MUSHROOM CURRY

 MUSHROOM CURRY 

Button mushrooms have become very popular in India over the last couple of decades. They are readily available and many have acquired a taste for them. At our home, we make dishes from mushrooms quite often as they are considered good for health in many ways. 

You will find many recipes for mushroom dishes elsewhere in this blog, including :-

• Mushroom Kurma, 
• Mushroom Mint Pulao,
• Matar Mushroom. 

Today's recipe is for a gravy made with mushrooms which I have adapted from Mushroom Curry in Swasthi's Indian Healthy Recipes

We had this with jeera rice and it was delicious! 

Ingredients:-

• Button Mushrooms, 200 gms
• Small sized Capsicum, 1
• Large sized Onion, 1
• Medium sized Tomatoes, 2  for the tomato puree  
• Turmeric, 1/4 tsp 
• Curry Leaves, 1 sprig
• Green Chilli, slit, 1
• Cumin Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Ginger Garlic Paste, 1 tsp
• Chilli Powder, 1 tsp or to taste 
• Kitchen King Masala, 1/4 tsp
• Kasuri Methi ( Dried Fenugreek Leaves), 1 tsp
• Oil, 2 tbsp
• Salt, to taste
• Coriander leaves, finely chopped, for garnish 

To Dry Roast and Make A Powder: 

• Peanuts, 2 tbsp
• Sesame Seeds, 1 tbsp
• Coconut Gratings, 1 tbsp

Method:-

Wash the button mushrooms, dab them dry and slice them

Chop the capsicum into cubes

Finely chop the onions 

Prepare a puree out of the tomatoes

In a kadhai, dry roast the peanuts till they change colour and give off a good aroma

Lower the heat, add sesame seeds and sauté till they splutter 

Switch off the gas, add the coconut gratings and sauté 

Allow the dry roasted ingredients to cool then transfer them to a small mixer jar

Grind them to a powder and keep aside 

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in the kadhai,  add the sliced mushrooms and sauté on high heat for 2-3 minutes in its own juices till it gives off a good aroma. Keep aside

In the same kadhai add the capsicum cubes and sauté till they get partially cooked yet remain crunchy. Take care not to overcook them. Keep aside

Heat the remaining 1 tbsp of oil in the kadhai, and on medium heat add the cumin seeds and when they sizzle add the curry leaves and sauté for a few seconds

To this add the finely chopped onions and the slit green chilli

Sauté till the onions become slightly golden 

Now add the ginger garlic paste, and sauté till the raw smell goes

Add the prepared tomato puree, salt and turmeric powder and mix well 

Cook on medium heat stirring from time to time till the raw smell of the tomatoes goes 

Next add the roasted peanut-sesame-coconut powder prepared earlier and chilli powder to taste

Saute for 1-2 minutes

Add 1 and 1/2 cups of water, mix well and bring to a boil

Lower the heat and and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes till the gravy thickens

Check for salt and add only if required

Now add the sautéed mushroom and capsicum and mix again 

Add the crushed Kasuri Methi and Kitchen King masala

Cook till the mushrooms and the capsicum get fully done but remain firm 

Switch off the gas and garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves

Transfer to serving bowl

Serve with pulao, jeera rice or rotis