Mushroom Pepper Masala Fry

Name: Mushroom Pepper Masala Fry
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: south_indian
Ingredients: 400 g mushroom (cleaned and halved if large); 2 pcs onion (medium, thinly sliced); 2 pcs tomato (medium, finely chopped); 1 inch ginger (finely chopped); 4 pcs garlic (cloves, finely chopped); 2 pcs green chili (slit); 1 tsp black pepper (coarsely crushed); 0.5 tsp fennel seeds; 0.5 tsp cumin seeds; 1 pinch turmeric powder; 1 pinch red chili powder; 1 tsp coriander powder; 1 pinch garam masala; 10 pcs curry leaves; 2 tbsp oil; 0.5 tsp salt; 2 tbsp coriander leaves (chopped)

RATING

4.4/5(78)

TASTE SCORE

8/10

A quick, spicy mushroom side dish with plenty of black pepper, onions, and simple South Indian-style spices. It cooks fast, stays juicy, and tastes great with rice, rasam, chapati, or dal.

PREP

15m

COOK

15m

SERVES

1 KATORI

138 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 6 STEPS

prep · ~10 min
Prepare the vegetables and spices.
1.Clean the mushroom and halve any large pieces.
2.Slice the onion thinly and chop the tomato finely.
3.Chop the ginger and garlic, slit the green chili, and crush the black pepper coarsely.
saute · ~7 min
Cook the tempering spices and onions.
1.Heat oil in a wide pan over medium heat.
2.Add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and curry leaves; cook until fragrant (20-30 seconds).
3.Add onion and green chili, then sauté until the onion turns light golden (4-5 minutes).
4.Add ginger and garlic and cook until the raw smell disappears (1 minute).
TIPUse a wide pan so the mushrooms fry instead of steaming.
saute · ~5 min
Make the masala base.
1.Add tomato and cook until soft and pulpy (3-4 minutes).
2.Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and salt.
3.Mix well and cook for 1 minute so the spices lose their raw taste.
saute · ~7 min
Fry the mushrooms with pepper.
1.Add mushroom and black pepper to the pan.
2.Mix well and cook on medium-high heat without covering for 5-7 minutes.
3.Stir now and then until the mushrooms release moisture, then dry out and turn glossy.
4.Cook until the masala coats the mushrooms and the dish looks semi-dry.
TIPDo not cover the pan, or the mushrooms will turn watery.
garnish
Finish with coriander leaves.
serve
Serve hot with rice, rasam, or chapati.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

7 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.

1
Wipe mushrooms clean instead of soaking them, so they fry rather than turn spongy.
2
Use a wide kadai or skillet and avoid crowding; mushrooms need space to lose moisture fast.
3
Let the onions turn light golden before adding ginger-garlic for a sweeter, deeper masala base.
4
Cook the tomatoes until fully pulpy, or the masala can taste sharp and separate from the mushrooms.
5
Keep the pan uncovered throughout the mushroom stage so the fry stays semi-dry, not watery.
6
Add a little extra freshly crushed pepper right at the end for a stronger, more aromatic finish.
7
This dish reheats well; warm it in an open pan for a minute to bring back the dry-fry texture.