Matar Mushroom / Mushroom With Green Peas Recipe

Matar Mushroom is a healthy and delicious vegetarian curry in which white button mushrooms are cooked with green peas in a flavorful onion tomato gravy. A simple North Indian style curry that goes well with chapati, naan or as a side dish with Jeera Rice. The curry can be made as a dry preparation or a gravy as per choice. The recipe is vegan and gluten-free.

Health benefits of white mushrooms includes a rich source of Vitamin D and Potassium , cancer prevention, relief from high cholesterol level and diabetes. It also helps in weight loss and strengthens the immune system. 

Mushrooms are healthy, they cook fast and they make me smile as they happen to be my family favourite. When ever we dine out we are sure to order at least one mushroom dish. At home i use them in soups, rice dishes and curries. 

Button Mushrooms cook very fast and pair very well with green peas . They have a bland taste and take up the taste of seasonings very well . Mushrooms and green peas are sauteed and cooked in onion tomato based masala which is mildly spiced with Indian spices. You can make the gravy rich by adding fresh cream if desired. The recipe is easy to follow and the curry is ready under 30 minutes.

What goes into my version of Matar Mushroom? The Ingredients:

• Mushrooms: White button mushrooms quick fast and pair well with green peas.They lend a lovely earthy flavor to the dish and take up the taste of the seasonings very well. Just make sure you wash them thoroughly under running water to remove any mud or dirt, pat dry, chop off the base stalk and either slice or cut them into quarters. Never soak the mushroom in water. You may use Paneer (Cottage Cheese) instead of mushroom in this curry. If using Paneer, add it towards the end, when green peas are cooked.
• Green peas: Either fresh or frozen green peas can be used in this recipe. Frozen ones tend to cook faster than the fresh ones so adjust the cooking time accordingly. I have used fresh green peas.
• Tomatoes: Use fresh ripe red tomatoes for best results. Tomatoes are added to boiling water and cooked for around 5 minutes. On cooling the skin is peeled, seeds are discarded and the tomatoes are pureed using a grinder jar.
• Onions: Finely chopped onions are sauteed and further cooked with tomato puree to form the base of this curry.
• Ginger-garlic-green chili paste: Adds a nice spicy flavor to the dish. Use green chilies as per your spice tolerance.
• Spices: Red chili powder, turmeric and garam masala , cumin coriander powder are the spice powders used in this recipe which make the curry aromatic and flavorful.
• Herbs: Fresh cilantro is used for garnishing. I many times add Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) also for the aroma.
• Sugar and Salt: A little bit of sugar does not make the curry sweet but it balances the sour and spicy flavors of the curry very well. Add salt as per taste.
• Oil: This recipe is vegan so i have used oil. You may use butter if you do not have any dietary restrictions. Butter makes the curry creamy rich. Little cream can also be added to wards the end for a richer version.

Related Event: 

                                              

This is an old post that i had published in 2017. Today, i have updated this post with new pics and written content, the recipe remains unchanged though. I have many such old posts where i feel the photography is dull or not appealing or the recipe is not up to the mark (at times we keep on changing our recipes to make it a better version of it). Such posts needs to be updated. All thanks to my dear friend and fellow blogger Renu who came up with a Facebook gourmet group, Foodies_redoing old posts, where in a bunch of passionate food bloggers can update their old posts with new photographs and written content fortnightly. This is my 26th entry into the event (11th December 2020). The pic below is my old pic of matar mushroom. One can make out the difference between the old pics and the new ones. Meanwhile do check out Renu's space for some wonderful recipes. I have bookmarked her Roasted garlic and herb Mushrooms to try out next.

