Mushroom Puli Munchi ( Mushroom in tamarind-chilli sauce), vegan, GF

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!!

Food for thought:

There's a way to do it better-find it. Thomas A.Edison

Creamy spinach with mushrooms; Meatless Monday & Thanksgiving Special!

Week nights are hectic. I come home only around 7 p.m. I then cook dinner. Why cook that late? Because I like my family to eat fresh food whenever possible. That is why I like to make simple quick meals. This is another one of those dishes that is simple, quick and easy to make and absolutely delicious. Everyone at home loves it! You can eat it just like that with some bread/toast, eat it as a side with some rice or mix it in with any pasta/noodles of your choice.This would make for a great side for Thanksgiving. You will get some much needed vegetables( fiber too) amidst all the meat that is consumed!I am bringing this to Simple Supper Tuesdays.I am sure many people will be pondering about some easy quick last minute sides for their Thanksgiving meal!

The idea for this recipe is courtesy Ruchi Airen, a fellow food blogger, whose most recipes I like. She is a woman after my own heart! Her recipes are simple and easy to make. You can find the original recipe here. As usual, I have tweaked the recipe to my taste to make it creamier.

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

Spinach: one medium bunch.
Mushrooms: one 8 oz container ( you can choose Cremini or baby Bella; both taste good).
Onion: 1 small, chopped fine
Garlic: 2-3 cloves, minced
Butter: 1 tsp
Olive/ coconut oil: 1 tsp
Fresh parsley: 1 tbsp, chopped( optional)
Oregano: 1/2 tsp ( optional)
Salt: to taste
Black pepper: 1/4 tsp ( adjust as per individual spice level)
Milk: 1/2 cup
Corn flour: 1 tsp

Method:

Wash the spinach, steam it for 5-8 mins ; drain and keep aside.

Wash the mushrooms ,slice them into big slices, keep aside.

Dissolve the corn flour into the milk and keep aside.

Heat butter & oil in a sauté pan. Add the garlic, sauté for few seconds.

Add the chopped onions and sauté until it turns transparent.

Now add the sliced mushrooms; sauté for 3-4 mins.(Don't overcook the mushrooms as when cooked too much they tend to become very small and also leave a lot of water).

Add in the steamed spinach. Mix well.Add the salt, black pepper.

Add the milk-corn flour mixture to the pan. Simmer and let it cook until the sauce thickens. 

Add in the herbs, mix well.

Serve hot with rice/ bread/ pasta.

Here, in this picture I have tossed the creamy mushroom spinach with angel hair pasta and topped it chooped avocado, tomatoes and Parmesan cheese.

Cooking made easy:

You can use any fresh/ dried herbs into the above dish. While I like fresh herbs and prefer to use them, I also keep a mix of dried herbs like parsley, thyme, rosemary, oregano which I use to season my fish, in pastas and dishes such as above. These are herbs that I don't use that often and therefore would go bad if I bought them fresh.

Tip for healthy living:

Mushrooms are good for us as they are a great source of Selenium which has anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and liver-detoxifying properties.Mushrooms are the only vegan source of vitamin D.It is also rich in vitamin B complex and minerals like phosphorus, iron, potassium and copper.It is also a great source of dietary fiber. it is rich in beta-glycans which have a role in anti-inflammation, reducing insulin resistance and reducing blood cholesterol levels.

Food for thought:

Life in abundance comes only through great love. Elbert Hubbard

Mushroom Chilli

It is Friday! Friday means party.. time to party at Angie's Fiesta Friday. Today, I bring something spicy and yummy to the party...Mushroom Chilli. I hope everyone likes it.If you have not been to Angie's Fiesta Friday, I strongly suggest that you come once. You will be hooked!

I love mushrooms.Apart from several important nutrients like niacin, riboflavin, potassium and vitamin D, mushrooms are also rich in selenium which is an antioxidant . I like Chinese food but since I rarely eat out, I make most of them at home and in a much more healthier manner.Mushroom chilli is a favorite in my household. It is simple, quick and easy to make and absolutely delicious!

