Mushroom Pulao

Mushroom pulao is a quick, easy and tasty pulao variant made with white button mushrooms, basmati rice, coconut milk, aromatics and herbs. While I share the recipe in a stovetop pressure cooker, you can easily make it in a pan or in the Instant Pot. The recipe comes together in about 45 minutes and makes for a comforting, healthy lunch or dinner.

This mushroom pilaf is a vegetarian version of Goan pulao and one of those recipes that is often made at home. The recipe is similar to the Goan prawn pulao my mom would make – minus the prawns but delicious.

This is a simple, quick and extremely tasty pulao. It is a handy recipe when you have little time or are tired to cook and yet long for comforting homemade food.

I have used button mushrooms in the pulao. Though you can use any variety of fresh or dried edible mushrooms. You could also make this pulao with mixed veggies of your choice instead of mushrooms.

Together with the mushrooms, you can add some veggies like green peas, potatoes, carrots, corn, broccoli, cauliflower, capsicum (bell pepper) and baby corn.

The addition of coconut milk in the pulao, gives it a rich taste. Though if you do not have coconut milk, just add water or vegetable stock. At times when there is no coconut milk, I add water and prepare the mushroom pulao.

Serve this Goan style mushroom pulao plain or with a side of onion-lemon salad or veggie salad or raita.

How to make Mushroom Pulao

1. Pick, rinse and soak 1.5 cups of rice for 20 to 30 minutes. When the rice is getting soaked, chop all the onions, tomatoes, potatoes, green chilies. Rinse and chop the mushrooms too. After 20 to 30 minutes, drain all the water and keep the soaked rice aside.

I have used basmati rice here. But you can use long-grained rice or even any variety of non-sticky rice.

2. In a stovetop pressure cooker, heat 3 tablespoons of oil. You can use coconut oil or sunflower oil or any neutral-flavored oil. You can also use ghee for a richer taste.

Add the following whole garam masala and saute till they splutter and become fragrant:

• 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf)
• 3 green cardamoms
• 4 to 5 cloves
• 6 to 7 black pepper
• 1 to 1.5 inches cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds – optional

3. Next add 1 medium-sized sliced onions (approx about ⅓ to ½ cup sliced or chopped onions).

4. Stir and saute the onions on low to medium heat till they become light golden. Keep stirring often from time to time so that the onions are cooked evenly.

5. Then add ½ tablespoon ginger-garlic paste or crushed ginger-garlic.

6. Saute for a few seconds or till the raw aroma of the ginger-garlic goes away.

7. Add 1 medium-sized chopped tomato (about ⅓ cup chopped tomatoes), 1 to 2 chopped green chilies and 1 medium-sized peeled and chopped potato. The addition of potato is optional and can be skipped.

You can also add about ⅓ cup of green peas or other veggies at this step.

8. Stir and saute for a minute.

9. Now add the sliced or chopped button mushrooms (200 to 250 grams).

10. Mix and saute for 4 to 5 minutes on low to medium heat.

Cooking mushroom pulao

11. Add the soaked rice.

12. Saute the rice for 1 minute stirring gently on low heat.

13. Add 1 cup thick coconut milk.

14. Next add 1.5 to 1.75 cups of water. The amount of water required depends upon the quality of rice used and whether you have soaked the rice earlier or not.

Usually, 1.5 cups of basmati rice that has been soaked for 20 to 30 minutes before, requires about 2.5 cups of water if you want separate grains. For a slightly more cooked texture, you can add 2.75 to 3 cups of water.

Since we have added 1 cup of thick coconut milk, you only need to add 1.5 to 1.75 cups of water. So the total liquid proportion comes to 2.5 to 2.75 cups.

15. Stir and mix very well.

16. Now season with salt as per taste. Mix again. Check the taste of the broth and it should taste slightly salty.

17. Pressure cook the mushroom pilaf for 2 to 3 whistles or for 9 to 10 minutes. If using 3-liter cooker, pressure cook for 2 whistles and for a 2 litre cooker, pressure cook for 3 whistles.

18. When the pressure settles down on its own in the cooker, then only remove the lid. Gently fluff with a fork.

19. Serve mushroom pulao hot or warm with sliced onions and lime. You could also have it with onion-tomato raita and roasted papad.

More delicious rice recipes !

• Pulao – vegetable pulao is a one-pot dish made with rice and mix vegetables.
• Peas pulao – aromatic and tasty matar pulao recipe from the Punjabi cuisine.
• Mushroom rice – an easy and quick recipe of mushroom rice made in european style.
• Mushroom biryani – spicy and tasty vegetarian biryani with mushrooms from the Chettinad cuisine.
• Mushroom fried rice – a stir fried Chinese style fried rice with mushrooms.

This Mushroom Pulao post from the blog archives first published in September 2010 has been republished and updated on 3 September 2021.