I love cooking dishes which gravitate ingredients we usually overlook. Like the beetroot curry this dish makes our beloved mushroom the star of the show.

Another bonus for me is the cost of this dish. Being able to take relatively ‘cheap’ ingredients to cook a very wholesome beautiful dish which for me is more rewarding.

Looking back over the photos as I write this just wants me to eat it over and over again.

Ingredients-

A standard supermarket tray of mushrooms (between 350g / 400g) cut into quarters, cup of frozen peas, 3 tbsp of rapeseed oil, 2 tbsp moons finely diced, a tin of chopped tomatoes, 1 tbsp of garlic & ginger paste, handful of cashew nuts, 1 tsp of cumin seeds, 1 red chilli finely diced, 1/2 tsp of asafoetida powder, 1 tsp of turmeric, 1:2 tsp of ground pepper, 1 tsp of chilli powder, 1 tsp of coriander powder, 1 tbsp of dried fenugreek leaves, good pinch of salt, 250ml of warm water, small piece of ginger cut into fine matchsticks, handful of coriander leaves finely chopped and 1 tsp of garam masala to garnish.

Method –

In a separate pan from the main cooking of the sauce heat some rapeseed oil. Add in all the mushrooms and peas and gently sauté them to heat them through but not cooking them throughly.

Once they have been heated through remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

Add three cashew nuts to a mortar and pestle. Add a splash of warm water soaking them for 10/15 minutes. Then crush them in the water to make a paste.

Heat your main pan with the remaining rapeseed oil. Add the cumin seeds, diced chilli and asafoetida powder and heat until the cumin seeds start to sizzle then add the onion.

After 10 minutes or so once the onions have taken a nice colour add in the garlic and ginger paste, give the pan a good stir ensuring the paste is mixed in well frying for a minute or so.

Add in all the dried spices – turmeric, pepper, chilli powder, coriander & dried fenugreek leaves.

Give the pan a good mix. The dried spices will start to release their natural oils and at this point your kitchen will smell amazing…..

Add a touch of water if the mix is sticking. Add your chopped tomatoes and salt. Cook this for 7/8 minutes.

The sauce will take on all the flavours….

Add in the cashew paste….give the pan a good mix.

Add in the 250ml of water and bring to a simmer.

The dish will start to thickened (due to the cashew paste) .

Add the mushroom and peas mixture from your other pan.

Give the pan a gentle mix coating all the mushrooms in the sauce. Cook the dish for another 5 minutes.

Season again if required then garnish the final dish with the garam masala.

To serve the dish add the chopped coriander and ginger.

I just served mine up with a supermarket purchased naan bread.

Thank you for reading my ramblings. The recipe was inspired by a local author Suki Pantal.