Mushroom masala - A spicy Indian curry

This is a type of mushroom preparation which has a lot of varieties – Chinese, Indian, Punjabi, Andhra style etc. Also this can be dry or gravy. This one is a dry preparation which is Indian and have a lot of spices.

Preparation Time: - 10 min

Cooking Time: - 30 min

Servings: - 3~4 persons

Ingredients:-

1. 200 gm. Button Mushroom
    
   
   
   
   
2. 1 large Onion or 2 small onion chopped
3. 1 medium Tomato chopped
4. ½ tbsp Ginger paste ( I made it from fresh ginger)
5. ½ tbsp Garlic paste (from fresh garlic)
6. 1 tsp Turmeric powder
7. 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
8. 1 tsp Cumin powder
9. 1 tsp Coriander Powder
10. 1 tsp Garam Masala powder ( mixture of clove, cinnamon, green cardamom, black cardamom)
11. 1 tsp cumin seeds
12. 6~8 Almond / Cashew  ( I prefer Almond as it is healthier )
13. 1 inch Cinnamon
14. 2 no. Cardamon
15. 2 slitted Green Chili ( you can use more according to your taste )
16. Few chopped coriander leaves
17. 1 slice of lemon for garnishing
18. Salt to taste
19. 2 tsp Ghee or molten Butter ( optional )
20. 6 tbsp Sunflower oil ( You can in fact use your preferred vegetable oil )
    

Preparation:-

1. Wash the mushroom pieces in warm water thoroughly, rinse and dry them. Slice vertically and keep aside.
2. Chop the onion and tomato, cut ginger into small pieces.
3. Grind the ginger and garlic to smooth paste. Keep aside in a different bowl.
4. Take the almond pieces and grind them to make a paste.
5. Take a medium kadai / pan and heat the oil with 1 tsp ghee or butter.
6. Add one green chili, cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks and cardamom. Actually when I was preparing I did not have whole cardamom. So I used cardamom powder which I put at end after crackling.
   
7. When the spices crackle, put the onion.
8. Fry till the onion turn golden brown.
   
9. Now pour the ginger and garlic paste. Sauté for couple of minutes till the paste is fried.
   
10. Now add tomato pieces and mix the whole thing properly.
    
11. Introduce the almond paste into the mixture. Mix again.
12. Now the time comes to add the spices – Kashmiri red chilli, coriander, turmeric, cumin powder and garam masala.
    
13. Stir and sauté till the oil gets separated at the edge from the texture.
14. Add mushroom and salt. Stir and mix well.
    
15. Pour water as required and cook until the mushroom becomes tender. Stir occasionally.
    
16. Add cashew nuts/almond ,bring the gravy to desired consistency by adding more water if needed.
    
17. Pour 1 tsp Ghee or butter.
18. Sprinkle coriander leaves and cover the kadai. Switch off the flame. You can use kasoori methi instead of coriander leaves if you so like.
19. Wait for a minute and remove the cover.
    
20. Garnish with slitted green chili and a slice of lemon.

Serve this as side dish with hot steamed rice or roti/naan/paratha. Additionally it goes well with flavored rice also.

As always please feel free to comment, criticize and seek if any help is required. I am all ears.