When the versatile mushroom dons Chettinad avatar

Chennai

Recounting my stay in the Garden City, as I entered Asha Dey’s house there, I was looking forward to further strengthening my 35-year-old friendship with her. The first person I met at her home was Lakshmi, her full-time house help. She asked me in fluent English, whether I would like a cup of tea and I sat there, admiring her diction and hospitality. Lakshmi is an integral part of the household and me being a guest, I felt she looked after me very well. Her happiness and love showed in the food she served us and her terrific cook made even mundane, everyday food taste different and tasty.

When she and I got talking about food, she expressed interest in wanting to know the origin and history of some dishes I mentioned, and requested me to demonstrate the preparation to her. Her infectious enthusiasm made both of us decide to cook a nice meal consisting unusual south Indian dishes, which were not available in restaurants.

She wanted a vegetarian dish which tasted like non-vegetarian and the perfect answer was mushroom. Though it is a fungus, the taste and texture is almost like meat and hence is popular with most non-vegetarians.

Mushrooms were believed to the ‘plant of immortality’ by the ancient Egyptians, 4,600 years ago. It was the food of royal family and commoners were denied of it. Even in the civilizations of Russia, China, Greece, Mexico and Latin America, the same ritual was practiced. Many assumed that the consumption of mushrooms could produce super-human strength, help in locating lost objects and make one reach the Gods.

Initially, edible mushrooms were used mainly in Chinese and European food, but now have become global. In Indian cooking, it made a rather late entry but has become a popular across the country today.  

Paddy straw mushroom (Volvariella Volvacea), also known as Chinese mushroom, ranks sixth among the cultivated kinds of the world. It began being grown in India in 1940 – first at Coimbatore – and then found its way into some coastal states like Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, other parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. These fungi are a rich source of fibre, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, biotin, ascorbic acid, selenium, potassium and phosphorous.

Since mushrooms are versatile and easy to cook, the addition of Indian spices makes them even more delicious. Kalan milagu is a classic mushroom dish with peppercorns. I add a zing of garlic and onions to make it an excellent side dish that can be served with rice.

Kalan Milagu Varuthathu 

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Serves: 4

Calories per serve: 310 cal in a small cupful

Ingredients

Button mushrooms: 400 gm

Coconut oil: 1 tbsp

Shallots: 1/2 cup, chopped

Ginger paste: 1 tsp

Garlic paste: 1 tsp

Tomatoes: 2, chopped finely

Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder: 2 tsp

Black peppercorns: 2 tsp, crushed

Salt: To taste

Green chillies: 1, slit

Garam masala: 1 tsp (optional)

Turmeric powder: 1 tsp

Coriander: 1/4 cup, chopped

Curry leaves: A few

Coconut milk: 3/4 cup

Method

• Clean the mushroom, cut off the stem and chop the head into medium-sized pieces. Set aside in a bowl.
• Heat the oil in a kadai. Once it gets hot, add the curry leaves, onions and green chilli.
• Sauté for seven minutes on a medium flame. Let the onions brown but don’t burn them.
• Drop in the tomatoes and cook till the raw smell goes away.
• Sprinkle the turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala (optional) and sauté for couple of minutes. Cook till the oil separates from the gravy.
• Pour in the coconut milk and sauté till the gravy become semi-solid. 
• Add the mushrooms and stir thoroughly. Cook covered on a medium flame for five-eight minutes. 
• Open and sprinkle the black pepper powder and salt. Sauté till mushrooms are cooked and serve hot.

Kitchen Tip

• It’s best to buy mushrooms from a reputable grower or grocery store as there are many poisonous kinds. Incorrectly identifying them can lead to sweating, cramps, diarrhoea, disorientation and convulsions and potentially result in liver damage, or even death.
• Clean mushrooms only when you are ready to use them. Remove any bits of the debris on the surface, rinse with cold running water or gently wipe the mushrooms with a damp cloth, paper towel, or soft brush.
• Dried mushrooms are intensely concentrated in flavour and should be treated more like a seasoning than a vegetable. You’ll need to soak the dried mushrooms in hot water for 20-30 minutes, rinse, then chop and use. Saving that water and adding it to sauces or soups will intensify the flavour.
• Mushrooms are available yearlong but you should look for firm, moisture-free (not dry) and unblemished caps that and free of mould. Place mushrooms in a paper bag in the refrigerator after removing from original packaging. Airtight plastic bags tend to retain moisture and will accelerate spoilage. Properly stored mushrooms will last for approximate five days.
• Mushrooms can be frozen but they must be cleaned, cooked and placed in a clean container in advance. Frozen mushrooms will last several months so mark the date on the container before freezing.

— Chef Ramaa Shanker is the author of Festive Offerings to the Gods: Divine Soul Recipes

Visit news.dtnext.in to explore our interactive epaper!

Download the DT Next app for more exciting features!

Click here for iOS

Click here for Android