If you’re looking for a delicious, easy-to-make dish that will feed your family on any occasion, then look no further than this Mushroom Masala Recipe.
What Inspired You To Make A Mushroom Masala Recipe?
My inspiration came from my mom and her love of Indian cuisine.
She would often cook up an amazing meal using whatever ingredients she had at hand, so I guess it was inevitable that one day I would want to try making a similar dish myself!
I have always loved mushrooms, but they are not something you see in many restaurant menus, which makes them difficult to find fresh.
So when I started searching for recipes online, I found very few that used mushrooms as their main ingredient.
My first attempt involved sautéing some garlic cloves and onions along with other spices before adding sliced portobello mushrooms.
The result wasn’t bad, but it lacked flavor.
So after reading about how different types of mushrooms could be used interchangeably, I decided to give it another go by replacing the onion and garlic with shallots and leeks.
The final product ended up being much more flavorful and satisfying, plus it didn’t take long to get ready either since all the vegetables were already cut and prepped ahead of time.
So I think the answer to “what inspired me to make this particular recipe” comes down to two things: 1) the fact that I enjoy learning new cooking techniques, and 2) my mom’s insistence that there must be a way to use every single vegetable we buy!
That said, if you do happen to have leftover roasted veggies lying around—whether it’s carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, or parsnips—you may decide to try roasting those instead.
They are even better if you roast them whole rather than slicing them into smaller pieces, since you don’t need to worry about cutting them up later.
If you haven’t tried these out yet, then definitely check out our Roasted Vegetable Recipes page for lots more ideas.
How Did You Come Up With The Idea For This Recipe?
I am originally from India and I have always loved Indian food.
When my husband and I first started dating we would spend our weekends cooking at home together.
One day he made me a bowl of this tasty mushroom masala.
Since then it has become one of our favorite dishes! We love how quick and simple it is to prepare but also how delicious and unique it tastes!
What Are Some Of The Key Ingredients In Your Mushroom Masala Recipe?
Mushrooms are packed full of nutrients including vitamins A and C, iron, fiber, potassium, copper, manganese, calcium, selenium, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, protein, lipids, carbohydrates, folic acid, vitamin B6, folate, choline, biotin, and many more vitamins and minerals.
They have also been shown to help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Here are some of the key ingredients in our Mushroom Masala Recipe:
- 1 large onion – chopped finely
- 3 cloves garlic – minced
- 4 green cardamom pods – crushed and ground (or 1 teaspoon ground black pepper)
- 5 dried red chillies – deseeded and ground (or 2 teaspoons chili powder)
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste – grated (or ½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger)
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds – roasted and ground (or ¼ teaspoon ground cumin)
- ½ cup basmati rice – soaked overnight (optional)
- ¾ cup water – boiled
- 2 tablespoons oil – olive, vegetable, sunflower, or safflower
- 10 cups mushrooms – cleaned and sliced thinly into rounds (or 10 ounces)
- 1 medium tomato – diced fine
- Salt to taste
How Would You Describe The Taste And Texture Of Your Mushroom Masala Recipe?
Mushrooms have an earthy flavor and tend to add depth to dishes.
They also make excellent additions to sauces because they absorb flavors well.
That makes them ideal for making sauce recipes like this one.
This particular recipe has a lot going for it.
The mushrooms provide both moisture and umami (savory) qualities.
They have a subtle sweetness from the onions and garlic, which adds another layer of savoriness.
There are other spices as well, including coriander, cumin, red pepper flakes, turmeric, ginger, and garam masala.
These help bring out the natural flavor of the mushrooms while adding their own unique tastes to the mix.
The combination of these ingredients results in a wonderful, creamy, savory dish.
If you enjoy Indian food but don’t want something too heavy, this dish might just hit the spot!
What Are Some Of Your Favorite Things About This Recipe?
This recipe has many wonderful elements to it, including its versatility in terms of serving options (rice or naan), as well as how simple it is to make.
The best part is that there are so many ways to customize this recipe!
You could serve it over brown basmati rice, add an Indian spice blend to give it more flavor, or even use it as one of those “taco night” recipes where you serve it with tortilla chips and salsa.
What Makes Your Mushroom Masala Recipe Unique?
This recipe has all the flavor and aroma of Indian cuisine without being too complicated to make.
I love how it combines several different spices in one pot.
You won’t have to worry about measuring out exact amounts of each spice because they combine well together.
The mushrooms are sauteed until tender, but not mushy. The onion and garlic add more depth of flavor as well as color.
- I use fresh baby spinach leaves (or regular spinach), which gives the dish an extra green hue.
- You don’t need to peel the onions before chopping them up – just cut away their outer layers using kitchen scissors.
- I also used frozen peas instead of canned ones.
- I added cilantro at the end of the recipe so you could garnish with it if desired.
What Is Your Cooking Process Like For This Recipe?
This recipe takes about 30 minutes to prepare, but it only needs 10 minutes in the oven! You may have heard me mention “quick recipes” before – these dishes usually take less time to make than traditional meals.
But don’t let the short preparation time fool you into thinking they aren’t as good.
The secret to quick recipes is using high quality ingredients.
The mushrooms used here are from an organic source.
Additionally, I use fresh ginger root instead of ground ginger powder (which contains preservatives).
And lastly, I use low sodium soy sauce because regular soy sauce has too many additives and chemicals.
