View of a serving of mushroom pulao in a bowl.

Mushroom Pulao

This Indian rice dish stars saffron-infused U.S.-grown basmati rice cooked with whole spices, aromatics, and veggies. Similar to biryani, but with a much simpler cooking process, this warm and comforting meal is vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free.

This recipe comes to us from our friend Anisha of Upbeet Anisha in partnership with USA Rice and Thefeedfeed.

  • Servings
    4
  • Serving Size
    1 bowl
  • Prep Time
    30 min
  • Cook Time
    35 min
  • Total Time
    1 hr 5 min

Ingredients

  • 1 cup white basmati rice 
  • 7-8 strands of saffron
  • 2 tablespoons oat milk, or another unsweetened non-dairy milk 
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil, or another neutral oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 
  • 2 green cardamom pods
  • 4-5 cloves
  • 5 black peppercorns
  • 1-inch piece of cinnamon
  • 2 bay leaves 
  • ½ red onion, sliced
  • 1-inch ginger, minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 green chilis, minced
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder 
  • 5 medium cremini or baby bella mushrooms, cut into 1/2-inch thick pieces
  • ½ cup frozen peas, thawed
  • 2 cups water 
  • ¼ cup raisins
  • 1 tablespoon vegan butter

Directions

  • To prepare the rice: Soak rice in cold water for 20-30 minutes to reduce the cooking time. Simultaneously, soak saffron in oat milk. Set aside. 
  • Heat a medium pot over medium heat and add oil. When oil is hot, add all the whole spices: cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, and bay leaves. Stir for a couple of minutes.
  • Add onions. Cook for about 6-7 minutes, slightly past the point when the onions start turning translucent. Add ginger, garlic, and green chilis. Stir frequently for a few minutes. 
  • Add red chili powder, salt, and tomatoes. Cook until the tomato juices mostly evaporate, which should take about 4-5 minutes. 
  • Add mushrooms and peas. Stir until mushrooms are almost cooked. 
  • Drain rice and add it in. Stir with just the rice for a minute or two. Add water. Increase heat to medium-high until it starts to bubble at the surface. Reduce to medium-low, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes. Add saffron about halfway through cooking time.
  • After it is done cooking, let it sit covered but off of the heat for 10 minutes. 
  • Before serving, fry raisins: Add vegan butter to a small pan over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add raisins and stir occasionally for about 5 minutes. 
  • Serve the pulao with raisins, cilantro, and unsweetened yogurt of choice.