                                   

Dietary Notes: 

• Vegetarian curry
• Healthy and nutritious side dish
• Vegan 
• Gluten-free
• Kid friendly

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 12-15 minutes

Serves : 4

Ingredients: Measurements used - 1 cup = 240 ml

• 200 grams White Button Mushroom
• 1 1/2 cup green peas
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 medium sized tomatoes, pureed* (refer the notes)
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 1/2 inch root ginger
• 1 green chilly
• 1 teaspoon red chilly powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Fresh coriander leaves to garnish
• Salt to taste
• 3 tablespoon oil

Method:

1.  Preparations: Wash the white button mushrooms under running water and pat them dry with a kitchen napkin. Remove a bit of base stalk with knife and slice them and keep aside. Grind the garlic, ginger and green chilly together using a grinder jar or crush them using a mortar and pestle. Keep aside until use. Prepare the tomato puree and keep ready. Refer the notes below for the details of tomato puree.

   2. In a wok, heat oil, add green chilly garlic ginger paste and saute until the raw smell goes. Add chopped onions to it and saute them for 1-2 minutes. 

  3. Add tomato puree to the caramelized onions and stir fry the mixture on low to medium flame until oil starts to separate out.

   4.  Add 1 teaspoon sugar followed by spice powders ( Turmeric powder, red chilly powder, cumin coriander powder and garam masala) . Mix the spices well and stir fry for another one minute or so on low flame.

   5. Add green peas and sliced mushrooms to the onion tomato masala and stir fry for 2-3 minutes.

  6. Add 1 cup water and salt and cover cook until the green peas and mushrooms are done.

  7. Garnish the curry with finely chopped fresh coriander leaves and put off the flame. If you wish to have a semi dry curry, cook the curry uncovered further on medium to high flame, until the water reduces to get a  desired consistency.

  8. Serve the matar mushroom curry hot with chapati or rice and salad.

                           

   Recipe Notes:

• Either fresh or frozen green peas can be used in this curry. Frozen green peas take less time to cook , so adjust the water and time of cooking accordingly.
• Button mushrooms can be replaced with paneer (cottage cheese ). If adding, add paneer towards the end, when the green peas are cooked.
• Fresh cream can be added to the curry to make it rich and creamy. Butter can also be used instead of oil. In both cases the curry will not remain vegan.
• Never soak the button mushrooms in water. Wash them under running water and pat dry before cooking.
• To make the tomato puree, wash the tomatoes and make 2 small cuts at the base of each tomato resembling a plus sign. add the tomatoes to boiling water and cook for around 5 minutes. Peel the tomatoes, discard the seeds and puree them using a grinder.
• Few cashews can be blanched and made into a paste and used in the curry to make it creamy rich.

Would Love To Hear From You !

If you have not yet tried the combination of button mushrooms and green peas, do give this version a try. If you do so, feel free to share your feedback with us in the form of likes and comments in the section below this post.

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See you soon with yet another healthy creation from my kitchen. Until then take care and eat right !

Happy Cooking!

Happy Eating!

Regards

Poonam Bachhav

If you are looking for more recipe using green peas, click on the following links - Methi Matar Malai, Matar Paneer, Matar Karanji, Matar Usal, Matar Dalia Kheer, Khoya Matar Makhana, Matar Paratha, Aloo Matar Curry.

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For more mushroom recipes, do check the following posts from this blog

• Kadai Mushroom

• Mushroom Tikka

• Mushroom Masala

• Mushroom Pulao

• Goan Mushroom Xacuti

• Cream Of Mushroom Soup

Sabudana Khichadi / Spicy Tapioca / Fasting (Vrat) Recipe

Sabudana Khichadi is a delicious Indian snacks made from soaked sago (pearl tapioca ). It is a preferred food during fasts (vrat) like Ekadashi, Navratri and Mahashivratri. This typical Maharashtrian dish is also popular in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh and is served as street food in cities like Pune , Mumbai, Indore and Nagpur. 

Sabudana Khichadi is a stir fry of soaked sago pearls with crushed peanuts , boiled potato chunks and spices. This gluten free dish is mildly spiced, slightly sweet and tangy in taste.  Hot sabudana khichadi tastes great with a chilled bowl of sweetened yogurt and some Lemon Pickle. It can be served as a breakfast or an evening snacks and you do not have to keep a fast to enjoy this lip smacking dish .

