Chettinad Mushroom Masala (South Indian Mushroom Pepper Curry)

September 23, 2022

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Posted: Sep 23, 2022 · Up to date: Sep 23, 2022

A spicy curry is the right aspect with dal and rice. And it does not get any tastier than this Chettinad Mushroom Masala: a south Indian restaurant type gravy of silky tomatoes and onions cradling juicy mushrooms. Serve it with a easy however scrumptious dal and white or brown rice or jeera rice for a scrumptious dinner you’ll want to make time and again.

Chettinad mushroom masala curry in Indian style copper bowl with a sprig of cilantro and curry leaves and a spoon on the side.

What’s Chettinad mushroom masala?

Chettinad mushroom masala is a spicy dish from the Chettinad area of Tamil Nadu in south India. It is a area recognized for its opulent wealth, stunning temples, and a delicacies so scrumptious however so fiery that it could make your mouth, eyes and nostril water concurrently.

The fireplace come from a liberal use of black pepper. Black pepper is a part of practically each garam masala or spicy curry ever cooked up in India, however often its warmth mingles, merges with different elements and mellows throughout the cooking course of. However in Chettinad delicacies the black pepper is often added to dishes on the tail finish, which suggests you’ll style it within the ready dish. It is a distinctive deliciousness and never one to be missed should you love Indian delicacies.

Chettinad delicacies is known for its non vegetarian dishes; in reality the primary Chettinad dish I ever ate many, a few years in the past was a spicy hen curry. However these spicy curry bases are additionally excellent with vegetarian preparations. Like this Chettinad Mushroom Masala, a velvety curry of tomatoes and onions flavored with ginger, garlic and curry leaves.

Why you’ll love this recipe

For those who like cooking and consuming Indian meals, this mushroom masala presents an expertise that is as scrumptious as some other Indian curry you’ve got ever eaten, however in another way so.
It’s straightforward to make. It is a one-pot dish and it takes not more than half-hour to place collectively.
You can also make it as spicy as you need it to be. My household does not have a excessive tolerance for spicy, pungent meals, so I often make this dish solely mildly spicy. For those who like extra hearth in your meals, add in additional black pepper and purple chili powder or cayenne.
If you realize somebody who does not love mushrooms (do not all of us?), this can be a good dish to feed them. The mushrooms are simply barely cooked on this dish so they maintain an excellent dal of their chunk and are somewhat juicy.
It’s everybody pleasant. The recipe is nut-free, soy-free and gluten-free and it is, as all the time, vegan.

Chettinad style mushroom masala with black pepper in bowl.

Components

1 tablespoon coconut oil. Coconut oil is a good selection for south Indian cooking. Along with infusing the dish with well being it additionally provides a stunning taste.
Veggies: 12 oz mushrooms (cremini or button mushrooms) + 1 onion + 3 medium tomatoes
Entire spices: 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds + 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
Powdered spices: ½ teaspoon turmeric + 1 teaspoon floor fennel seed + 1 tablespoon floor coriander + 2 teaspoons garam masala + 1 teaspoon floor black pepper (you should use much less)
Herbs: 2 tablespoons cilantro + 2 sprigs curry leaves + 2 inexperienced chili peppers (jalapeno or serrano) + 2 tablespoons ginger garlic paste.
¼ cup coconut milk. It will add a pleasant creaminess to the curry, however do not use an excessive amount of of it as you do not need to dilute the flavour.
Salt to style

How you can make Chettinad Mushroom Masala

Warmth oil in a skillet or wok. Add the mustard seeds to it, then the cumin. As quickly because the mustard seeds crackle, add half the cilantro, curry leaves and slit inexperienced chili peppers.

Stir within the onions with a pinch of salt and saute them till they’re a wealthy golden brown. Onions fried this manner will soften into the gravy and assist thicken it, so take your time and do not depart them half-cooked.
Add the ginger garlic paste, stir it in and saute for a minute.

Add the tomatoes together with the turmeric, floor fennel and floor coriander. Combine properly and let the tomatoes cook dinner, stirring regularly, till they’re pulpy and really tender and have acquired a deeper colour.
Add the coconut milk and cook dinner the curry for 4-5 minutes till it is a wealthy reddish-brown in colour.

Add the chopped mushrooms and stir them in. Let the curry come again to a boil, then stir within the garam masala, floor black pepper and salt and switch off the warmth.
Stir within the remaining cilantro, then serve scorching.

Chettinad Mushroom Pepper Curry in copper bowl with cilantro sprigs.

What to serve with this dish

Ceaselessly requested questions

Is that this a dry gravy?

Chettinad Mushroom just isn’t as saucy as some Indian curries. However it’s saucy sufficient that you could eat it with a flatbread like roti or naan.

How can I make this mushroom masala much less spicy

Chettinad mushroom masala is supposed to be spicy however you possibly can tune the spice stage to no matter you’re comfy with. My recipe is reasonably spicy, however you probably have little or no tolerance for warmth I might advise you employ only one inexperienced chili pepper and deseed it. You can even halve the amount of black pepper.

Can I exploit this gravy with different greens?

Completely. This sauce can be superior with roasted eggplant or cauliflower. It will even work with potatoes or candy potatoes –boil them earlier than you add them to the sauce.

Storage and freezing directions

Refrigerate: Place in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4 days.
Freeze: Freeze in an freezer-safe container for as much as three months.
Reheat: Reheat the frozen or refrigerated curry on the stovetop or within the microwave earlier than serving.

Extra Indian mushroom recipes