Kadai Mushroom

Updated on January 3, 2012

I feel so liberated and happy. Do you know why ??  I recently discovered that I’m not allergic to Mushrooms as I had previously thought. This is also the first mushroom recipe to find its foot hold in my space. It’s been a decade since I had it for the first time and I had to spend 2 days in the hospital, put on IVF as I started throwing up which led to dehydration. As I’m allergic to Elephant Yam (karnakilangu) and since the symptoms were same I had thought it was due to an allergy reaction. Even though my friends insisted that it could be due to food poisoning too and not necessarily due to an allergic reaction, I did not want to undergo the same experience to find it out.

Though mushrooms are the second love of my kids next to paneer, I refrained from making them. If they wanted to have them it would be either from Restaurants or when they visit my SIL’s home. Hubby was not exactly fond of them either as they tend to soften after cooking and the restaurant gravies sometimes taste too bland for his taste as he like the gravies to be very spicy and hot.

Recently when I went to have lunch at my friend’s home, I had a side dish of mixed vegetables and did not know until I finished my lunch that it had mushrooms in them. My friend did not know of my allergic reaction and I waited anxiously for something to happen but nothing happened. Then I made this gravy at home to confirm that I’m not allergic after all as I had previously thought and now I can say that I can enjoy mushrooms heartily. I made this gravy very spicy as everyone at home prefers it that way.

Kadai Mushroom

(Print this Recipe)

You’ll need:

• Mushroom – 100 gms. / 1 Pkt.
• Capsicum – 1/2 cup or 1 big
• Onion – 1/2 cup or 2 small
• Tomato – 1 cup or 3 medium
• Ginger – 1 inch piece
• Garlic – 5 pods
• Green chilli – 2
• Coriander powder – 2 tsp
• Red chilli powder – 1/2 to 3/4 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp
• Kasuri methi – 1/2 tsp
• Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp
• Salt – to taste
• Oil – 2 tbsp

Method:

Cube the capsicum. Chop the onions finely. Wash and chop the Mushrooms length wise. Grind together garlic, ginger and green chilli. Puree the tomatoes.

Heat a kadai with oil. Add the onion and sauté till it turns pink. Add the ground paste and sauté till the raw smell disappears. Now add the cubed capsicum and sauté for a min. Now goes in the coriander powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder. Mix well and sauté for a min.

Now add the tomato puree and salt and cook covered with a lid for 5-7 min or till the raw smell of the tomatoes pass. Add the mushrooms, garam masala powder and enough water if the gravy is a bit thick and cook further for a couple of minutes. Switch off the stove.

Garnish with kasuri methi and coriander leaves. Mix and close with a lid for 2 min. Serve hot with roti or with any pulao.

Notes:

• You can also add Cauliflower and peas to this gravy.
• You can also ready made ginger garlic paste and add chopped green chillies instead of grinding them.