 Though the recipe is very simple , proper soaking of sago pearls is the step which can make a big difference in the final outcome of the dish. If the Sago pearls get over soaked, the khichadi becomes gooey and messy. To prevent this, use good quality sago and follow the instructions for soaking, given on the packet. Some varieties call for overnight soaking, in which after washing the sago, it is soaked in water which is just enough to coat the pearls. after 6-8 hours all the water is soaked up and the sago pearls get puffed up . The one which i used , called for soaking the sago pearls in water(enough to completely immerse the pearls)  for 15 - 20 minutes, (after which the sago pearls swelled). Then draining all the water and allowing the sago pearls to remain on the colander for 3 hours. Be it any method, the idea is to get puffed up sago pearls, which are non sticky, with each pearl separate and which is not wet yet properly soaked. For unknown reasons, if you find the sago pearls are sticky , you can spread them on a muslin cloth and allow them to dry before stir frying them.

Preparation Time: 4 hours

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Servings : 2-3

Ingredients: 1 cup = 200 ml

• 1/2 cup dry sago / tapioca pearls / Sabudana
• 1 large potato, boiled and roughly chopped
• 3 tablespoon coarsely ground roasted peanuts
• 2 tablespoon clarified butter / ghee
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon juice of fresh lemon 
• 2-3 sprigs of fresh coriander 
• Rock Salt/ Sendha Namak to taste

Method:

1. Take dry sago pearls in a bowl , wash them twice and soak them as per the instructions given on the packet. I have soaked them in 2 cup water for 20 minutes. Strained them through a colander and allowed to sit there for approx 4 hours.

  2. After 4 hours, the sago pearls have puffed up , are soft and non sticky .

   3. In a non-stick wok, heat ghee on medium flame. add cumin seeds and let them crackle.

  4. Add green chilies and fry them for about a minute on low flame. Then add the roughly chopped boiled potato and stir fry for a while.

  5. To this add the soaked sago pearls , followed by sugar , salt and roasted crushed peanuts.

  6. Toss everything very well. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes on low to medium flame without covering the wok. Keep stirring occasionally.

   7. Lastly add the finely chopped fresh coriander leaves and juice of lemon . Stir well and put off the flame. 

  8. Serve the sabudana khichadi hot with sweetened yogurt and Lemon Pickle.

   Notes:

• Do not replace ghee with oil , if you are looking for the authentic taste .
• Adding sugar and lemon juice gives the spicy khichadi a slight sweet and tangy kick, so do not skip it.
• Coarsely grind or grush the roasted peanuts to get a nutty crunch in every bite.
• Adjust the spice levels as per your choice.
• Do not cover cook the khichadi as it may turn sticky.
• Use good quality sago pearls and soak them as per the instructions provided on the packet.
• For unknown reasons, if you find the sago pearls are sticky after soaking , you can spread them on a muslin cloth and allow them to dry before stir frying them.

For more fasting food (food for vrat) recipes, do check my posts on

• Raw Banana Cutlets
• Bottle Guard Fudge / Lauki ki Barfi
• Makhane Ki Kheer / Fox Nut Pudding
• Dates and Nuts Ladoo
• Kesar Badam Matka Kulfi
• Bharva kela / Coconut Stuffed Banana
• Mishti Doi
• Instant Peanut Coconut Ladoo
• Anjeer Khajoor Roll
• Apple Rabadi
• Lauki Ki Kheer / Bottle Gourd Pudding
• Instant Lemon Pickle
• Strawberry Raita
• Amrakhand / Mango Shrikhand
• Mango Coconut fudge

Methichi Patal Bhaji / Fenugreek Curry Recipe Form Maharashtrian Cuisine

 Methi or Fenugreek greens is a happy vegetable in my house. Be it Methi Paratha for breakfast or dry stir fry with aloo for the lunch box , methi is liked in any form, I occasionally make a lip smacking starter methi muthia and a creamy rich gravy dish Methi Matar Malai. Methi leaves team up well with dal dishes too. Today i am sharing a typical Maharashtrian Fenugreek curry- Methichi Patal Bhaji. Patal in marathi means the one with gravy. 

