Kadai Mushroom masala

Mushrooms are one of the veggies I will always stock inside my fridge. I used to prepare at least one dish a week using that. We both just love it a lot.

I used to do a lot of experiments using mushrooms. Once I had kadai paneer prepared by my friend and was totally blown away by the taste. It was absolutely the restaurant quality dish. Felt like I was having a meal from a North Indian restaurant. It was that yummy. I asked her to share the recipe and she did. Tried a couple of times using paneer and once using cauliflower. This time I tried using mushrooms and believe me.. It tasted twice better than paneer or cauliflower. 

Please do try out and I am sure you will really love it.

Ingredients

To grind

• Onion - 2 big onions
• Ginger - 1 inch piece
• Garlic - 3 cloves
• Cashews - 8 nos
• Almonds - 8 nos

Other ingredients

• Mushrooms - 200 gms, cut in to medium pieces
• Capsicum - 1 , cubed
• Green chillies - 2, slit
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Butter - 1 tblspn
• Oil - 2 tsp
• Bay leaf - 1 , broken
• Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
• Cardamom - 2 nos
• Cloves - 2 nos
• Star anise - 1/2
• Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Salt - as per taste
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• Tomato puree - 1 cup
• Chilli powder - 2 tsp / according to your spice preference
• Cumin powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 2 tsp
• Garam masala / Kitchen king masala - 1 tsp
• Kasuri methi / dried fenugreek leaves - 1 tblspn , crushed
• Curd - 1 tblspn
• Cream - 1 tblspn
• Coriander leaves - to garnish

Method

To Grind

• Combine all the items under  "To Grind"  heading in the ingredients list in a mixer jar and grind it to a smooth paste. Keep it aside

How to proceed?

• Take a non-stick pan and heat 1 tsp of oil. Fry capsicum until its cooked. Do not over cook and make it mushy. The crunchiness should still be maintained.
• Remove from the heat and keep aside
• In the same pan, add 1 tsp oil and fry mushrooms. Add a pinch of salt. It will start releasing water. Cook until the water is completely evaporated. Mushrooms would have properly cooked by then
• Remove from heat and keep along with the cooked capsicum
• In the same pan, heat butter and add bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, star anise, fennel seeds and cumin seeds
• Fry for few seconds until it starts releasing its aroma. Now add the ground paste (under "to grind" heading) , green chillies and saute this for 5 minutes on a medium heat. Add salt and turmeric powder.
• Once the raw smell of ginger, garlic and onion goes, add the tomato puree. Close the lid and allow it to cook for 8 minutes. The raw smell from the tomato should be disappeared completely. 
• Now add chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder and crushed dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
• Whisk the curds very well and pour in to this. Add cream also.
• Now add the fried mushroom and capsicum. Cover and cook for a minute and then turn off the heat.
• Sprinkle some coriander leaves and cover the lid again. Let it sit for 10 minutes before you serve.
• Serve with hot phulkas, rotis, naan, pulao etc.