Mushroom Brown Rice

 

 

"Brown" Rice was made in my family way before we discovered brown Basmati. This "brown" rice was actually a traditional Parsi rice, which gets the characteristic brown color by caramelizing onions. I modified the original recipe to include mushrooms. I also added a San Francisco style Rice-a-Roni touch by adding some angel hair pasta.

 

I think this addition worked beautifully. This is a very mild rice. So serve with a spicy curry as an accompaniment.

 

Mushroom Brown Rice

Mushroom and caramelized Onions Pilaf

Ingredients

1/4 cup Angel Hair Pasta

1 cup Basmati Rice

1 1/2 cup sliced baby portbella mushrooms
1/2 tsp coriander-cumin powder

Tempering
1/2 tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp sugar
1 cups, thinly sliced onion

2 bay leaves

A small pinch of turmeric powder (Optional)

 

 

salt to taste

Roast together and crush using mortar and pestle -

1" cinnamon

3 cloves

2 cardamoms

Method

1. Wash and soak rice till ready to use.

2. Heat oil in a pressure cooker or heavy bottomed saucepan.. Add sugar. Then add sliced onions with bay leaves. Keep stirring on a low flame till onions are brown. This is what will give the characteristic "brown" color to the brown rice. So make sure that it doesn't burn but is uniformly brown.
3. Add pasta and roast for 1 minute. Add rice and roast for another minute.
4. Roast the spices in a separate pan and crush them using mortar and pestle. Make sure they are not powdered.

5. Add crushed spices, turmeric powder - if using,  coriander-cumin powder and salt to the onions. Stir well.

5. Add mushrooms. Sauté till all the moisture is gone. Add 2 cups water.

6. Increase the flame. Adjust salt. Bring to boil. As the water boils, close the lid of the pressure cooker. Put on the pressure. and reduce the flame. After 2 whistles, switch off the gas. If using a saucepan, switch the gas flame to medium - low and cover and let it cook.

7. When the pressure drops completely, open the lid. Fluff the rice with a fork.

Note -

1. Make sure that the spices are just crushed slightly and not powdered to get the right flavor.
2. Turmeric powder - if using - is added in a miniscule quantity as the color of this rice should be caramel brown and not yellow.
3. For richer flavor & non-vegan variation,  use clarified butter/ghee for cooking.

 

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