Mushroom Masala Curry (Mushroom Gravy)

This North Indian Mushroom Masala Curry features sautéed mushrooms simmered in a spicy, creamy and aromatic masala or curry base. It is a popular restaurant dish usually eaten with Basmati rice, Jeera rice, Ghee rice or with roti, Chapati, Plain Parathas. While white button mushrooms are common in a Mushroom Masala Curry, you are free to use any other kind you prefer.

Mushrooms are not a common veggie in the traditional Indian cuisine yet they are used to prepare so many dishes like Pepper Mushrooms, Mushroom Biryani, Mushroom pulao, curries & mushroom stir fry.

Indian cuisine is by far diverse and each dish is made in numerous ways depending on the region. This Mushroom masala or say Mushroom Curry is no exception. In this post I share 2 recipes – the first one is North Indian restaurant style and the second one is a South Indian dish, made similar to this Hyderabadi Mirchi ka Salan.

Both the dishes have a creamy and nutty taste but have a different flavor profile. While the North Indian dish uses cashews, the South Indian curry uses peanuts, sesame and coconut. They both are gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan if you make the recipe with oil.

About Mushroom Masala

A summary of ingredients used

This Mushroom Masala is a curried dish of mushrooms simmered in a spicy and fragrant gingery-garlicky onion tomato masala. Spices like garam masala, cumin powder, coriander powder and kasuri methi are the key as they impart Indian flavors to the dish.

Cashews are used to thicken the curry and balance the tangy taste of tomatoes. Apart from that they add a creamy taste without the need to use heavy cream. They can be replaced with blanched almonds, almond flour, nut butter, heavy cream or coconut cream but note that coconut changes the taste of the dish.

White button mushrooms are commonly used in Indian cuisine but I use different kinds of mushrooms based on the availability. Every kind of mushroom has a different taste, flavor and texture. So use what you like the most.

I have used 300 grams (11 ounce) fresh shiitake here, other varieties like white button mushrooms, Swiss Brown mushrooms (Cremini) and Portobello are some good choices.

For more Mushroom recipes, you may check
Spicy kadai mushroom
Simple mushroom stir fry
Mushroom pepper fry
Garlic mushrooms
Mushroom omelet

How to Make Mushroom Masala (Stepwise Photos)

Preparation

1. You need the following ingredients

• 1 medium yellow onion very fine chopped to make 1 cup (120 grams)
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger (or use 1½ tsps ginger garlic paste)
• 1 teaspoon grated garlic or pressed
• 280 grams sweet tomatoes pureed in a blender to make 1¼ cup puree
• 20 cashew nuts soaked in ¼ cup hot water for 10 mins in hot water and pureed to cream or use 1½ tablespoon nut butter or 1/3 cup cream
• ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder (reduce for low heat)
• 1¼ teaspoon garam masala or meat masala (more if needed)
• ¾ teaspoon cumin powder (I use roasted cumin powder)
• 1½ teaspoons coriander powder
• ¾ to 1 teaspoon sea salt (adjust to taste)
• 1 teaspoon kasuri methi (optional, dried fenugreek leaves)
• 2 tablespoons coriander leaves to garnish

Chop the onions and begin to cook, prep up the rest as you cook. This saves some time. You will prepare 300 grams (11 ounces) mushrooms later.

Make the Masala

2. Heat 2½ tbsp oil or ghee in a pan and add the optional whole spices – 1 bay leaf, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, 2 green cardamoms and 2 inch cinnamon piece, followed by onions. Saute until golden for about 9 to 10 mins. Stir in the ginger garlic. Saute for a minute and pour 2 tablespoons water and deglaze the pan.

3. Stir in all the ground spices – red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric, salt and garam masala.

4. Add tomato puree.

5. Saute until the raw flavor is gone and the masala becomes thick and smells aromatic.

6. Pour cashew puree and ¾ cup hot water.

7. Mix well and bring to a rolling boil on a high heat. Reduce heat and cook covered until the onions are soft and the gravy turns thick.

Saute Mushrooms

8. Meanwhile trim the stems and rinse the mushrooms under running water. If they are organic and clean enough you may wipe them with moist cloth. If you are using white button mushrooms, you don’t need to remove the stems. Rinse and slice them thick or quarter to equal sizes. (Find more tips in the pro tips section below)

You can omit the steps of sautéing mushrooms before adding to the curry but this step brings out the flavor of mushrooms better.

9. Add ½ tablespoon ghee to another pan and add the mushrooms.

10. Saute them on a high heat until aromatic for 4 to 5 mins. You will notice the pan being dry as the mushrooms absorb the oil. It’s normal and continue to cook. It’s alright if they let out moisture.

