Mushroom Masala

"Mushroom Masala" probably one recipe which is made without much effort. One reason being mushrooms cooks very fast.

The recipe and instructions are simple and easy to follow.

Ingredients

200 gms Button mushrooms, diced 

1 Onion, chopped

1 Tomato, diced

1 small piece Cinnamon

2 Cloves

2 Cardamom

1 Bay leaf

2 cloves of Garlic, crushed

1 small piece of Ginger, crushed

1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

1 tsp Spanish paprika or kasmiri Red Chili powder

1/4 tsp Roasted cumin powder

Salt

2 tsp Grape seed oil or any vegetable oil

Method

• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel. Add bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, ginger and garlic. Saute for a minute in low heat setting

• Add onions and fry until it turns light brown. 

• Then add paprika and roasted cumin powder. Fry for a minute. Sprinkle water if required to prevent masala from burning

• Add tomatoes and saute for a minute

• Add Mushroom and fry for 3- 5 minutes. Adjust salt as per taste

• Serve hot with pav, toasted bread, toasted hot dog buns, chapthi or naan

Tip-

• Add water for more gravy 
• You can also add, cashew paste or heavy cream for more gravy and texture
• Spanish paprika is less spicy than red chili powder. Also, its gives deep red color to gravy. Depending on level of spiciness, you can add either one or both  by adjusting their quantities

Mushroom Fried Rice

Total preparation time- 15 to 20 minutes

Ingredients

100 gms Mushrooms, chopped lengthwise

1 Green bell pepper, chopped lengthwise

½ cup of Cabbage, chopped lengthwise

½ cup of Carrot, chopped lengthwise

½ cup of Beans, chopped lengthwise

3 cloves of Garlic, chopped

2-3 nos. Green chilies, chopped or split lengthwise

4-5 cups of Cooked rice (approx.)

2 tsp Soya Sauce

1 tsp White vinegar

½ tsp Black pepper

Salt

Oil

Ajinomoto

Procedure

v  In a skillet, heat 3 tsp of oil

v  Add garlic, green chilies, mushrooms, cabbage, green bell pepper, beans and carrots. Sautee for 5 min (don’t overcook vegetables. More crunchy, then better taste)

v  Add 2 tsp of soya sauce and 1 tsp of white vinegar and mix well

v  In low heat setting, add white rice (cooked), 1/4^th tsp of ajinomoto, black pepper powder and adjust salt to taste

v  Stir fry in low heat for 5 – 8 minutes

v  Finally add chopped spring onions and serve hot

Sautéed Mushrooms

This is a a simple, quick and easy recipe  which can be served as a side dish for lunch or dinner. This recipe can also be used as appetizers for parties. I created this recipe using minimum ingredients. 

Preparation Time: 10- 15 minutes            

Ingredients

200 gms Mushrooms, either diced or without diced

1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tsp Lemon Juice

1/4^th tsp Lemon Zest                                                 

1/4^th tsp Pepper powder

Salt

Procedure

Make vinaigrette of extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, pepper powder and salt.  Whisk these ingredients well

Pour the vinaigrette over mushrooms and mix well

Marinate mushrooms for 10 – 15 minutes

Options:

1. In a hot pan, roast mushrooms until all the water evaporates
2. (or) Stir fry Mushrooms on a hot griddle
3. (or)  Thread Mushrooms on skewers and grill them 

Mushroom Butter Masala

Butter masala is one of the popular recipes in North Indian cuisine.  The main ingredients for this recipe are tomatoes and cashew nuts and it forms the base for the gravy. And off course, the other key ingredient is “BUTTER” and lots of BUTTER!!  The most common butter masalas are “Paneer Butter Masala” or “Chicken Butter Masala”. The procedure for this recipe is a little different from how it is normally prepared.

The recipe below uses less butter then usually used. Adding more butter and cashew nuts gives a rich texture to the sauce. The other key ingredient is kasturi methi (dried fenugreek leaves), which is a flavor enhancer to butter masala.

                                                

Ingredients

250 gms Mushrooms
6 Garlic Cloves
2 Tomato, chopped
1 Onion, chopped
1 Cinnamon stick
1 Cloves

2 tsp  Chili powder
1 tsp  Garam masala
1 tsp  Coriander seed powder
1 tsp Salt
Pinch of kasturi methi
Butter
Oil
Coriander leaves
Cashew nut

Procedure

Heat 2 tsp. oil in a skillet; add cinnamon stick, cloves, garlic, onions, tomatoes, cashew nut. Cook until they get a saucy texture. Add water is required

Make a smooth paste of onion and tomato mixture

In the same skillet, heat 2tsp. of oil and pour onion and tomato mixture. Then add chili powder, garam masala, coriander powder and crushed kasturi methi leaves (or dried fenugreek leaves) and 1 tsp. of butter

Stir well and cook for 12- 15 min in medium –low heat until oil separates out from rest of the ingredients

Add a cup of water and diced mushrooms. Stir well and cook in medium –high for 2 minutes

Garnish with coriander leaves, chopped cashew nuts

Serve hot with any Indian Bread or ghee rice

Chicken Sauté with Mushrooms

On an auto show weekend I went to meet my friend after a long time. She had invited me to a Lebanese restaurant, and Lebanese cuisine is one of my favorites’ among many others.  We ordered for Chicken Sauteed and the description in the menu card for this course was displayed something as “Chicken sauteed with mushrooms in a spice mixture…….”.  When it was bought in to our table, it looked heavenly and the aroma from the sauce wanted to make you eat more and more. The moment I tasted, it was more delicious than I initially taught. After I got back home, I searched for Lebanese chicken sauté recipe online and I found many versions. So, I decided to create my own signature recipe for chicken sauté. I enjoyed creating it, but still experimenting…..

Total preparation time: 35 – 40 min

Ingredients

250 gms of Chicken

100 gms of diced Portobello mushrooms

½ cup Buttermilk

2 tsp. of minced garlic

½ tsp. of ground black pepper

4 tsp.  cup olive oil

3 tsp. lemon juice

½ tsp. lemon zest

2 tsp. of dried/ fresh parsley or cilantro

Salt to taste

Procedure

●     Marinade chicken for 20 minutes with buttermilk, 1/4th tsp. of ground pepper powder and 1/4th tsp. of salt

●     In a skillet, heat 2 tsp. of olive oil. Pour the chicken marinade into hot oil. Sautee for 10 to 15  minutes

●     In a separate bowl whisk remaining 2 tsp. of olive oil, minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley or cilantro and 1/4th tsp. of pepper powder. Pour  the zesty lemon sauce over chicken

●     Cook chicken for 20minutes more until the liquid evaporates.  Now add diced mushrooms. Adjust salt to taste. Sautee another 2 to 3 minutes. Don’t allow mushrooms to over cook

●     Toss in parsley or cilantro and serve hot