Mushroom Pulao with Chicken

What you will see here is a variation on a ShowMeTheCurry.com recipe, thank you!

Ingredients:
mushrooms, washed and sliced
2 cups basmati rice
chicken breasts/tenderloins/whatever, bite-sized
~1 1/2 cups frozen peas
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
oil
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
5 cloves
3 green cardamom
~1.5 Tbs. jeera (cumin seeds)
~1 Tbs. canoji (onion seeds)
~1 Tbs. minced garlic
~1 Tbs. grated ginger
1 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tsp. red chili powder (or to taste)
salt (to taste)

Directions:
1. Soak basmati rice in water in a bowl. Make sure that it has ~1/2 hour to sit.
2. In a large pot, bring 7-8 cups of water to a boil with salt. Add the mushrooms to the pot. Cover, reduce heat, and let cook for 8-10 min.
3. Collect 4 cups of mushroom water from the pot. Set the mushrooms aside in a separate bowl.4. In a skillet, heat up oil. Add the cardamom, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and cloves.
5. When the cinnamon stick separates, simultaneously add the jeera and the onion seeds.
6. When the simmer of the jeera and onion seeds reduces, add and stir the garlic and ginger.
7. Add mushrooms and stir-fry.
8. Add the chicken. Stir fry and let cook for a few minutes. Don't cook through yet.
9. Add the rice.10. Add garam masala, salt, and red chili powder.
11. Add red pepper and peas. I'm lazy, so I just throw them in frozen. It's fine.
12. Add the 4 cups of mushroom water from step 3 (for every cup of rice you use you'll need 2 cups of water). Place a lid on the skillet, reduce the heat, and let cook for ~15 minutes.
13. Remove lid. C'est tout!


Call me an American, but I like to add parmesan cheese when I eat this. I know, I know... that's equivalent to asking for ketchup at a steakhouse. Well, I'm a woman of truth, and I tell no lies. My truth here is my love for parmesan cheese. Drizzle it and prepare yourself for a warmed soul that will leave you running back for more.