Matar Mushroom Masala | Mushroom Peas Curry | Mushroom Recipes

Mushrooms is a treat for Vegetarians and we are no exception.Both of us love eating mushrooms and I make it quite often.The only thing which puts me off is the process of cleaning the mushrooms which is very tedious. Apart from that, preparing any dish with it, is a breeze, as they cook very fast.I have posted  Mushroom Chettinad Recipe earlier, which is an absolute favorite for me and today I am posting a simple Matar Mushroom Curry recipe, which is good as an accompaniment for everyday rotis and pulavs and of course even for special occasions.

Matar Mushroom Masala | Matar Kumbh | Dhingri Matar Recipe:

(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

200 gms Button Mushrooms,white variety

1 cup fresh/frozen Green Peas

2 medium Onions

3 medium Tomatoes

1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste

8-10 Cashew nuts

2 tbsp Poppy seeds

1/2 tsp Sugar

1 tsp Red chili powder 

2 tsp Coriander powder

1 tsp Cumin powder

1/4 tsp Garam masala

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

2 Cloves,1 Green Cardamom,1/2" Cinnamon stick - to temper

1 tbsp chopped Coriander leaves,to garnish

Salt to taste

2-3 tbsp Oil

Method:

• Soak Khus khus(poppy seeds) and cashew nuts in warm water for 10-15 mins.Drain them before grinding.I forgot to soak the khus khus and hence you can see the grainy texture of them in the gravy,hence I suggest you to soak them ahead.
• Clean mushrooms nicely,I usually rub the mushrooms with maida to remove the excess dirt and wash them and pat dry them.Trim the stalks and cut the mushrooms into 4 quarters.
• Chop one onion into fine pieces and quarter the other onion.
• Chop one tomato finely and mark a cross on the other two tomatoes.Bring water to a boil in a big pot and add the marked tomatoes and quartered onion and boil for 2-3 mins.Remove them with a slotted spoon and cool them.Peel the skin off the tomatoes and keep it ready.
• In that boiling water add fresh/frozen green peas and boil for 2-3 mins.Drain and keep them aside.
• Roughly chop the peeled tomatoes and grind it with boiled quartered onion,soaked cashewnuts and poppy seeds to a very smooth paste.
• Heat oil in a kadai/pan and add cardamom,cloves and cinnamon and let them splutter.
• Add finely chopped onion and fry until they turn translucent.Add ginger garlic paste and fry well until the raw smell disappears.
• Add ground tomato-onion-cashew mixture and continue frying for 2-3 mins.
• Add coriander powder,cumin powder,garam masala,turmeric powder,sugar and salt and continue frying for another minute.
• Now add blanched green peas and chopped mushrooms and saute them nicely.The mushrooms would leave water initially and soak up all the water later.It would take 4-5 mins.You can saute mushrooms and peas simultaneously in another pan and add it now.
• Add 3/4th cup - 1 cup of water based on the required consistency and cover it and cook on low-medium flame for another 3-4 mins.
• Garnish with coriander.

Serve it hot with Roti/Paratha/Pulavs/Steamed Rice/Jeera Rice.

Notes:

1. You can saute the mushrooms and peas separately in a tbsp oil and add to the gravy or you can saute them along with onions before adding the tomato mixture.It is your wish to follow either ways but take care that you do not over cook the mushrooms as they cook really fast.
2. In order to clean mushrooms you can remove the thin layer over the mushrooms using a sharp knife or you can even rub the mushrooms with maida or rice flour to remove the excess dirt.Always wipe the mushrooms with a dry towel before it is added to the recipe,this way the mushrooms will not shrink much.
3. You can add 1 tsp of Kasuri methi while boiling the gravy for a nice flavor.

 Do check out Mushroom Chettinad Recipe which is absolutely a treat with Kerala Parottas.