Best Vegan Mushroom Masala

Here’s how you can make restaurant or Dhaba-style Mushroom Masala in your kitchen with these easy and simple ingredients. Every Dhaba or restaurant on an Indian National Highway serves Mushroom Masala paired with Rumali roti or hot Basmati Rice. It is a rite of passage for us to stop our vehicles at these Dhabas and enjoy this delicious dish. Takes me down memory lane! <3

You can recreate this famous Indian dish from your kitchen if you follow my recipe and all the instructions. Mushrooms Masala is a lip-smacking Indian dish made from roasted mushrooms, onions, tomato and cashew base, and well garnished with spices and vegan cream. The secret lies in the yoghurt marination and the tomato cashew blend, which adds a smokey and rich flavour. The gravy base is very similar to other Indian dishes like Vegan Paneer Butter Masala but this dish is prepared slightly different. Choosing the right kind of meaty mushroom is also important.

Things to keep in mind while preparing Mushroom Masala

• The key to a good marinade is the yoghurt and the consistency of the yoghurt. If you use yoghurt with a lot of whey, your marinade will be watery and won’t attach to the mushrooms. If you getting thick vegan yoghurt is difficult, you can make some on your own. Place some plant-based yoghurt in a thin muslin or cheesecloth and hang it over your sink until all the moister has been drawn out. Once the hung yoghurt is ready, add the rest of the imagination masala and marinate the mushrooms in this mixture for a good 30-40 mins. Make sure to pat dry the mushrooms as the mushrooms tend to release moisture.

• Char the mushrooms on a heated cast iron grill. Charring is when we sear the food at a high temperature until the food releases water and gets smokey browned bits. Everything, including mock meat, veggies, and tofu, can be charred. That’s how the mushrooms will stay so juicy and meaty.

Note: How to char- Heat a cast iron grill at a high temperature until smokey. You will know it is done when you drizzle oil and the oil get hot. Add your mushrooms and press it down either with a spatula or a heavy flat bottom cast iron skillet, turn the heat to medium or medium-high and cook until done.

How to prepare Mushroom Masala (vegan): Step-by-step recipe

1. Place all the ingredients hung yoghurt, Garam Masala, Kashmiri red chili powder, and chaat masala powder to hung yoghurt in a bowl.

2. Add Ginger Garlic Paste, ajwain (carom seeds), and lemon juice to the yoghurt. Mix the yoghurt and the marinade ingredients together.

3. Add the mushrooms and get your hands dirty. Try to coat every nook and cranny with the yoghurt marinade. Set aside for 30 minutes.

4. Soak cashews and tomatoes in boiling water for 30 minutes. This helps in blanching the tomatoes and turning the cashews soft. You can take the tomato skin off if you prefer.

5. Drain all the water and blend the cashews and tomatoes (adding water if required) to make a smooth paste and set aside.

6. Heat oil in a cast iron skillet and place the marinated mushrooms in it. On medium to medium-high heat

7. Press down the mushrooms with a spatula or a heavy pan, flip it when one side is well charred and repeat for the other side.

8. Take it off the heat when the mushrooms are well cooked and charred (not burnt). Set aside and slice it to your desired shape when cooled.

9. Heat oil in a pan. Add onions and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until translucent with a glass lid on, stirring a few times.

10. Add the aromatics: green chilli, ginger garlic paste, or minced ginger and garlic.

11. Add turmeric, red chilli powder, ground cumin, coriander powder and optionally deghi mirch (for the red colour).

12. Add tomato and cashew paste, garam masala, and charred mushrooms.

13. Mix well, deglazing the pot to remove any browning on the bottom of the pot to the sauce (the best flavour lies in the browned bits)

14. Finish it off with dried fenugreek leaves (Kasuri methi), some soy/almond/coconut cream, and chopped coriander leaves.

15. Mix well and serve with basmati rice or roti!

There you go! Easy restaurant-style Mushroom Masala with vegan ingredients is ready to be demolished. Give this recipe a try and let me know how you like it in the comments. If there are any other recipes that you want me to cover, do let me know. Until then, toodles!