Featured in GoodFood India Magazine – April 2012. (Top 3 recipe, selected under the Himalya Mushroom recipe contest for April)
Mushrooms are nutritional powerhouses and a great source of antioxidants. For vegetarians, mushrooms are a wonderful alternative to meat. They are extremely versatile and I love the earthy flavor they so liberally exude. Healthy and tasty…now how many veggies can lay claim to that title? It’s no surprise that mushrooms rank among my top veggies. I mostly toss them into omelets or into a bowl of pasta, but the Indian mushroom gravies are another thing altogether! This one uses green chillies and cashews and is a rich accompaniment to Naan or rotis. Try this out if you can stomach the heat and I promise you won’t regret it!
Kumbh Badami Mirch
Prep and Cooking time: 30 mins
Serves: 4
What you need:
200 gms Button Mushrooms (quartered)
15 Cashew nuts
4 Green Chilies
1 Onion (finely chopped)
¾ tsp Garlic paste
¼ tsp Turmeric
A pinch of Garam Masala
A handful of Cilantro/ Coriander leaves
5 tsp Refined Oil (Sunflower/ Peanut)
Salt to taste
Garnish:
Juice of half a Lemon
Lemon Wedges
Coriander leaves
What to do:
Grind – Chillies, Coriander leaves and Cashew nuts with ¼ glass water to get a thick paste. Sauté the mushrooms in 2 tsps of Oil for 3 mins. Don’t let them lose all their water and shrivel up. Aim for plump but soft mushrooms. Keep aside. Add the remaining oil, sauté the chopped onion until soft and translucent. Add the garlic paste and sauté for another minute. Now add the turmeric and garam masala and sauté for another 2 mins. Add in the chili-coriander paste and sauté till incorporated. Toss in the mushrooms, season with salt and mix well. Lower the flame. Add water as required, to make the gravy. Let the gravy come to boil. Turn off the heat. Garnish with the juice of ½ lemon and coriander leaves. Serve hot with rotis and a cool cucumber raita. I also like to top crusty bread with some of this for a chic appetizer!
P.S. The cashew nuts are what gives the gravy it’s rich creamy texture, so feel free to use more in this recipe, but keep in mind that they are not low in calories. (But mushrooms are, so let’s pray they cancel each other out!)
The FoodPorn Diaries 
Thanks Manju! Especially love comments AFTER people have tried the recipe! 🙂
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Wonderful Recipes Swapna!!!! This especially has become a hit at home….because my son loves mushroom in all forms….and with so much flavour in this gravy….no wonder he cleans his plate 🙂
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Thanks Ashwini, my mom's invention 🙂
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Hey Swapna, I tried this mushroom recipe…was very good. Keep posting more recipes. Cheers!!
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