank u for your good recipe.

  18. I remember in High school my Pakistani friend made a Pulao dish but it had peas, carrots, and cashews (probably had some more veggies in it) and it was really good. I tried cooking with Cashew but it never turned out right. at least looking at this it gives me an idea how to go about preparing a good Pulao dish.

  19. Now that’s called yummy pulao :)….it looks super delicious…Thanks to both of you for sharing awesome, easy and yumm recipes…

    Btw, have been wanting to ask you guys about the kadai…where did you guys buy it from?…Thanks…

  20. hi hetal and anuja,
    thanks for the awesome recipe…
    can u show me or recipe ‘ HOW TO MAKE CAKE RUSK” my kids love it please help me with this recipe… thankssss

  21. Hi Hetal and Anuja,
    Thanks for the awesome recipe.
    I would appreciate if you could show some corn recipes as they are in season now and I dont know how to use it in different ways. Thanks.

  22. hi Hetel and Anuja,

    This is an awesome reciepe. Going to try it today, and it is worth mentioning that u both look superb, Anuja u have reduced so much weight, give us some tips. You guys are rocking and keep going.

  23. What about cardamom popping? They can really fly when they pop!! It’s good to snap them before you put them in the oil.

  24. Hi Ladies

    Your webpages used to offer printer friendly option. I no longer see it. I get all the comments plus recipe when I click “print” on my tool bar.

    Love you and your recipes.

    thanks
    grace m.

    1. Hi Grace,

      Sorry, we were having some issues with our “Share the Knowledge” toolbar. It’s back now…please try again 🙂

  25. simple yet awesome delicious recipe. Had it for lunch today and it instantly pleased my pregnant stomach with too many cravings.. hehe… thank you both for giving all these recipes to enjoy…

  26. Hetal & Anuja, tried this for lunch…It cameout superb. Excellent Pulao with simple ingredients.

    I too have the same pan from Bed Bath & Beyond. I made Mushroom pulao in that pan. Measurements are perfect.

  27. awesome recipe.I love mushrooms and I make similar to this.However, lemon juice salt with mushrooms was new to me..Cant believe we are actually making a delicious dish out of a fungus..;) Will definitely give it a try soon..Thanks guys..Great work..

  28. How to make out whether mushrooms are fresh when buying them?The wooden platform seen is that achopping board and of which brand?

    1. Hi Alka,

      “Fresh mushrooms have a firm texture. They are delicate, highly perishable, and must be handled with care; they are sensitive to hot temperatures and rough shipping. Many varieties of fresh mushrooms are seasonal. Watch out for mushrooms that are moldy or soft. You are looking for them to be clean and firm.

      Avoid overripe mushrooms (shown by wide-open caps and dark, discolored gills underneath) and those with pitted or seriously discolored caps.” – http://whatscookingamerica.net

      The Cutting Board is a bamboo one and “TruBamboo”.

  29. What kind of mushroom is that? Can you do a tip video on different kinds of mushrooms, which one tastes best and what each one can be used for? Thanks

  30. When you use red chili powder, is it plain cayenne pepper or the chili powder that is used to make “chili”.

    1. Hi Shrikanth,
      We use Red Chilli powder as both of us like our food a little on the spicy side 😉 but if you prefer not to, by all means use Cayanne pepper, which is more for color. For this recipe, you can skip it altogether 🙂

      1. Just to clarify: in the US, cayenne is the spicy, ground pepper. Chili powder is mostly paprika with other spices used for Tex-Mex style chili. I had a friend visiting from India, and after several amusing minutes in the kitchen (she was teaching me to make Chhole!) we realized that what she called chili powder was what I called cayenne.

        If you buy cayenne in an Indian grocer, it will say chili powder. Otherwise, look for cayenne.

        Happy eating!

    1. Hi there,
      Unfortunately, that is one topic we do not know a whole lot about and are certainly no authority! Thanks for the compliment, but sorry, wish we could help…. 🙁

  31. Thanks, it’s working now. Such a colorful dish! Thanks, I did not know how to steep the mushrooms with salt and lemon juice. With your videos, we always get to learn something new.
    Can u please let me know where I can get the wooden roti/garlic press which you used in the tilgul recipe. Thanks.

    1. Hi Minal,

      You people are making me tax my old brains 😉 ….really can’t remember where I got that garlic press – here (Indian Store in the USA) or in India 🙁

  32. This looks so simple yet so delicious….will definitely try this one….thanks a ton for all the wonderful recipes 🙂

      1. Hie,
        Now the video is working thanks!
        You guys are looking so pretty in the video!! Easy recipe too!
        Just tried the veg biriyani today….turned out awesome!
        Thanks for the wonderful recipes…keep posting
        One request-please post some tasty diet food…you guys can make anything tasty!I tried out the daliya and khus khus salads and they were awesome! even my husband liked them..

        1. Hi Asha,
          Thanks for the compliment 🙂
          We have a lot of foods that help when you want to eat healthy:
          Koshambri
          Koshambir
          Zucchini Salad
          But our suggestion would be to eat in moderation and exercise 🙂

  33. Hi,

    How come i can’t access this video? It keeps coming up as being a private video. Is that intentional?
    Thanks.
    G

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