I love Mushrooms, because of the meaty yet delicate and tender texture that they provide adding a satisfying mouthfeel to every bite. And this Mushroom Korma recipe is a showstopper for my cooking class. Everyone who attends my class, even the Mushroom haters loves this dish.
It helps that Mushrooms pair well with various herbs, spices, and other ingredients, making them adaptable to different culinary styles. Their ability to complement and enhance the overall taste of a dish makes them a favorite ingredient in my kitchen
There are many Korma recipes that one can find and the more authentic recipes use a lot of nuts and cream to add a depth of flavour to the dish. However, my Korma recipe is Vegan as we cook it in Coconut Oil and then add Coconut Milk in the end, which gives it a richness without making the dish too heavy.
Serve it with Rice or Bread and it will definitely wow everyone.
Recipe - Cooking time 30 minutes
500 gms mushrooms, washed and cubed with stalks chopped off, you can use Button or Shiitake
1 cup Green Peas
3 large onions, finely chopped
2 large tomatoes finely chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste
10 - 15 fresh curry leaves
1-inch stick of Cinnamon
1 ½ tsp Paprika powder or Red chilli powder
2 tsp Coriander powder
2 tsp Turmeric powder
2 tsp Ginger Garlic paste or freshly chopped ginger and garlic
1 tsp Garam Masala powder
Salt to taste
½ cup Coconut cream or Coconut milk
1 tbsp Coconut Oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
Freshly chopped Coriander
Method:
Heat oil in a large pan and add the Mustard seeds, cinnamon stick, and ginger garlic paste.
Add curry leaves and onions and cook till the onions soften and start to caramelize
Add the Tomatoes & tomato paste and salt and cook till the tomatoes become mushy and you have a paste-like consistency.
Add the dry spices and cook for a few seconds till the raw aroma of the spices is gone and you see the oil separating on the sides.
At this stage do a taste test and adjust the seasoning. The Mushrooms will release a lot of moisture and then the coconut milk will also tone down the flavor, so you have to make sure that at this stage the spices in your dish are a little over and not under.
Add the Mushrooms mix well cover and cook for 15 minutes on a low flame. Stir occasionally and if you feel that your sauce is too dry, add a little water. Resist the urge to add too much water.
Add the green peas, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the coconut cream or milk, mix well, and cook for 5 more minutes and turn off the heat. Do not overcook the coconut milk as it can split.
Garnish with fresh coriander and garam masala before you serve.
Notes:
Do not slice the mushrooms but cut them into pieces so they retain their shape once cooked
Resist the temptation to add water to the dish. The Mushrooms release a lot of moisture so any additional water will make the dish too watery which I personally don't perfer
Instead of Coconut cream, you can add Cashew nut cream. Alternatively, you can add Greek yogurt in the end or cream
You can also add chopped spinach to this dish