My family loves spicy food. Coming from Andhra, it is not much of a surprise I guess. But then, over the years, my mom has started reducing the amount of chillies or spice levels in her cooking – owing to health reasons. Right from the time I had my own kitchen, I have been cooking less spicy food and thankfully, the husband loves it. I cannot imagine having to make two versions of everything I prepare 🙂 We do make exceptions sometimes and since our meals are never complete without spicy pickles, I can’t say we don’t love spicy food. It would not be our first choice but we do enjoy it every now and then.
I had a pack of mushrooms lying in the refrigerator and immediately, I was reminded of the Kadai Gravy my mom prepared few years ago. I just modified it to a Kadai Mushroom gravy. Kadai gravies are quite different from other spicy gravies – mostly due to the spices used. In fact, a blend of different roasted spices are powdered to make Kadai masala powder. It is this special powder that makes this gravy quite flavorful and tasty. Oh yes, it does make the Kadai Mushroom gravy quite spicy too. I made it as a side-dish for rotis and it was a big hit at home. My dad especially loved it, given how spicy it was 🙂 Though making the masala powder is an additional task, this gravy does not take more than 30 mins to put together – it’s very simple to prepare.
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In a thick bottomed pan, dry roast all the ingredients under Kadai Masala Powder on low heat. As they get roasted, the aroma of the spices starts filling up the kitchen. Remove from heat and let them cool down. Blend into a smooth powder in a mixer jar.
In the same pan, heat oil. Add finely chopped onion and stir fry until translucent. Add ginger garlic paste and also add the tomato puree. Add turmeric powder. Cook on low flame until the raw smell is gone for about 5 mins.
Add cubed mushrooms and capsicum and continue to cook on low flame. Add salt required for the gravy. Soon, the mushrooms would start leaving water. Usually that is enough to cook the vegetables. If required, add some water – just enough to cook the mushrooms.
The capsicums should not be overly cooked and once the mushrooms are cooked, add the ground Kadai Masala powder and mix well. Cook on low flame for 5-7 mins until the masala is well incorporated into the vegetables. Remove from heat.
Serve hot with Rotis/Naan/Kulcha.
Mace is optional in the Kadai Masala Powder. Adjust the number of cloves and peppercorns as per spiciness required. I used store bought tomato puree but it can be made at home as well. Blanch the tomatoes in hot water and remove the skin. Puree until smooth in a blender. A pinch of sugar can be added if the tomato puree is too sour. Capsicums should be a bit crunchy – don’t overcook them. For a watery gravy, add ⅓rd cup of water at the end and simmer for 5mins. Paneer or mixed vegetables can be used in the place of mushrooms. Stays good in the fridge for a day and tastes even better 🙂
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