Mushroom Kurma

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Mushroom kurma recipe with step by step photos. This is a delicious one pot recipe of South Indian style mushroom kurma curry made with white button mushrooms in a coconut-cashew base and Indian spices-herbs. Gluten-free and vegan recipe.

mushroom kurma served in a white bowl with a spoonful of kurma and text layover.

Veggie based kurma is made at times at home. While we like to have korma with chapatis or pooris, I also serve it with steamed rice. Till now I have only posted the South Indian varieties of kurma. I do plan to add the North Indian varieties too.

The mushroom kurma recipe is adapted from the Mushroom peas curry, I had posted four years back. The mushroom peas curry recipe is adapted from Jigg’s Kalra book “Prashad – cooking with masters”. From the first time I tried this recipe till today, on occasions I make this kurma with mushroom & peas and at times with potatoes & peas.

The recipe uses coconut and cashew as base ingredients. Try adding fresh coconut. It gives a very good flavor. If you live in a city where fresh coconut is not available, then use desiccated coconut.

This mildly flavored and yet delicious Mushroom kurma can be savored with chapatis, pooris or with plain steamed rice or cumin rice. You won’t need any other accompaniment.

Step-by-Step Guide

How to make Mushroom Kurma

1. Soak 10 to 12 cashews in ⅓ cup hot water for 10 to 15 minutes. Soaking cashews helps to grind them better, especially if you have a blender or mixer-grinder, which has difficulty grinding nuts and seeds. But if you do not have time to soak the cashews, then just chop them and grind them with coconut.

making mushroom korma recipe

2. Once the cashews are soaked, add them to the grinder or blender along with ½ cup grated coconut or ⅓ cup desiccated coconut.

making mushroom korma recipe

3. Add ⅓ cup fresh water and grind or blend to a smooth paste. If using desiccated coconut, then use warm water while grinding. Keep the coconut-cashew paste aside.

making mushroom korma recipe

4. Now heat 2 tablespoons of oil. You can use peanut oil or sunflower oil. Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds. On a low to medium heat saute till they begin to crackle.

making mushroom korma recipe

5. Once they begin crackling, then add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, 8 to 10 fenugreek seeds and ½ teaspoon urad dal. If you do not have fenugreek seeds, then skip them.

making mushroom korma recipe

6. Saute till the urad dal turns a maroonish red. Cook on a low heat, so that the urad dal, fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds do not burn.

making mushroom korma recipe

7. Then add ⅓ cup chopped onions.

onions for mushroom korma recipe

8. Begin to saute the onions on a low to medium heat stirring often.

onions for mushroom korma recipe

9. Saute till the onions begin to get light brown.

making mushroom korma recipe

10. Then add 1 teaspoon of ginger-garlic paste. Stir and saute for a few seconds or till the aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.

making mushroom korma recipe

11. Next add 1 cup of chopped tomatoes.

making mushroom korma recipe

12. Mix well and begin to saute the tomatoes.

tomatoes for making mushroom korma recipe

13. Saute till the tomatoes soften.

making mushroom korma recipe

14. Then add the following ground spices:

  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder (you can also use regular red chili powder)
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
ground spices added

15. Mix the spice powders very well with the onion tomato masala.

mix the spices

16. Now add the sliced or chopped mushrooms. 200 to 250 grams of white button mushrooms, which have been rinsed and then sliced.

mushroom added

17. Mix well and saute the mushrooms on a low to medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes.

saute the mushrooms

18. Then add the coconut-cashew paste and 10 to 12 curry leaves.

coconut cashew paste added

19. Stir and mix very well.

preparing mushroom korma recipe

20. Stir and saute for 2 to 3 minutes on a low heat.

preparing mushroom korma recipe

21. When the masala is getting sauteed, add 2 cups water in the blender jar. Swirl and rotate the jar gently so that the remaining coconut-cashew paste gets mixed with water.

making mushroom korma recipe

22. Now add this water to the masala mixture.

making mushroom korma recipe

23. Stir and mix well again.

making mushroom kurma recipe

24. Season with salt as per taste.

making mushroom korma recipe

25. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 14 to 15 minutes.

making mushroom kurma recipe

26. When the mushroom kurma is done, you will see specks of oil floating on top and the curry will also thicken a bit.

mushroom korma recipe

27. Garnish with some chopped coriander leaves and Serve mushroom kurma hot with steamed rice, chapatis or poori or paratha or tandoori roti.

It will also go well with jeera rice or saffron rice or ghee rice.

