Mushroom Kadai

Mushroom Kadai: Restaurant style creamy and delicious kadai

Ingredients: 

Mushrooms – 500 gm, sliced 

Green Capsicum – 1/2 big size, sliced 

Cauliflower florets – 3/4 cup 

Green peas – 1/4 cup 

Tomatoes – 2 small size, chopped 

Red onions - 2 small size, 1/2 inch cubed 

Green chillies – 5 medium size, vertically slit 

Garlic cloves – 10 big size 

Ginger – 1 inch 

Cashew nuts – 12 

Cumin seeds – 1/2 tbsp 

Coriander powder – 1/2 tbsp 

Red chillie powder – 1/4 tbsp 

Turmeric powder – 1 tsp 

Bay leaf – 2 

Cloves – 3 

Cinnamon stick – 1/4 inch 

Green cardamom – 3 

Pepper corns – 15 

Kasuri methi – 1 tsp 

Curry leaves – 2 sprigs 

Butter – 1 tbsp 

Food color – 1 pinch (optional) 

Coriander leaves – 1 small bunch for garnish 

Salt as per taste 

Oil for sauteing

Instructions: 

         In a thick bottomed kadai, add some oil and let it heat. Once the oil is heated, add pepper corns, cloves, cinnamon stick, green cardamom and saute. Add cashewnuts and saute until they slightly turn brown. Add green chillies, cumin seeds and let them sizzle. Add red onions, garlic, ginger and saute until the onions turn translucent. Add tomatoes and saute until they turn soft. Let this mixture cool down for 2 minutes. Then, add to a blender and blend into fine paste. 

        In the same kadai, add some oil and heat it. When the oil is hot, add bay leaf, curry leaves and let it sizzle. Now, add green capsicum, green peas and saute for a minute. Add cauliflower florets and saute well. When the capsicum is 1/2 cooked, add the blend spice mix paste into the sauted veggies and mix well. Add water based on the consistency you prefer for the gravy. I generally prefer thick gravy for kadai recipes. So, i hardly use 1/4 to 1/2 glass (small size) of additional water. 

NOTE: Please do remember that mushrooms when sauted will also release some water. Keeping this in mind you may adjust the consistency of the gravy.

        Add turmeric powder, red chillie powder, coriander powder, salt into the kadai and mix well. Cook this mixture under medium flame stirring occassionally. When the masala is well cooked you would notice that the oil is separating out from the spice paste. This is when you need to add the sliced mushrooms and mix well. Add food color and mix. Keep sauteing until the mushrooms are 80% done. Now, add butter, kasuri methi, coriander leaves and mix well. Cover the lid and let it cook under low flame for a minute or 2. Creamy and delicious mushroom kadai is ready! 

       Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with rice, millet rice, roti, chapati, puri, naan, kulcha or dosas. Enjoy with family and friends.