Mushroom and Paneer generally end up being on top of the list when you look for vegetarian starters or side-dishes. What I love about mushrooms is that it really absorbs the flavours of the dish it’s added into. Also, you can either cook it such that it becomes really tender and soft or you can cook it in a way that it retains it’s crunchiness.
This mushroom masala is a thick gravy which is mildly spicy and quite aromatic. It pairs really well with plain rice, pulao or rotis. Kids and adults will enjoy this as part of a meal. It doesn’t involve any long cooking process and can be made quickly. You can even prepare the gravy ahead in time and then just add the mushrooms, cream and final seasonings when you want to get the curry ready.
Mushroom Masala
Course: Vegetable4
servings30
minutes40
minutes1
hour10
minutesA perfect vegetarian side-dish with rice or rotis.
Ingredients
Oil/Butter
Onion – 1, chopped
Tomatoes – 2, chopped
Garlic – 5-6 cloves
Ginger – 1/2 inch piece, cut into 2-3
Cashews – 10-12
Green chilli – 1
Coriander leaves – a handful, chopped
Bay leaf – 1
Cardamom – 1
Cloves – 2
Cinnamon – 1/2 inch piece
Chilli powder – 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder – 3/4 tsp
Garam masala powder – 3/4 tsp
Salt as per taste
Mushrooms – 200 gms, quartered
Kasuri methi – 1 tsp
Fresh cream – 1/4 cup
Coriander leaves for garnish
Directions
- In oil/butter, saute the onions till translucent. Remove it from heat and let it cool down a little.
- Add the onions along with the tomatoes, ginger, garlic cashews, green chilli and coriander leaves to a blender jar and puree well.
- Into the same pan in which you cooked onions, add a little more oil/butter.
- Add the whole spices (bay leaf, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon) and once they have spluttered, add the dry spices – chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder.
- Keep on low flame and stir continuously.
- Add the onion-tomato paste along with salt and cook till the raw smell is no longer there and the masala is fragrant.
- Add the mushrooms to this and stir it well. Add some water, if needed, to make it a thick gravy.
- Once it has boiled for a couple of minutes, add the crushed kasuri methi and fresh cream and mix well. Adjust the salt to your taste.
- Finally garnish with some coriander leaves and serve hot with plain rice, jeera rice, pulao or rotis.
