Morel Mushroom Rice Pulao
I never knew morel mushrooms are used in Indian cuisine. I was talking to my Mom about cooking for some friends who are vegetarian and I wanted to make a rice dish with mushrooms. She told me about how many years ago, this rice dish was served at very fancy weddings. Especially since morels are and were very expensive to buy so only the very wealthy could afford to serve them.
I was very surprised to hear that morels are used back home- I usually associate the mushrooms with Italian cuisine. Anyway, she explained to me how the rice dish is made and I replicated it with very good results. I used dried morels and reconstituted them in some hot water. I also managed to find mushroom broth which elevated the flavor factor by many notches.
Overall, it was a delicious dish- especially served with a variety of vegetarian dishes.
- .5 oz dried morels
- 2 cups hot water
Soak the morels in the hot water for 40 minutes. Take the mushrooms out and chop. Put the liquid through a sieve to take away any dirt. Keep aside.
- 2 teaspoons ghee
- 1 teaspoon extra light olive oil
- 2 teaspoons black cumin seeds (shahi zeera)
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced thin
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 cups mushroom broth
Heat a wide frying pan with the ghee and oil. Add the black cumin seeds and sauté for 20 seconds on medium heat. Add the sliced onion and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the dry rice and sauté for a minute. Add the morel and mushroom broth (4 cups). Bring to a boil and add the salt. Lower the heat to medium and cook for about 5 minutes. Lower the heat once the broth has evaporated from the surface. Cover and lower the heat and cook for 15 minutes. Turn the heat off and let sit for 10 minutes.
