Thalappakatti Biryani is a famous Biryani from the Dindigul region in Tamil Nadu. This mushroom biryani has been adapted from the biryani recipe made by the famous Thalappakatti Restaurant. The original recipe calls for using either mutton or chicken. Since I cook only vegetarian, I have used mushrooms in this recipe.
Thalappakatti Biryani is extremely flavourful mainly because of the spices that go in. Also, authentic Thalappakatti Biryani uses Seeraga Samba Rice. Seeraga Samba Rice has its own unique taste and flavour which adds to the lovely taste of this Biryani. This Mushroom Biryani may not be the authentic Thalappakatti Biryani but came pretty close in terms of look and taste.
A couple of years back, I watched a show where they made Thalappakatti Chicken Biryani. I had noted down the recipe and tried using vegetables in its place. It turned out delicious. I have adjusted the spices and modified the recipe according to my taste preferences. This Thalappakatti Mushroom Biryani is not very spicy. It is not loaded with too much masala. It’s a very simple recipe with fewer spices and easy to prepare. This biryani tastes best with some simple raita.
Points to Note
1) Use Seeraga Samba Rice for the best results. If it’s not available, you can use Basmati Rice.
2)If any of the spices are not available to make the spice powder, you can skip it. But using all the spices, especially stone flower/kalpasi gives a unique flavour to the Biryani.
3)This is not a very spicy biryani. You can adjust the spices to your requirements.
4)To make this in the pressure cooker, you can cook for 2 whistles on medium flame or 1 whistle on low flame and it should work.
5)You can use vegetables, paneer, soya chunks, egg or meat in this recipe.
6)Add water according to the rice that you use. The ratio varies from rice to rice. I have used a 1: 2 ratio.
Step by Step Instruction
1) Grind cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, star anise, stone flower, peppercorns, mace, cashews. Make a fine powder.
2) Make a fine paste of green chillies, small onion, garlic, ginger.
3) Wash and soak 1 cup Seeraga Samba Rice in enough water for 15 minutes.
4) Slice 250 gms mushrooms and keep it aside. Finely chop a handful of mint leaves and coriander leaves and keep it aside.
5) In a heavy bottom pan, add oil, ghee. Once hot, add the ginger garlic onion green chilli paste. Cook till raw smell disappears.
6) Add the freshly ground spice powder and saute.
7) Add the chopped mushrooms and saute for 2-3 minutes.
8) Add half of finely chopped mint and coriander leaves. Saute for a minute.
9) Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder. Saute till the spices get well mixed. Once the oil separates, add 1/4 cup curd. Add salt. Mix well.
10) Cook for a minute. Add 2 cups of water. Adjust spice and salt. Once the water boils well, add the soaked and drained rice. Give a mix. Add 1 tsp lemon juice.
11) Close the pan and let it be on medium flame. Open in between and give a mix. Let it remain closed till most of the rice and water blends well.
12) Preheat a dosa tawa. Once the rice and water blend well, move the pan on top of the dosa tawa. Add the remaining mint and coriander leaves on top of it.
13) Close the lid and keep it on sim/lowest flame for 12 mins.
14) Switch off after 12 minutes. Let it stay for 5 minutes. Open. Fluff gently. Serve hot.
15) Thalappakatti Mushroom Biryani is ready. Enjoy your meal!
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Thalappakatti Mushroom Biryani
Ingredients
For the Spice Powder
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1 inch Cinnamon
- 2 Cloves
- 2 Cardamom
- 1 Star Anise
- 1 tsp Fennel Seeds
- 1 Mace strand
- 6 Pepper corn
- 1 tsp Stone Flower/Kalpasi
- 5 Cashewnuts
For the Paste
- 1 inch Ginger
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 2 Green Chilli
- 10 Small Onions/Shallots
For the Biryani
- 1 cup Seeraga Samba Rice
- 2 cups Water
- 250 grams Mushroom
- 1 tbsp Oil
- 1 tbsp Ghee
- Handful Mint Leaves Finely Chopped
- Handful Coriander Leaves Finely Chopped
- 1/2 tsp Coriander Powder
- 1/2 tsp Cumin Powder
- 1&1/2 tsp Chilli Powder
- Salt as needed
- 1/4 cup Curd
- 1 tsp Lemon Juice
Instructions
- Wash and soak Seeraga Samba Rice in enough water for 15 minutes.
- Make a fine powder of the ingredients under "For the Spice Powder" section.
- Make a fine paste of small onions, ginger, garlic, green chilli by adding little water.
- In a heavy bottomed pan, add oil and ghee. Once hot , add the onion garlic paste.
- Saute and cook till raw smell goes away.
- Add the spice powder. Cook for a minute.
- Add the chopped mushrooms. Saute for 2 minutes.
- Add half of the chopped mint and coriander leaves. Mix well and cook for a minute.
- Add the cumin, coriander, chilli powder. Saute well.
- When oil separates, add the curd.
- Mix well. Add the required salt. Let it cook for a minute.
- Add 2 cups of water. Check for salt and spice. Adjust if needed.
- Once water boils well, add the soaked and drained rice. Mix well. Add 1 tsp lemon juice.
- Close the pan and let the rice cook. Open in between and give a gentle mix. Make sure the flame is on medium.
- Preheat a dosa tawa for dum cooking.
- Meanwhile once the rice and water almost blends together, switch off the flame. Transfer the pan on top of the dosa tawa.
- Add the remaining mint and coriander leaves. Close the pan and keep it on sim or lowest flame for 12 minutes.
- Switch off after 12 minutes. Let it remain undisturbed for 5 minutes.
- Open, gently fluff the rice and serve hot.
Hi Gayatri…just went through your blog n it’s awesome. Your passion for food & hardwork behind is clearly shown here. Loved the recipe & good luck to u.
Thank you so much 🙂
Hello Gayathri, I am huge fan of Thalapakati and made this Mushroom Biryani – thalapakati style, and I loved the flavor.. My kitchen was filled with amazing aroma of spices !! Thank you for sharing the recipe, this version is a super hit ❤️
Thank you so much Sudha for trying this recipe. Glad you liked it 🙂