Any mushroom variety of choice – 2 cups, chopped (I used a mix of shitake and oyster mushroom) Tamarind – a small marble-sized ball soaked and squeezed in 1/2 water to extract juice Salt – to taste For Spice Mixture Garam masala – 1 tsp (crush 1 clove + 1 cardamom pod + 1/2″ piece cinnamon) Chana dal / kadala parippu / split bengal gram – 1 tbsp Whole black pepper – 1 tsp. If using powder, use 1/2 tsp For tempering Oil – 2 tsp Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp Dry red chillies – 2, halved Curry leaves – a few Serve hot with rice or roti.
- Dry roast the ingredients, cool and grind for spice mixture. If using garam masala, you can add while grinding.
- Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Once they start spluttering, add the curry leaves and red chillies. Fry for 10 seconds.
- Add the chopped mushrooms and stir well until it is well coated with the oil. Add salt. Let it cook till the mushrooms start sweating and become soft. Then add the tamarind mixture and cook on an open fire until the gravy gets thick and sticks to the mushroom pieces.
- Next, add the ground spice mixture and fry for another 3-4 mins. Adjust salt and remove from fire.