A very simple yet delicious fresh fenugreek leaves curry dish with minimal ingredients and which is one of my treasured heirloom recipes. Methichi patal bhaji goes well with hot chapati or phulka. I have served it in a typical Maharashtrian style with Bajrichi Bhakri , Naglicha papad(roasted Ragi papad) and Hirvi Mirchicha Thecha. This simple thali is a comfort food for me specially during winters.

There is extensive use of peanuts in Maharashtrian cooking which impart a nice nutty flavor to the dishes it is added. In this recipe also a coarse powder of roasted peanuts with garlic and green chilies is used to flavor the curry. The curry is aromatic and has a typical taste of methi leaves , but is not bitter at all. This healthy green curry with a simple recipe is ready within 20 minutes.  

Before moving to the recipe lets have a quick look at the health benefits of eating fenugreek / methi.

The health benefits of fenugreek include relief from anaemia, loss of taste, fever, dandruff, stomach disorders. respiratory disorders, mouth ulcers, sore throat, diabetes, inflammations, wound and insomnia. It is beneficial post pregnancy in lactation and helps in improving digestion, as well as in various hair care applications. It is also shown to reduce cholesterol levels and protect heart health, while simultaneously boosting the immune system and protecting you against flu and various infections. Source: https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/vegetable/fenugreek.html

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 4

 Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of Fenugreek greens
• 2 tablespoon roasted peanuts
• 2 green chilies
• 5-6 cloves of garlic
• 2 tablespoon Oil
• 1/ 4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• Pinch of asafoetida / Hing
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Clean the fenugreek greens. Discard the thick stems. Wash the leaves thoroughly to remove dirt and impurities. Drain and keep aside.

  2. Using a mixer grinder pulse the peanuts, green chilies and garlic cloves to obtain a coarse mixture.

  3. In a wok heat up oil. Add Cumin seeds to it. Once the seeds crackle add asafoetida and the ground mixture of peanuts, garlic and green chilies. Saute well for about a minute on low flame taking care the mixture does not catch the bottom.

  4. Add turmeric powder followed by the washed fenugreek leaves and stir. ( The recipe here calls for adding whole leaves, you may chop the leaves, if you wish to)

  5. Add 3 cups of water and salt to taste and allow the curry to cook on medium heat. Once it boils, lower the flame and cover cook for 8-10 minutes and put off the flame.

  6. Serve methichi patal bhaji hot with chapati or Bajrichi Bhakri, Hirvi Mirchicha Thecha and Naglicha papad .

   Notes:

• Do not skip garlic cloves in this recipe.
• You may adjust the number of green chilies as per the desired spiciness.
• The traditional recipe calls for using whole methi leaves, but you may chop the leaves before adding, if you wish to.
• Remove the peels off the roasted peanuts before grinding it. 

For more Maharashtrian Curry dishes, do check my posts on

• Bharli Vaangi / Stuffed Baby Eggplant Curry
• Zunka
• Bhogichi Lekurwali Bhaji
• Shevgyachya Shengyanchi Bhaji/ Spicy Drumstic Masala Curry
• Missal Paav
• Matar Usal
• Vangyacha Bharith/ Indian Fire Roasted Eggplant Recipe
• Gavar Chi Bhaji / Cluster Beans Curry
• Bharwa Bhindi / Stuffed Okra

Gobhi Ke Parathe / Spiced Cauliflower Stuffed Indian Flat Bread

 Parathas (unleavened Indian flat bread) are staple food of North Indians. Many types of plain and stuffed parathas are a part of their daily diets. Vegetables like potato, radish, green peas are stuffed to make a wide range of lip smacking stuffed parathas. Gobhi Paratha among their favourite ones. 

