The vegetarian version of jadoh — rice cooked with local mushrooms and aromatic herbs in the same one-pot style. Made for non-meat eating family members during Khasi feasts, the mushroom provides the umami depth that pork would in the original.
Ingredients
2 cups raw rice — washed
250 g fresh mushrooms — sliced (any variety; local wild mushrooms or oyster mushrooms preferred)
3 cups water or vegetable stock
2 tbsp oil
1 large onion — finely chopped
6 garlic cloves — finely chopped
1 inch ginger — finely grated
2 green chilli — slit
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp black pepper — coarsely ground
2 bay leaf
salt to taste
spring onions and coriander for garnish
Method
Heat oil and cook onion: Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wide, heavy pot on medium. Add finely chopped onion. Cook 8 minutes until golden.
Add garlic and ginger: Add finely chopped garlic and grated ginger. Stir 2 minutes.
Add mushrooms: Add sliced mushrooms. Stir to coat with the onion mixture. Cook on medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes until the mushrooms release their moisture and begin to fry in the oil.
Add spices and chilli: Add turmeric, coarsely ground black pepper, bay leaves and slit green chilli. Stir 1 minute.
Add washed rice: Add the washed, drained rice directly to the pot. Stir gently to combine with the mushroom mixture. Cook stirring for 2 minutes.
Add liquid and salt: Add 3 cups water or vegetable stock. Add salt. Stir once. Bring to a full boil on high heat.
Cook covered on lowest heat: Once boiling, reduce to the absolute lowest heat. Cover tightly. Cook for 20 minutes.
Rest covered: Turn off heat. Keep covered 5 minutes.
Check and fluff: Open the lid. The rice should be fully cooked and all liquid absorbed. Fluff gently with a fork.
Serve: Garnish with spring onions and chopped coriander. Serve as the vegetarian alternative at Khasi feasts.
Note: This vegetarian version of jadoh is made for family members who do not eat meat during Khasi community feasts. The one-pot cooking technique is identical to the pork jadoh — only the protein changes. Local wild mushrooms from the Meghalayan forests provide umami depth similar to pork, making this a complete alternative. The mushroom jadoh is also a popular option at Shillong restaurants catering to vegetarian visitors.