11. Transfer them to the masala and mix well. (Do not add them before the masala is ready and thick.) Cook covered until the mushrooms are completely tender to your liking. If the masala is too thick add a splash of water.

12. Add kasuri methi and more salt or garam masala as needed. If your gravy is too tart, add little sugar or maple syrup. (If you use heavy cream stir in here)

Sprinkle lemon juice at the time of serving and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve mushroom masala over rice or with flatbreads – roti, chapati, plain paratha or naan.

Pro Tips

• This recipe makes a slightly chunky masala since chopped onions are used but it is creamy. If you want a smooth masala, simply add the sautéed onions to the tomatoes and puree. But avoid using red onions if you want to puree them.
• Prepare the mushrooms only when you are ready to use them. I usually do that while cooking the masala.
• It is not essential to saute the mushrooms but some kinds of mushrooms won’t taste good without this step. So do what you like.
• If using small mushrooms, you don’t need to trim the stems as they are not woody and fibrous. But if you are using medium to larger mushrooms, trim off the stems as they can taste woody and fibrous. They will remain under cooked in the curry.
• To make the dish nut-free, dairy-free and coconut free, boil ¾ cup (75 grams) diced onions in 2 cups water for 5 mins, drain and puree with the tomatoes. You will still use chopped onions. It will taste good but won’t have the creamy taste.

How to Make Mushroom Curry (Recipe 2)

This is a South Indian home style recipe, very simple to make and has a curry base like the Hyderabadi mirchi ka salan. It takes too good with plain basmati rice, jeera rice, ghee rice, roti, paratha and even with naan.

In this mushroom curry, peanuts, sesame seeds and coconut form the base of the curry. These ingredients are roasted and ground first. Then added to the onion tomato mixture. It tastes extremely delicious with bursting aroma of nuts, seeds and spices.

Ingredients

200 grams sliced white button mushrooms
1 cup capsicums cubed (optional)
¾ cup of chopped onions
¾ cup fine chopped tomatoes or tomato puree
1 sprig curry leaves or bay leaf
1 green chilli slit
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
¾ teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to taste)
¾ teaspoon garam masala (adjust to taste)
1 teaspoon kasuri methi (optional)
2 tablespoons oil
Salt to taste
1/8 teaspoon turmeric

To roast
2 tablespoons roasted Peanuts
1 tablespoon roasted Sesame seeds (optional)
1 tablespoon desiccated coconut (optional)

Instructions – Preparation

1. On a medium flame, dry roast 2 tablespoons peanuts in a pan until deep golden and aromatic. Then reduce the flame to low and add sesame seeds. Stir them until they begin to splutter. Turn off and add coconut. Saute for some time. Cool all of these and make a powder.

It will turn slightly greasy, lumpy and oily. It’s just fine but the powder must smell nice and nutty. Otherwise roast this for a few more minutes so it smells really good.

2. Pour 1 tablespoon oil to a hot pan. Add 200 grams sliced mushrooms and saute them on a high heat for 2 to 3 mins until a nice aroma comes out. They will let out some moisture but it’s just fine. Remove these to a plate and set aside.

3. To the same pan, add 1 cup diced bell peppers/ capsicum and saute them as well for 2 to 3 mins until partially cooked yet crunchy. This is done to bring out the flavors from the bell peppers. Remove these as well and keep aside.

Making mushroom curry

4. Pour 1 tablespoon oil to the same pan. Add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and 1 sprig curry leaves.

5. When the seeds splutter add ¾ cup fine chopped onions and 1 slit green chilli. Saute until the onions turn golden to light brown. Then add 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste. Saute until the raw smell goes away.

6. Add ¾ cup tomatoes (chopped or pureed), ½ teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon turmeric. Saute until the tomatoes break down and turn mushy. The raw smell of tomatoes should go away by now.

7. Add the roasted peanut powder and ¾ teaspoon red chilli powder. Saute for a minute.

8. Then pour 1¼ to 1½ cups water. Mix well and let the curry simmer until it turns thick. Do not proceed to the next step until your gravy turns thick.

9. Add mushrooms and bell peppers.

10. Add crushed kasuri methi (optional) and garam masala. Let the mushrooms cook only for a while until tender but not soggy. Turn off and cover the pan so the flavors are retained. Stir well and taste test. Add more salt if need.

Cool down the curry a bit and squeeze some lemon juice before serving. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve mushroom curry with roti, paratha, ghee rice or jeera rice.

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This recipe post was first published in November 2012. Republished in December 2020.