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Mushrooms : One 8 oz package of Cremini or Baby bella,sliced 0.5 cms thick.
Onions: 1 medium,  diced medium
Garlic: 4 cloves,cut julienne
Ginger: 1 inch, cut julienne
Green chilli: 3,chopped fine
Bell pepper:1 large,diced medium( can use any color)
Soy sauce:2-3 tbsp
Vinegar: 1 tbsp
Corn flour/ corn starch:1 tbsp
Spring onions: 3,chopped fine
Olive Oil:2 tbsp
Sugar: pinch
Salt: to taste

Method:

Mix corn starch and soy sauce and keep aside.

Heat a wok on high heat,add oil. When oil  is hot, add garlic , then ginger. Sauté for 30 secs, then add chopped onions, sauté for 1-2 mins. 

Now add green chillies, bell pepper and then mushrooms. Saute for 2 minutes.

Now add salt, sugar and the cornstarch-soy sauce mixture and mix well. Let it cook for another 3-4 mins. 

Add vinegar and mix well.

Garnish with chopped spring onions.

Serve hot with jasmine rice!

Cooking made easy:

Avoid using wooden cutting boards to chop onion or garlic. The smell of the onion/ garlic never goes away from the cutting board.

Always wash the knife immediately after chopping onions or garlic. Not doing so will dull the blade of the knife.

Tip for healthy living:

One of the best ways to exfoliate your skin regularly is dry scrubbing.
Use a dry brush and thoroughly brush your skin before bathing. This not only gets rid of the dead skin, it apparently also increases the blood flow to the skin and also is purported to get rid of impurities from the body.
The end result is apparently radiant looking skin. Of course avoid dry brushing the delicate skin of the face.

Food for thought:

FEAR has two meanings: ' Forget Everything And Run' or Face Everything And Rise'. The choice is yours. Zig Ziglar

Mushroom Bruschetta

My favorite accompaniment to my evening tea is tea-rusk or toast. I love bruschetta. But not anymore. Not since I decided to avoid gluten. Interestingly, other day I came across and episode of Dr. Oz wherein there was a lady who was in a similar situation as me. She then suggested this amazing swap for toast in bruschetta. She swapped it with mushrooms!This caught my attention.I immediately filed it in my mind to try it. We always have mushrooms at home as both my husband and I love it! We use it in several different ways: with my salmon (most of the time), in noodles, fried rice, omelette etc. This was a novel use for my mushrooms. Earlier during the week I got a chance to try them and they tasted amazing! It was pretty quick and easy to make. Without further ado, let me share this amazing recipe with you.

Servings: 4 ( about 5 mushrooms each)

Ingredients:

Baby Bella mushrooms: 20, cleaned
Onion: 1 medium,chopped fine.
Garlic: 2-3 cloves, minced
Tomato: 1 medium, diced small
Vinegar: 1/2 tsp
Cilantro: 1 tbsp, finely chopped
Salt: 1/8 tsp
Black pepper powder: 1/4 tsp, freshly ground.
Olive oil: 1- 2 tbsp

Method:

Remove the stems of all the mushrooms and keep aside the mushroom caps.

Preheat the oven on broil.

In a bowl mix together chopped onion, tomato, garlic, cilantro, salt, pepper and vinegar.

Grease a baking sheet and keep ready.

Fill the mushroom caps with the above mixture and arrange them upside down on a baking sheet.

Lightly sprinkle/spray, olive oil on top.

Place the baking sheet in the broiler for 12-16 mins depending on your oven.

Serve immediately.

Enjoy! This plate tonight is going to Fiesta Friday!

Cooking made easy:

Quite often when we buy fresh herbs, we end up using only a small portion of it and the rest goes bad. We can solve this problem by taking out a portion of the herbs, wash them in cold water, air dry on paper towels. When the moisture has gone, chop them and store them in small Ziploc bags in the freezer. You can take out a small portion and use it as needed.

Tip for healthy living:

Mushrooms are highly nutrient-rich. They are a source of lean protein and fiber with no cholesterol and fat.Apart from several important nutrients like niacin, riboflavin, potassium and vitamin D, mushrooms are also rich in selenium which is an antioxidant. They are purported to have significant anti-carcinogenic properties due to the significant presence of beta-glycans and conjugated linoleic acid.

Food for thought:

High achievement always takes place in the framework of high expectation. Charles Kettering