Gobhi Ka Paratha is a delicious stuffed flat bread from Punjab Cuisine. Gobhi in Hindi means Cauliflower and paratha is the name given to a flat Indian bread, hence the name. This healthy and wholesome paratha has outer covering made from whole wheat flour and is stuffed with spicy tangy filling of cauliflower. Serve them either as a filling breakfast with plain curd and Spicy Raw Mango Pickle or with any dal for lunch or dinner. They make a good lunch box menu when paired with some raita and dry vegetable curry or pickle. 

The recipe is onion garlic free, very simple and easy to follow. There are many ways of making the stuffing. Here grated cauliflower is stir fried and seasoned with spices and herbs. This mixture is allowed to cool down before it is stuffed in a dough made from whole wheat flour.

Serves: 6

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients :

For the dough:

• 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon oil
• Salt to taste

For the stuffing:

• 1 head Cauliflower
• Small bunch of fresh Coriander 
• 2 green chilies finely chopped
• 1/2 inch root ginger, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon red chilly powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Garam masala
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mango powder (Amchur powder)
• Pinch of Asafoetida (hing)
• Salt to taste
• 1 1/2 table spoon Oil

Other Ingredients: (optional)

• Ghee for roasting 
• Butter to top while serving

Method:

1. In a bowl take the flour and add oil and salt to it. Mix well to get a crumbled mass. Using little water at a time knead the flour to a semi soft dough . Cover the dough and set aside for 10-15 minutes.

  2. Meanwhile we will prepare the stuffing. For that , discard the stems and leaves of the Cauliflower and grate the head using a grater. You can also use a food processor for this. Wash the grated cauliflower and drain.

  3. In a wok heat oil, add cumin seeds to it. Once the seeds crackle add chopped chilies, grated ginger and asafoetoda. Stir fry for a while.

  4. To this add the grated cauliflower and stir fry for 1-2 minutes on medium heat.

  5. Season the mixture with spices( turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala), dry mango powder (amchur) and salt. Mix the spices well with the cauliflower mixture. Allow to cook for a minute or so and put off the flame.

  6. Garnish with finely chopped fresh coriander leaves.

  7. Remove the cauliflower mixture in a wide plate and allow to cool down at room temperature.

  8. Make 6 equal balls of the dough. Roll out the dough ball to a small disc using a rolling pin. Place enough cauliflower mixture at the centre using a spoon.

  9. Gather the sides of the disc using your fingers and bring them to the centre and seal it.

  10. Flatten the stuffed dough ball using your palms. Dip it in flour and roll it out delicately to a desired thickness on a dusted platform using rolling pin. I have rolled out the parathas thin as my family prefers it.

  11. Slowly lift the rolled out paratha in your palms and place it on a heated skillet. Roast the paratha on medium heat until it turns golden brown from both the sides. Apply ghee while roasting the paratha, if you prefer.

  12. Make rest of the parathas in similar manner. Top them with dollop of home made butter and serve hot with curd and pickle of your choice.

  Notes:

• Make sure the cauliflower mixture has cooled down completely before stuffing it, as hot stuffing will tear the paratha while it is rolled out.
• If making for kids, do not add the finely chopped chilies.
• Be careful while adding salt in the stuffing as the dough also has salt.
• If you do not have practice of rolling stuffed parathas, make them small with less stuffing. Apply less pressure while rolling them to avoid the stuffing from come out.

  Do try out this simple recipe, if you like it . Would love to hear from you. For more Indian flat bread recipes, do check my posts on

• Stuffed Paneer Paratha
• Mooli (Radish) Paratha
• Methi (Fenu Greek) Paratha
• Bajrichi Bhakri / Pearl Millet Flat Bread
• Makki Ki Roti /Gluten Free Indian Flat Bread