I also keep all my spices in glass containers so they stay potent longer.
When stored properly, spices lose their potency over time.
However, if you store them in plastic jars, they deteriorate much faster.
What Are Some Of Your Tips And Tricks For Making This Recipe?
Mushrooms have been used in Indian cuisine since ancient times.
They were often cooked as part of the diet.
Mushrooms today are still consumed throughout India.
The mushroom masala recipe below uses mushrooms in its preparation.
So it makes sense to make sure you give yourself enough time to prepare them correctly.
If you want to get the most out of this recipe, take the following steps:
- Choose fresh, young shiitake mushrooms from a local market (or grocery store). Be careful not to buy ones that are wilted or discolored.
- Clean the mushrooms with a damp cloth to remove dirt, debris, and other unwanted particles.
- Wash each mushroom individually under running water until they feel clean and dry. Do not soak the mushrooms.
- Remove the stems from the mushrooms by cutting them off at their base using a knife or paring tool. You may also use scissors if you prefer.
- Cut away all parts of the mushroom that might be considered “inedible” such as the gills, outer skin, or root system.
- Chop the mushrooms into bite-sized pieces so that they cook evenly during the simmering period.
- Cut the onion into small chunks before chopping it up.
- Add onions to a deep pot filled with about 1/4 inch of vegetable oil over medium heat. Allow the onions to sweat for 5 minutes while stirring occasionally. Stir frequently to prevent burning.
- Once the onions become soft, add the ginger and garlic cloves along with salt and pepper. Cook for another 3–5 minutes while stirring constantly. Add more salt after tasting if needed.
- Next, add the chopped tomatoes. Once these begin to soften slightly, add the red chili powder, turmeric, cumin seeds, coriander leaves, and garam masala. Continue to stir everything together well for 2–3 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and mix thoroughly. Then turn down the heat and allow the mixture to simmer completely without boiling. After 10 minutes of simmering, add the mushrooms and continue simmering for an additional 15 minutes.
- When the vegetables are tender and the liquid has reduced, add the green chilies, lemon juice, and basil leaves. Let everything cool slightly before serving.
How Do You Like To Serve Your Mushroom Masala Recipe?
Mushrooms make a great addition to Indian cuisine.
They have the perfect balance between earthy flavor and mild sweetness.
You can use them in many dishes from curries to salads to soups.
But one thing they don’t pair well with is spice.
This mushroom masala recipe is an exception.
The combination of spices lends itself perfectly to mushrooms.
And while it may not be as complex as other recipes out there, it still makes a tasty meal.
Here’s how you should go about preparing this dish:
- Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water until soft enough to chew. This could take anywhere from 15 minutes to half an hour depending on their size.
- Once done soaking, drain off excess liquid using paper towels. Chop roughly.
- In a medium pan, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium flame. Add onion, garlic, ginger, green chilies, turmeric powder, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks (if available), cloves, bay leaves, peppercorns, fenugreek seeds, red chili flakes and black pepper powder. Cook for 4 minutes before adding 1 tablespoon tomato paste.
- Add chopped tomatoes, followed by salt and sugar. Stir well to combine all ingredients. Bring the mixture up to a boil and cook for 8 minutes. Once cooked, add the drained mushrooms and stir vigorously to coat with the sauce and get rid of extra moisture.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer for another 10 minutes. Remove the whole spices and bay leaves after 5 more minutes. If you prefer less spice, remove these at the end of the cooking time too.
- Serve hot with white basmati rice or roti.
What
Mushrooms are one of the most versatile ingredients in the kitchen.
They have a wide variety of uses and flavors depending on how they’re prepared.
Some popular ways to prepare mushrooms include sautéing them in butter, adding them to soups and stews, and tossing them into salads.
But what if you want to add some flavor to an already tasty meal?
This Mushroom Masala recipe might just be the answer!
The main ingredient in this dish is a spice mixture called “masala”.
A typical Indian cuisine contains many different types of spices used as seasoning, but it also has its own unique way of cooking dishes.
For example, there’s a particular method of cooking vegetables known as “tandoori” which involves marinating the food items in yogurt before grilling.
The same goes for this mushroom masala recipe – the mushrooms get cooked in oil until tender while masalas (spices) give the dish more flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 pound white mushrooms rinsed
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 1 large yellow onion finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons ginger grated
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- ¾ cup tomato puree
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 tablespoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ to 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅓ cup cashews
- 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves
- cilantro leaves chopped
Instructions
- Cashews should be soaked for 10 minutes in 12 cup warm water. After completely draining the water, prepare a smooth paste by blending the cashews with 1/4 cup of water. Set aside.
- Ghee should be heated while the Instant Pot is on sauté mode. With a glass lid on, add the onions and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes while stirring occasionally. Cook the garlic and ginger for 30 seconds more. Switch off the pressure cooker.
- Include mushroom, tomato puree, tumeric, red chili powder, garam masala salt, and red chili flakes. Mix thoroughly, then deglaze the pan to get rid of any browned bits on the bottom. After 4 minutes of pressure cooking (Hi) in the closed Instant Pot, quick release the pressure.
- Add the chopped cilantro, cashew paste, and dried fenugreek leaves. Serve the mixture well with parathas and basmati rice. Serve mushroom masala over cauliflower rice for a low-carb dinner. For a great supper, serve it with a side of cucumber salad.
Video
Nutrition
My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.