Mushroom Curry With South Indian Spices

Know what!!! Mushrooms were once believed to be the plant of immortality by the ancient Egyptians (4600 years ago). It was the food of royal family and commoners were denied of it. Even in the civilizations of Russia, China, Greece, Mexico and Latin America, the same ritual were practiced.

Many assumed that the consumption of mushrooms can produce super-human strength, help in locating lost objects and make you reach the Gods. Initially, edible mushroom were used mainly in Chinese, European and Japanese cooking.

But with the migration of mankind across the globe, every region had began to experiment with it. To my knowledge, I have been seeing the usage of mushroom in Indian cooking only from a decade back. If I am wrong, do correct me.

Health benefits of mushroom curry andhra style: They are rich source of fibres, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, biotin, cobalamins, ascorbic acid,selenium, potassium and phosphorous. Besides, you can bet any thing cooked in andhra style is naturally lip-smacking.

Owing to the cooking methods and spices used, you just can’t go wrong cooking andhra style. If you’re new to it, you might want to equip your kitchen with the essentials of it. I’ve also curated a few lists of my best picks of kitchen essentials that I use more often than not in my cooking. Find them here –

• Best Mixer Grinders in India Under 4000
• Best Wet Grinders in India

Selection of Mushrooms:

1. Fresh mushroom would be firm, plump and would have a smooth appearance.
2. Delicate flavor of the mushroom is indicated by a closed viel under the cap while a richer flavor is suggested by an open veil and exposed gills.

Storage:

1. They can be stored in the original package only upto a week in a regridgerator. Never freeze the mushrooms. However, you can freeze sauted mushrooms for 15-20 days.
2. If you have opened them, then transfer it to a porous bag for later use. Dont store them in an airtight container as they cause condensation and lead to spoilage.

Cleaning:

1. You could brush of the dirt with finger or kitchen towl. Always remove/ trim the stem before use.
2. Never run them through water for long time or soak them in water. Mushroom absorb mositure quickly.

There was once a debate in my house about the classification of mushroom as vegetarian or non-vegetarian one. My mom believed it to be a non-vegetarian dish as they are fleshy and meaty. She really couldn’t imagine herself eating them. I guess she has started to eat them – I dont know! (gotta check with her) 🙂 Since its from a fungus family, some vegans do have a problem eating them.

But according to me, mushrooms are delicious and versatile. They are so easy to cook and the addition of Indian spices make them even more delicious. The post for today is an easy Mushroom curry andhra style. The sauteeing is the easiest way to cook the mushrooms.

My andhra style mushroom curry is a medley of different spices cooked with onions, ginger, garlic and tomatoes. The addition of cumin powder and garam masala gives the extra kick in every bite. The usage of curry leaves in the gravy makes them more South Indian in texture, taste and flavour.

When the mushroom looses the moisture, they tend to shrink in size, hence the addition of salt should be very calculated and its better to add them at the end.