Mushroom Tikka Masala

How to make Mushroom Tikka Masala

Preparing tikka marinade:

1. We will need hung curd/yogurt or thick yogurt for this recipe. I used ½ cup fresh curd and strained it in a muslin cloth with a light weight kept on it, overnight in the fridge.

From ½ cup fresh curd, I got 4 tablespoons hung curd. If using thick curd, then also use 4 tbsp of it.

2. Now add 4 tablespoons of the hung curd or thick curd in a bowl along with the following ingredients:

• ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder or 2 to 3 pinches of turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
• ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder or deghi mirch
• ½ teaspoon chaat masala powder
• 1 to 1.5 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
• ½ teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
• ¼ teaspoon lemon juice
• Add black salt as required. You can also use rock salt or regular salt instead of black salt.

3. Mix the marinade mixture very well.

4. Then add ½ tablespoon of besan or gram flour.

5. Stir and mix again very well. You can also add ½ tablespoons oil if grilling the mushroom tikka in the oven or a tandoor grill. If pan-frying or sauteing, then no need to add oil.

6. Now add mushrooms to the marinade mixture. The mushrooms can be rinsed and then wiped if too many mud particles on them or just lightly wiped with a moist cloth, if they are clean.

Slice the stalks a little bit and keep them ready before adding to the marinade.

7. With your hands, gently mix and coat the mushrooms with the marinade. Cover the bowl with a lid and allow the mushrooms to get marinated for 30 minutes at room temperature or in the fridge. You can also keep for a couple of hours in the fridge or overnight.

8. Meanwhile add 2 large tomatoes and 8 to 10 cashews in a bowl containing hot water. Cover and keep aside for 20 to 30 minutes.

The tomatoes will get blanched and the cashews will soften. You can heat the water on a stovetop, in a microwave or in an electric heater. Use almonds or a mix of almonds and melon seeds (magaz) if you don’t want to use cashews.

9. After 20 to 30 minutes, chop the blanched tomatoes. You can also remove the peels if you want.

10. Add the tomatoes along with its juices and the cashews to a grinder or blender jar. Without adding any water grind to a smooth paste.

11. These are the marinated mushrooms after 40 minutes.

Baking method:
1. Line the pan with an aluminium foil. Thread the mushrooms on a skewer and bake/grill for 20 to 25 minutes in a preheated oven at 200 degrees celsius.

Since oven temperatures vary, do keep a check. The time taken to grill the mushrooms can be less or more.

2. The oven grilled mushrooms below. You can also brush oil on the mushrooms before baking and its optional.

Sauteing method:
1. Heat 3 to 4 tablespoons of oil in a pan. You can use any neutral flavored oil.

2. Add the marinated mushrooms.

3. Let each side of the mushrooms get cooked a bit and then turn over. Use a well-seasoned pan or non-stick pan for sauteing the mushrooms, otherwise, the marinade sticks to the pan.

3. Saute the mushrooms on a low to medium heat.

4. Turn over and saute so that each side gets browned and cooked well. A time will come when the mushrooms will begin to release water and the oil will begin to splutter. Just cover the pan with a lid half way and continue to cook the mushrooms.

5. Saute till the marinade coating on the mushrooms is nicely golden and crisp. Remove the sauteed mushrooms with a slotted spoon and keep aside.

Making mushroom tikka masala gravy

6. In the same oil, add ½ cup finely chopped onions. If you have grilled all the mushrooms, then just heat 2 tablespoons of oil.

7. Stir and mix very well. Begin to saute onions on a low to medium heat stirring often.

9. Saute till the onions start turning golden.

10. Next add 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste. Stir and saute till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away or for a few seconds.

11. Now add ⅓ cup chopped capsicum (green bell pepper) and 1 to 2 slit green chilies. Green chilies give the dish some heat. Skip if making for kids or if you or family members cannot tolerate heat.

12. Stir and saute for a minute.

13. Now add all the dry spice powders mentioned below:

• ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder or deghi mirch
• ½ teaspoon cumin powder
• ½ teaspoon coriander powder

14. Stir the dry spice powders very well with the rest of the mixture.

15. Add the tomato-cashew paste.

16. Stir and mix again.

17. Also add leftover marinade. I just had about 1.5 teaspoons of the leftover marinade.

18. Stir and saute for 4 to 5 minutes.

19. Now add 1 cup water.

20. Stir and mix again so that the water gets evenly mixed with the rest of the masala.

21. Add salt as required.

22. Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon sugar or as required.

23. Bring the curry or gravy to a simmer for 4 to 5 minutes.

24. Add the sauteed or grilled mushrooms. If you want, you can prepare the gravy first. Then while serving, pour the gravy in the serving bowl. Place the mushroom tikkas on the gravy.

25. Add ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder, a pinch or two of grated nutmeg or nutmeg powder and 1 teaspoon kasuri methi (crushed).

26. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of low fat cream or whipping cream.

Substitute for fresh cream is 1 tablespoon milk powder or 1 tablespoon grated Khoya. if using either, then add them after you add the tomato-cashew paste and saute.

27. Stir very well and then switch off the heat. Check the taste and add more salt or sugar if required.

28. Lastly add 1 to 2 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves and ½ inch ginger, julienne.

29. Stir and serve mushroom tikka masala hot or warm with tandoori rotis, butter naan, pudina paratha or chapatis or phulkas.

You can also serve it with rice based dishes like jeera rice, veg pulao, biryani rice or even with steamed basmati rice