This typical Northern Indian-style curry goes extremely well with Indian breads. Fresh English peas work better here; they take a little bit of time to shell, but are worth the effort. If you can’t find fresh peas, use frozen ones—just know that they will add a bit of sweetness to the dish.
Serves 4
- 1 pound white or brown button mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger (about 2-inch piece)
- 1 teaspoon finely grated garlic (about 2 large cloves)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, finely ground
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, finely ground
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- ¼ cup chopped tomato (about 1 small)
- ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
- 1¼ cups shelled peas, preferably fresh
- 1 cup water
- ½ teaspoon salt
Cut the larger mushrooms into quarters, and the smaller ones in half.
Heat the oil and butter together in a large pan, and sauté the onion until dark brown. Add the ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cayenne, and stir constantly over medium heat until the mixture turns golden brown. This will happen quickly, so be careful it doesn’t burn. Add the tomato and cilantro and sauté another minute.
If using frozen peas, rinse them under water to thaw them a little. Add the peas and mushrooms to the spice mixture, mix well, add the water and salt, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer, cover the pan, and cook until the mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.