5 Delicious Mushroom Recipes for Indian Cuisine

Indian cuisine is renowned for its vibrant flavors, rich spices, and diverse ingredients, which beautifully incorporate various vegetables, pulses, and meats. Among these, mushrooms stand out for their unique texture and ability to absorb flavors, making them a versatile ingredient in Indian cooking. Here are five delicious mushroom recipes that showcase the culinary tradition of India:

Dal Makhani with Mushrooms

Dal Makhani is a luxurious dish from North Indian cuisine, traditionally made with black lentils, butter, cream, and spices. Adding mushrooms enhances the dish’s texture and adds an earthy flavor:

• Ingredients: Black lentils, kidney beans, mushrooms, butter, cream, onion, tomato, ginger-garlic paste, cumin seeds, garam masala, coriander powder, turmeric, chili powder, salt, fresh coriander for garnish.
• Method:
  1. Soak lentils and beans overnight, then pressure cook until tender.
  2. In a pan, melt butter, sauté cumin seeds, and add finely chopped onions, ginger-garlic paste. Cook until golden.
  3. Add tomatoes, cook until oil separates. Blend into a smooth paste.
  4. Return the paste to the pan, add spices, cooked lentils and beans, and chopped mushrooms.
  5. Simmer on low heat, stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Incorporate cream for a creamy texture.
  6. Garnish with fresh coriander before serving.

🍅 Note: For a healthier version, substitute butter with ghee and reduce the amount of cream used.

Mushroom Biryani

Biryani, a layered rice dish, gets a unique twist with the inclusion of mushrooms, offering a delightful vegetarian alternative:

• Ingredients: Basmati rice, button mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, green chilies, ginger-garlic paste, biryani masala, yogurt, fresh mint and coriander, saffron, ghee, oil, whole spices (cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves), salt.
• Method:
  1. Partially cook rice with whole spices, strain, and set aside.
  2. In a heavy-bottomed pot, caramelize onions in ghee until golden brown. Add ginger-garlic paste, green chilies, and tomatoes. Cook until oil separates.
  3. Stir in yogurt, biryani masala, and sliced mushrooms.
  4. Layer with partially cooked rice, sprinkle with saffron milk, mint, and coriander. Cover and cook on dum (steam) until rice is fully cooked and flavors meld.

📝 Note: To keep the rice from becoming mushy, ensure to only partially cook it first.

Kadai Mushroom

This dish involves mushrooms cooked in a kadai with a tangy tomato-based sauce, a quintessential North Indian dish:

• Ingredients: Button mushrooms, capsicum, onions, tomatoes, ginger-garlic paste, kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), coriander seeds, cumin seeds, whole red chilies, turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala, oil, salt.
• Method:
  1. Dry roast and grind coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and whole red chilies to make the masala.
  2. In a kadai, heat oil, sauté onions, then add ginger-garlic paste. Cook until raw smell disappears.
  3. Add pureed tomatoes, cook until oil separates. Sprinkle in spices and ground masala.
  4. Add sliced mushrooms and capsicum, cook until tender but crisp.
  5. Finish with kasuri methi and a pinch of garam masala.

Mushroom Do Pyaza

Mushroom Do Pyaza, literally ‘two onions’, uses onions twice in the cooking process to achieve its unique flavor profile:

• Ingredients: Button mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, green chilies, whole spices (cumin, cloves, cinnamon), turmeric, coriander powder, chili powder, salt, coriander leaves, oil.
• Method:
  1. Slice half the onions thinly and finely chop the other half. Set aside.
  2. Heat oil in a pan, add whole spices, sauté chopped onions, ginger, and garlic until translucent.
  3. Add tomatoes, cook until soft, then incorporate spices.
  4. Add mushrooms and the sliced onions, cook until onions are soft but retain some crunch.
  5. Garnish with coriander leaves before serving.

🍆 Note: This dish is often garnished with dry fruits like cashews or almonds for added texture.

Mushroom Pakora

A delightful snack or appetizer, Mushroom Pakora brings the street food element to your kitchen:

• Ingredients: Button mushrooms, gram flour, rice flour, turmeric, chili powder, cumin seeds, garam masala, baking soda, salt, water, oil for frying, fresh coriander, green chilies (optional).
• Method:
  1. Make a batter by mixing gram flour, rice flour, spices, and enough water to make a thick consistency.
  2. Dip whole or halved mushrooms into the batter, ensuring they are well coated.
  3. Heat oil for deep frying, carefully drop the batter-coated mushrooms into hot oil, and fry until golden brown.
  4. Drain on paper towels and serve hot with mint chutney or tamarind sauce.

These mushroom recipes not only highlight the versatility of mushrooms in Indian cuisine but also demonstrate how this humble ingredient can be transformed into gourmet dishes. Whether it's the rich, comforting Dal Makhani or the spicy and tangy Kadai Mushroom, each recipe brings out different facets of Indian flavors, making your dining experience richer and more varied.

Can I use other types of mushrooms in these recipes?

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Absolutely! You can replace button mushrooms with portobello, shiitake, or oyster mushrooms. Each type will impart its unique flavor to the dish.

How can I make these dishes spicier?

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Adjust the level of heat by increasing the quantity of green chilies, red chili powder, or by adding more whole red chilies in the recipes like Kadai Mushroom or Mushroom Biryani.

Are these recipes vegan-friendly?

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Most of these recipes are vegetarian. To make them vegan, replace ghee with oil and skip the cream or find a plant-based substitute.