Mushroom Biriyani

I am really excited today. Getting the house in order and setting my mom's room. You may wonder why! She's coming back from India tomorrow! I was looking in my refrigerator last night and guess what, I found..2 packages of mushrooms, Baby Bella and Chanterelles.  My mom doesn't eat mushrooms, but I love them in all sizes and shapes. Well I can't use them much with my mom around, so I cooked the mushroom and soy nuggets(meal maker) with aromatic basmati rice in coconut milk.. oh the smell of rice and  coconut milk!

Ingredients:

1 Cup Basmati rice, soaked in water for 20 minutes
2 Tablespoon olive oil
2 bay leaves
1 medium onion, sliced thin
1 green chili, sliced
1 Cup sliced mushroom
1/4 Cup soy nuggets(meal maker), rinsed soaked in hot water
salt to taste
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1 Cup coconut milk
1 Cup water

Masala:

1/2 inch cinnamon stick
2 cloves
1 cardamom
1 star anise
1 mace
1/4 spoon poppy seed
1/4 spoon fennel seed
2 green chili

Method:

1. Pound the ingredients for masala in a mortar or blend together in a mixer. Keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan. Add bay leaves and 1/4 teaspoon fennel seed.
3. Add the ground masala and saute for a minute.
4. Add sliced onion and chili. Saute till translucent.
5. Squeeze out the water from the soy nuggets, add to the pan and saute for 3 minutes.
6. Add mushroom and saute till all moisture leaves, about 5 minutes.