Mushroom Pulao

Ingredients

2 cups of sliced mushrooms
2 cups of basmati rice
1 cup of thinly sliced onions
1/4 cup of shredded carrot (optional)
A bunch of mint and cilantro
2 tbsp of lemon juice
1 tbsp of cumin
5-6 whole back pepper
2-3 cloves
Cardamon 1/2 tsp
1 inch piece of cinnamon stick
3 pods of garlic
A small piece of ginger
2 small bay leaves
Ghee or clarified butter 3 tbsp
Roasted cashews or walnuts
Salt

Wash rice well with water and soak it for 15 - 20 minutes. For a cup of basmati rice, add 1 1/2 cups of water, add chopped mint and cilantro leaves, cumin, lemon juice, a tsp of salt and 1 tbsp ghee. Cook until the rice is done and should not be sticky. Cook rice either in an electric rice cooker or a microwaveable rice cooker with right amount of water. Heat 1 tbsp of ghee in a pan, add bay leaves, chopped ginger, garlic, onions and saute until the onion turns to golden brown. Add sliced mushrooms and let it cook for 5 minutes. Add little bit of salt to the vegetables and to give kick, a pinch or two red chilli powder can also be added. Meanwhile dry roast peppercorns, cloves, cardamon, cinnamon stick and crush it with a mortar and pestle and mix the powder to the cooked vegetables and atlast toss all the mixture with the rice. Roast cashews/ walnuts in the remaining ghee and garnish.