Steamed Rice, Andhra Mushroom Kura and Tomato Charu

Ingredients

• 400 g Cremini Mushrooms (cleaned and quartered)
• 2 medium Onion (finely chopped)
• 2 medium Tomato (finely chopped)
• 3 tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 2 pcs Dry Red Chilies (broken in half)
• 1 sprig Curry Leaves (about 10-12 leaves)
• 0.25 tsp Hing (asafoetida, use gluten-free variety if needed)
• 0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 tsp Red Chili Powder (adjust to your spice preference)
• 1.5 tsp Coriander Powder
• 0.5 tsp Garam Masala
• 1.25 tsp Salt (or to taste)
• 1.5 cup Water (use hot water for best results)
• 3 tbsp Coriander Leaves (freshly chopped, for garnish)
• 0.5 cup Fresh Coconut (grated, for masala paste)
• 10 pcs Cashews (soaked in warm water for 15 minutes, for masala paste)
• 3 pcs Green Chilies (stems removed, for masala paste)
• 1 inch Ginger (roughly chopped, for masala paste)
• 5 cloves Garlic (for masala paste)
• 1 inch Cinnamon Stick (for masala paste)
• 3 pcs Cloves (for masala paste)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the Masala Paste

   • In a blender, combine the grated fresh coconut, soaked cashews, green chilies, ginger, garlic, cinnamon stick, and cloves.
   • Add about 1/4 cup of water and blend until you have a completely smooth paste. Add a little more water, one tablespoon at a time, if needed to facilitate grinding. Set aside.
2. 2

   Sauté Aromatics

   • Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan or kadai over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and allow them to splutter completely.
   • Add the cumin seeds, broken dry red chilies, and curry leaves. Sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
   • Add the hing, followed immediately by the finely chopped onions. Sauté for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and have turned a light golden brown.
3. 3

   Build the Gravy Base

   • Add the finely chopped tomatoes to the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes, mashing them with your spoon, until they become soft and pulpy.
   • Stir in the turmeric powder, red chili powder, and coriander powder. Mix well and cook for 1 minute, allowing the raw aroma of the spices to dissipate.

Ingredients

• 4 medium Tomato (ripe and red, roughly chopped)
• 1 tbsp Tamarind (seedless, packed)
• 1 small Onion (finely chopped)
• 3 piece Green Chilli (slit lengthwise)
• 1.5 tbsp Rasam Powder
• 0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 0.5 tsp Jaggery (grated or powdered)
• 1.25 tsp Salt (or to taste)
• 3 tbsp Coriander Leaves (freshly chopped)
• 4.5 cup Water (divided)
• 2 tsp Vegetable Oil
• 0.5 tsp Mustard Seeds
• 0.5 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 2 piece Dried Red Chilli (broken in half)
• 3 clove Garlic (lightly crushed)
• 10 leaf Curry Leaves
• 0.25 tsp Hing

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare Tomato and Tamarind Base

   • Soak the tamarind in 1/2 cup of warm water for 15 minutes. Squeeze well to extract the pulp, strain it into a bowl, and discard the fibrous solids.
   • In a medium pot, combine the chopped tomatoes with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and cook for 8-10 minutes until the tomatoes are very soft and their skins are loose.
   • Turn off the heat. Once the mixture is cool enough to handle, mash the tomatoes thoroughly directly in the pot using a potato masher or clean hands.
2. 2

   Simmer the Charu

   • To the pot with the mashed tomatoes, add the prepared tamarind extract, finely chopped onion, slit green chilies, rasam powder, turmeric powder, jaggery, and salt.
   • Pour in the remaining 2 cups of water and stir everything together well.
   • Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Once it boils, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer gently for 10-12 minutes for all the flavors to meld. Avoid a vigorous boil.
3. 3

   Prepare the Tempering (Tadka)

   • While the charu simmers, heat the oil in a small pan (tadka pan) over medium heat.