The Indian market for mushrooms (khumbi) was negligible when we were growing up. It was an uncommon product in the market, and warnings of mushrooms being poisonous kept many people from eating them. As such, it was never really a big part of Indian cuisine.
In recent years, mushrooms have been going up the vegetable chain into the Indian kitchen.
My first real introduction to mushrooms was in the USA when I watched my brother-in-law, Carl, slice up some white button mushrooms and sauté them in butter with a dash of salt and cracked pepper. He served them for breakfast with bacon and fried eggs. The mushrooms were delicious.
I slowly incorporated them into my Chinese stir-fries, Western casseroles, and omelets. Mushrooms, I soon learned, went well with Indian cuisine as well. I started fixing Indian sabzis (sautéed veggies) like mushroom peas curry, mushroom bell pepper, mushroom and cabbage, and mushroom korma, etc.
This easy mushroom curry recipe goes well with rice or roti. It is tangy with a slight bite.
Mushroom Curry (Taridar Khumbi)
Ingredients
- 8 oz white button or baby bella mushrooms (also know as cremini mushrooms, about 2 cups)
- 2 medium bay leaves
- 1 medium onion (sliced relatively thin, about 1 cup—if too long cut the slices in half.)
- 1 stick cinnamon (or ⅛ tsp cinnamon powder)
- ¼ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 small green chili, halved (or 1 dry red chili or to your taste)
- 1 large tomato (chopped fine—about ¾ cup)
- ½ tsp red chili powder (or to your taste)
- 1 tsp cumin powder ( 2tablespoons chopped cilantro/ green coriander for relish )
- ½ tsp tumeric powder
- 1 tbsp ground cashew nuts (optional)
- ¼ tsp gram masala
- 1 tsp salt (or to your taste)
- 1 cup hot water (or vegetable or chicken broth)
- 3 tbsp oil
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro / green coriander (for relish)
Instructions
To Prepare:
- Gently wipe the mushrooms with a damp cloth to get rid of any grit.
- Slice the mushrooms in half, then slice each half into 2 or 3 slices, depending on the size on the mushroom. Try to keep the slices even.
- Set aside.
To Cook:
- Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet or wok on medium heat.
- When hot, add the green chili until it begins to brown, about 30 seconds.
- Now add in the cumin seeds. When they start to splutter, add the bay leaves and cinnamon stick, stir for about 30 seconds.
- Now, add the onions. Sauté until almost golden. About 6-7 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and sauté for 4-5 minutes until the tomatoes are well blended.
- Next, add the ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, red chili powder, and cumin powder.
- Sauté for another 5 minutes until you see the oil surface.
- Add the ground cashew nuts and garam masala. Sauté for about 2 minutes.
- Now, add the sliced mushroom. Stir gently and well until the mushrooms are nicely coated and the oil starts to surface, approximately 5 minutes.
- Add the cup of hot water or broth. Stir. Let cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Turn off the heat. Sprinkle one tablespoon of chopped cilantro. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes. Pour into a serving dish.
- Garnish with remaining cilantro.
- Serve with any style of rice or roti—pairs well with other flat breads like naan, paratha, or pita.
Notes
1. If you prefer to wash the mushrooms, you can, but let it drain and dry out a bit before you slice it.
2. If you want to add peas, add ¾ cup of tender peas during the last 10 minutes. You can also zap them for two minutes in the microwave and add them in the last 5 minutes.
3. If using cinnamon powder, add it when you add the other spice powders.
4. If you are allergic to nuts, omit the powdered cashew nuts or add a tablespoon of ground poppy seeds. Adding either of these thickens and lends a creaminess to the gravy.
Indians, especially those from the northern plains of Punjab, love their white butter and ghee. It is generally fixed at home. The process involves churning fresh cream gathered over several days. The churning separates the water content, and pure butter is extracted. Some of this is melted down to obtain ghee.
The butter should last about ten days in the refrigerator if pasteurized. Do a smell test to make sure it has not turned rancid! When I fix the butter from a heavy whipping cream, I melt it into ghee after 4-5 days to keep it safe.
He pours out the hot tea simmering on the chula (mud stove) into the kulhars (handleless terra cotta cup). I watch, fascinated, as he froths the tea by pouring it from one kulhar to the other, keeping about 2 feet of distance between the two kulhars. Surprisingly, he doesn’t lose a drop. He hands me a kulhar. My frozen fingers around the warm kulhar with the steaming hot tea soon warms me up. I am now awake and ready to welcome the incoming passengers and aircraft.
My neighbor has sent over some Seviyan Kheer she has fixed for Eid-al-Fitr, one of the biggest Muslim festivals. It marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, a time of fasting and prayer. Celebrating religious festivals was special in India due to the diversity of faiths. It was common for neighbors to share the sweets prepared to celebrate their festivals, irrespective of religion. This was especially so in smaller towns than big cities.