Emma Wilson
Mushroom kuzhambu is a delicious South Indian dish, originating from the Coimbatore region of Tamil Nadu. It is a spicy coconut-based gravy, typically served with rice, dosa, or chapatis. The dish is made with button mushrooms, which are cooked in a mild coconut-based gravy with spices. The mushrooms are first rinsed and sliced, and then a paste is made with coconut, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, and cashews. This paste is then added to a mixture of fried spices, including fennel seeds, cinnamon, and bay leaves, and finally, the mushrooms are added and cooked until soft. The dish can be garnished with coriander leaves and served hot.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | South Indian, Tamil Nadu style |
| Main ingredients | Mushrooms, coconut, spices |
| Spices used | Cumin seeds, fennel seeds, cinnamon, black peppercorns, cardamom, cloves, curry leaves, bay leaf, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, garam masala |
| Other ingredients | Onion, tomatoes, lemon juice, coriander leaves, oil, water |
| Pairs well with | Rice, dosa, roti, idli, parotta, chapati, poori, biryani, pulao |
| Preparation tips | Clean mushrooms with lots of water before cooking, add garam masala to remove pungent smell of mushrooms, garnish with pepper powder for a hotter taste, boil diced onions in water for 5 minutes for a smooth curry |
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What You'll Learn
Clean and prepare the mushrooms
To clean and prepare the mushrooms, start by rinsing 200g of button mushrooms two to three times thoroughly with running water. If they are organic and clean enough, you may opt to wipe them with a moist cloth instead. If using medium to large mushrooms, trim off the stems as they can taste woody and fibrous and will remain undercooked in the curry. However, if you are using small mushrooms or white button mushrooms, you don't need to trim the stems. Chop or slice the mushrooms and set them aside.
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Make the paste
To make the paste for mushroom kuzhambu, you'll need to gather the following ingredients:
- Coconut pieces or grated coconut
- Cumin seeds
- Black peppercorns
- Cashews
- Fennel seeds
- Cinnamon
- Curry leaves
Some recipes also suggest adding green chillies, poppy seeds, cardamom, cloves, and water to the paste.
Here's a step-by-step guide to making the paste:
Step 1: Roast the Ingredients
In a kadai or skillet, add coconut pieces or grated coconut, curry leaves, fennel seeds, and cinnamon. You can also add other whole spices like cumin seeds, black peppercorns, and cashews at this stage for a deeper flavour. Roast these ingredients until they turn a golden colour.
Step 2: Grind the Roasted Ingredients
Let the roasted ingredients cool down, then grind them into a smooth paste. You can use a small mixer jar or a blender for this step, adding a little water as needed to achieve the right consistency.
Step 3: Prepare the Aromatics (Optional)
In the same kadai or skillet, heat up some oil. Add a teaspoon of fennel seeds, a bay leaf, and a cinnamon stick. You can also experiment with other whole spices like cloves, cardamom, or black stone flower at this stage, depending on your preference. Fry the spices for about 30 seconds to release their flavours and aromas.
Step 4: Sauté the Onion
Add finely chopped onion to the kadai or skillet and mix well. Sauté the onion until it becomes soft and translucent, which should take around 3 to 4 minutes. You can also add some ginger and garlic at this stage if you like, sautéing until they soften.
Step 5: Add Spices and Tomatoes (Optional)
For an extra kick of flavour, add coriander powder, chilli powder, and a pinch of turmeric powder. Mix well, then add in chopped tomatoes and cook until they soften.
Now you have a delicious paste ready to be added to your mushroom kuzhambu! Adjust the spices and ingredients to your taste and feel free to experiment with additional aromatics and spices to make it your own.
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Fry the spices
To fry the spices for mushroom kuzhambu, you will need to gather the following ingredients:
- Cooking oil
- Coconut pieces or grated coconut
- Cumin seeds
- Black peppercorns
- Cashews
- Fennel seeds
- Bay leaf
- Cinnamon stick
You will also need a small mixer jar and a kadai or pan.
First, make the spice paste. In the mixer jar, add 1/4 cup of coconut pieces or 2 tablespoons of grated coconut. Then, add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds and 1/2 teaspoon of black peppercorns, along with 6 to 8 cashews. Finally, add a small amount of water and grind the mixture into a smooth paste.
Next, heat up your kadai or pan and add 3 tablespoons of cooking oil. Put in a teaspoon of fennel seeds, a bay leaf, and a cinnamon stick. Allow the spices to fry for about 30 seconds. You may also add mustard seeds and curry leaves at this stage, frying until the mustard seeds splutter.
Now, you are ready to add the onions and continue with the recipe.
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Add the onions, tomatoes, and spices
To prepare the onions, start by rinsing and chopping 200g of button mushrooms two to three times thoroughly with running water. Set these aside for now. Next, heat 3 tablespoons of cooking oil in a pan and add a teaspoon of fennel seeds, a bay leaf, and a cinnamon stick. Allow the seeds and whole spices to fry for 30 seconds before adding 3/4 cup of finely chopped onion (use red onions or shallots). Sauté the onions for 3 to 4 minutes until they become soft and brown.
Now it's time to add the tomatoes. Pour in 2 tablespoons of water to deglaze the pan and stir in half a teaspoon each of coriander powder, turmeric powder, and red chilli powder. Add the tomatoes and mix well. If you want a smooth curry, simply add the sautéed onions to the tomatoes and blend them. But avoid using red onions if you plan to puree them. Cook for a few minutes until the tomatoes are soft.
Finally, add the spices. You can add some freshly ground spices here, such as cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and cumin seeds. You can also add some ground spices like red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and turmeric powder. If you don't have garam masala, you can substitute it with curry powder or meat masala.
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Simmer and serve
Once you've added the coconut paste, it's time to simmer and garnish. Cover the dish and cook over a medium flame for 5 minutes. You can add a little ghee or coconut oil for extra flavour. Garnish with curry and coriander leaves.
Simmer until you reach your desired consistency, then switch off the heat. You can add a teaspoon of lemon or lime juice for a tangy flavour, but remember that if you do, you won't be able to reheat the dish without it tasting bitter.
Serve your mushroom kuzhambu hot, as a side dish with idli, dosa, chapati, poori, parotta, or rice. It also goes well with mild pulao or biryani.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need mushrooms, coconut, curry leaves, fennel seeds, cinnamon, onion, coriander powder, chilli powder, tomatoes, oil, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, cashews, cardamom, cloves, green chillies, ginger, garlic, salt, lemon juice, bay leaves, black stone flower, and poppy seeds.
First, rinse the mushrooms thoroughly with running water, chop or slice them, and keep them aside. Next, make a thin paste by grinding coconut pieces or grated coconut, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, cashews, and water. Then, heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves. After the mustard seeds splutter, add the chopped onions and saute until soft. Now, add the tomatoes, salt, coriander powder, turmeric powder, and red chilli powder. Fry until the tomatoes are soft, then add the chopped mushrooms and the ground paste. Pour in about two cups of water and let the mixture simmer for 10-15 minutes on a medium flame. Finally, turn off the heat and add lemon or lime juice and coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice, dosa, roti, or parotta.
Always use fresh mushrooms and clean them properly with lots of water before cutting and cooking to remove dirt and germs. The addition of garam masala powder helps to remove the pungent smell of mushrooms. You can garnish with more pepper powder if you want a spicier dish. If desired, add a teaspoon of lemon juice at the end for a tangy flavour, but note that the dish cannot be reheated if you add lemon juice.