For more delicious mushroom recipes, you can check this collection of Mushroom recipes.

mushroom kurma recipe, mushroom korma recipe


If you like korma, then you can have a look at these Kurma varieties:

Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter.

mushroom kurma, mushroom korma

Mushroom Kurma

Delicious South Indian style mushroom kurma made with a coconut-cashew base and Indian spices-herbs.
5 from 7 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Cuisine South Indian
Course Main Course
Diet Gluten Free, Vegan
Difficulty Level Moderate
Servings 4
Units

Ingredients

for coconut-cashew paste

  • ½ cup grated coconut or ⅓ cup desiccated coconut
  • 10 to 12 cashews (kaju)
  • cup water for soaking cashews
  • cup water for grinding coconut and cashews

other ingredients

  • 51 grams onion or 1 medium onion chopped or ⅓ cup chopped onions
  • 105 grams tomatoes or 1 large tomato chopped or 1 cup finely chopped tomatoes
  • 200 to 250 grams mushrooms, sliced or chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste or 3 to 4 medium garlic cloves and ½ inch ginger crushed to a paste in mortar pestle
  • 2 tablespoon oil (can use peanut oil or sunflower oil)
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon urad dal (split husked black gram)
  • 8 to 10 fenugreek seeds (methi dana) – optional
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder or red chilli powder
  • 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder (ground coriander)
  • 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
  • 10 to 12 curry leaves or 1 sprig of curry leaf (kadi patta)
  • 2 cups water or add as required
  • salt as required
  • 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves for garnish

Instructions
 

Preparation

  • Soak cashews in hot water for 15 minutes. Soaking cashews helps to grind them better, especially if you have a blender or mixer-grinder which has difficulty grinding nuts and seeds.
  • But if you do not have time to soak, then just chop them and grind with coconut.
  • Once the cashews are soaked, add them to the grinder along with 1/2 cup grated coconut or 1/3 cup desiccated coconut.
  • Add 1/3 cup fresh water and grind to a smooth paste. If using desiccated coconut, then use warm water while grinding. Keep the coconut-cashew paste aside.
  • When the cashews are soaking, rinse or wipe the mushrooms and slice or chop them.
  • Also chop the onions and tomatoes. Keep aside.

making mushroom kurma

  • Heat 2 tablespoon oil. You can use peanut oil or sunflower oil. Add teaspoon mustard seeds. On a low to medium flame saute till they begin to crackle.
  • Once they begin crackling, then add teaspoon cumin seeds, 8 to 10 fenugreek seeds and 1/2 teaspoon urad dal. If you do not have fenugreek seeds, then skip them.
  • Saute till the urad dal turns a maroonish red. Cook on a low flame, so that the urad dal, fenugreek seeds and cumin do not burn.
  • Then add 1/3 cup chopped onions. Begin to saute the onions on a low to medium flame, till the onions begin to get light brown.
  • Then add 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste. Saute till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
  • Next add 1 cup chopped tomatoes. Mix well and begin to saute the tomatoes, till they soften.
  • Then add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder
  • Mix the spice powders very well with the onion tomato masala.
  • Now add the sliced or chopped mushrooms.
  • Mix well and saute the mushroom on a low to medium flame for 5 to 6 minutes.
  • Then add the coconut-cashew paste and 10 to 12 curry leaves. Mix very well and saute for 2 to 3 minutes on a low flame.
  • When the masala is getting sauteed, add 2 cups water in the blender jar. Swirl and rotate the jar gently so that the remaining coconut-cashew paste gets mixed with water.
  • Now add this water to the masala mixture. Mix well.
  • Season with salt as per taste.
  • Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 14 to 15 minutes.
  • When the mushroom kurma is done, you will see specks of oil floating on top and the curry will also thicken a bit.
  • Garnish with some chopped coriander leaves and serve mushroom kurma hot with steamed rice, chapatis or pooris or paratha. It will also go well with cumin rice or saffron rice.

Notes

  • You can use white button mushrooms or cremini mushrooms.

Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)

Nutrition Facts
Mushroom Kurma
Amount Per Serving
Calories 192 Calories from Fat 144
% Daily Value*
Fat 16g25%
Saturated Fat 7g44%
Sodium 317mg14%
Potassium 347mg10%
Carbohydrates 10g3%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 461IU9%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg67%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg59%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 31mg155%
Vitamin B6 1mg50%
Vitamin B12 1µg17%
Vitamin C 56mg68%
Vitamin D 1µg7%
Vitamin E 3mg20%
Vitamin K 5µg5%
Calcium 26mg3%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 310µg78%
Iron 2mg11%
Magnesium 36mg9%
Phosphorus 106mg11%
Zinc 1mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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This Mushroom Kurma post from the blog archives first published in June 2016 has been updated and republished on December 2022.

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Meet Dassana

Welcome to Dassana's Veg Recipes. I share vegetarian recipes from India & around the World. Having been cooking for decades and with a professional background in cooking & baking, I help you to make your cooking journey easier with my tried and tested recipes showcased with step by step photos & plenty of tips & suggestions.

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23 Comments

  1. Superb recipe, Dassana. Easy to make, not too heavy as well. Can we use the same recipe for veg kurma?5 stars

    1. thanks priyadarshini. yes you can use the same recipe for veg kurma as well.

  2. Made it tonight Dassana and as always with all your recipes, it turned out amazing! Thanks for such a wonderful job with the website.

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