MUSHROOM XACUTI

 MUSHROOM XACUTI

In my house, we like dishes made with mushrooms. Apart from being tasty, it is well-known that mushrooms have several health benefits. They are low in calories but have lots of vitamins and antioxidants.

They are fast to cook and are commonly used in different parts of India.  Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for mushroom dishes, such as:-

• Mushroom Bhuthi
• Mushroom Pepper Fry
• Mushroom Kurma
• Mushroom Pulao

Today's recipe is from Goa. It is for a dish called Xacuti which is pronounced as "sha-kuti". It is a curry made with spices, poppy seeds, coconut and dried red chillies.  We can make this with chicken, mutton, vegetables, mushrooms etc. 

Today, I have made Xacuti using button mushrooms. This has been adapted from Goan Mushroom Xacuti in the popular website, Archana's Kitchen. 

We enjoyed this with peas pulao.

 Ingredients:-

• Button Mushrooms, 400 gms
• Onions, 2
• Ginger, 1" piece
• Garlic Cloves, 4
• Turmeric Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Oil, 1 + 1 tbsp 
• Salt, to taste
• Coriander Leaves, 2 tbsp  for garnish

For Xacuti Spice Mix:-

• Byadgi Red Chillies, 5
• Poppy Seeds, 1 tbsp
• Fennel Seeds, 1 tsp
• Cloves ( Laung),  3
• Cinnamon, 1 " stick
• Black Peppercorns. 1 tbsp
• Cumin Seeds, 1 tsp
• Coriander Seeds, 1 tbsp
• Fenugreek Seeds (Methi) 1/2 tsp
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1/2 cup
• Tamarind, 30 grams or lemon sized ball 

Method:-

Clean the button mushrooms thoroughly and dab them dry with a clean kitchen towel

Slice the mushrooms and keep aside

Finely chop the onions, ginger, garlic cloves, and coriander leaves

In a pan, dry roast the poppy seeds, fennel seeds, cloves, cinnamon, black peppercorns, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and fenugreek seeds for 2 to 3 minutes on low flame, till the spices get roasted and give off a good aroma

Switch off the gas, keep aside and allow it to cool

In the same pan, add 1 tbsp of oil and when it is heated add the onions, ginger, and garlic

Saute for 3 to 4 minutes till the onions become soft and slightly brown

Add the fresh coconut gratings and roast for 1 minute till it turns slightly brown

Switch off the gas and allow this to cool

Transfer all these roasted ingredients to a mixer jar

Add 1/2 to 3/4 cups of water, little by little, and grind these to a smooth paste. Keep aside

In a pan, heat 1 tbsp of oil and on medium heat add the sliced button mushrooms, salt, and turmeric powder and sauté for a few minutes till the mushrooms shrink and start leaving water 

To this add the freshly ground paste, mix well and add and water as required to get the desired consistency

Cover and bring to a boil and then let it simmer for about 5 minutes

Switch off the gas and garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves 

Serve Mushroom Xacuti with Peas Pulao