Guys, by now I am sure all of you are aware that I love love mushrooms. I could eat them daily!! While I like most varieties of mushrooms, my favorite is baby Bella and portabello mushrooms. I love the meaty texture of those mushrooms. I like Cremini too. I am always cooking mushrooms in a myriad variety of ways. I love mushroom chilli, mushroom masala, mushroom fried rice, mushrooms in everything.
Mushroom puli munchi is my vegetarian version of shrimp Phanna upkari or Raja Phanna upkari. Puli Munchi or Phanna upkari is a specialty of where I am from : south Canara,a costal region in southern India. This is a special way that they cook fish or shrimps. "Puli "means "tamarind"and "Munchi" means "chilli" in Tulu , which is a dialect of the region. Puli muchi is known as Phanna upkari in konkani which again translates like this: "phann"=tempering, upkari= stir fry. So basically the tamarind chilli gravy is tempered with fried onions! Let me tell you this: it is super yum! Yes, it is a very spicy dish but the amount of spice can be modified and balance with the amount of tang. Also the fried onions give it a kind of sweetness that is delicious! I decided to recreate this fish dish with mushrooms- a great option for vegetarians! And guess what guys?? It turned out delicious!! I just love it! Do give it a try and let me know what you think.
Servings: 3-4
Ingredients :
Baby Bella mushrooms : 1 lb
Onion: 1 medium, chopped fine
Kashmiri Red chilli powder: 1 1/2- 2 tsp ( adjust based on your spice level)
Coriander powder: 1 heaped tsp
Haldi powder: 1/2 tsp
Coconut oil: 1 tsp + 1 tbsp
Tamarind pulp: 1/2 tsp
Water: 1 cup
Salt: to taste
Method:
Clean and slice the mushrooms into 1 cm thick slices and keep aside. If the mushrooms are very small, leave them whole.
Heat coconut oil in a small saute pan on medium heat. Add coriander powder, chilli powder and sauté for few seconds. Now add 1cup water, quarter of the chopped onions, salt and bring it to a boil.
While the above mixture is coming to a boil, in a small frying pan heat 1 tbsp of coconut and fry the rest of the chopped onions until golden brown and slightly crisp.Keep aside.
Now add the sliced mushrooms to the sauce and cook for 4-5minutes until the mushrooms are slightly softened. Mushrooms don't take long to cook.
Now add the fried onions to the pan. Stir well. Turn off the flame.
Serve hot with steamed white or brown rice.
 |
| Mushroom puli munchi served with matta rice,dal, green swiss charfd and onion vodi. |
Enjoy! Angie and all my friends at Fiesta Friday, are you ready for this fiery dish?? Justine @ Eclectic odds & sods and Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook are helping Angie with the party!
Cooking made easy:
After chopping onions, garlic and potatoes, always clean the knife immediately as they otherwise tend to dull the knife.
Tip for healthy living:
Believe it or not studies spicy food has its advantages. While hot peppers and horseradish help clear the sinuses when you have cold, some spices contain cancer-fighting antioxidants !! They also are rich in a variety of minerals and vitamin C.
Capsaicin is the new friend for many! Capsaicin is what gives the chillies it's kick! New studies have shown that capsaicin helps reduce joint pain and also lower the bad cholesterol in the body thereby keeping the heart healthy! It also apparently may have a role in weight loss due to the sweating after eating hot food!!
My thing is if the food is that hot, you are sure to lose your appetite super-quick!!
No comments:
Post a Comment