Mushroom Curry

Fresh button mushrooms are a creamy white. Don't buy, if they are brown; this means, they are closer to their use by date.

Cleaned and cut mushrooms turn brown like apples and bananas. If the stems are clean and not bruised, use them as well.

Ingredients:

Onions - 2 large, finely chopped

garlic - 1 pod peeled and finely chopped

cloves - to taste

cinnamon to taste

green peas - 1/2 cup

mushrooms - 200 grams, cleaned and halved.

turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

coconut milk - 2 cups fresh or canned

oil - 2 tsps (just enough to cook the onions so the onions are not too dry)

salt to taste

For Grinding:

tomatoes - 2

corriander leaves - 2 cups

green chillies - 6 or to taste

Note: Coconut milk tends to sweeten your curry. So, add green chillies accordingly.

Method:

1. Blend tomatoes, corriander and green chillies to a smooth paste.
2. Add oil to the kadai. When it is warm enough, add the spices. When the spices splutter, add the garlic. Lower the flame.
3. When the garlic changes colour, add the onions and cook till they turn brown.
4. Add the turmeric powder, mushrooms and peas. Sprinkle water and cook covered for 5 minutes.
5. Add the tomato-chili-corriander paste, mix well. Do not add any more water unless the mixture is very dry; in which case, just sprinkle some water. 
6. Continue to cook on a low flame for another 7-10 minutes, stirring from time to time. 
7. When the green peas are cooked, add the coconut milk, mix well and turn off the stove. Don't allow the curry to boil after you add the coconut milk.
8. Garnish with corriander leaves and serve with rice, iddli, dosa, chappati or puri.

Coconut milk contains saturated fat. I've never been able to decide whether that's good or bad - health wise.

Mushroom Facts

Interesting Tidbits:

1. Study of mushrooms (fungi) is called mycology and people who study this are called mycologists.
2. Mushrooms are believed to have been in existence since the tertiary period.
3. Discolouration of silver, brass and onions were often a sign that the mushroom is poisonous. But experts say, this is not a reliable test as some edible mushrooms too discolour silver, brass and onions. It is not clear whether no discolouration is a definite indication of an edible mushroom.
4. It is not clear whether 'mushroom' is the corruption of two Welsh words maes (field)  and rhum (knob) or the corruption of the French word mousseron, the French word for mushrooms, that grow in mossy place.

Nutrition:

1. Mushroom is supposedly a high protein food. But it contains only 1.5 gms of protein /100 gms. 100 gms of legumes however, have 5 gms of protein.
2. The potassium content in mushroom is really high compared to other vegetarian sources 506 mg/100 gms as opposed to 244 mg/100 gms in legumes and 356 mg / 100 gms in coconut.
3. 100 gms of mushrooms contain a mere 36 calories when compared to 81 and 354 for legumes and coconut respectively.

Tips for cooking Mushrooms

1. Mushrooms should always be cooked slowly as cooking on a high flame evaporates the flavour.
2. Another tip to retain the flavour of mushrooms is to cook it covered.
3. When making stuffed mushrooms, leave mushrooms in salt water for about 5 minutes. If baking, bake covered on low heat.

Resources:

1. Student's Handbook of Mushrooms of America
2. Recipes for Cooking Mushrooms
3. Among the Mushrooms