Dhingri Matar/ Mushroom Peas Curry

Up until a few years ago in India, before they started farming mushrooms and all those supermarket chains started opening up and selling those farmed ones, the only kind of mushrooms available were the wild ones. They used to be a rarity that would only be available for a few days during the monsoons. You would find some vendors, usually local farmers that found them growing somewhere, selling them in small wicker baskets along the roadside. And boy were they gone fast. If you didn't get there in time, they were gone in the first few hours. People loved them then, and they love them now. We are no different in our family our little one included. I have come to make mushrooms many different ways. Here I present a mushroom curry done in the north Indian style. It has the bite of the mushrooms, the kick and heat from the spices along with the sweetness from the peas. One of the ways we love our mushrooms. 

Ingredients:

Mushroom		20-24 button mushrooms quartered
Onion		1 medium roughly chopped
Green Peas		1 cup
Ginger		1 inch piece
Garlic		4 cloves
Tomato puree		3/4 cup
Cashew		1 tbsp (8-10)
Coriander powder		1 tsp
Turmeric		1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder		1 tsp
Cumin seeds		1/2 tsp
Sugar		1/4 tsp
Salt		to taste
Oil		2 tsp + 1 tsp
Kasoori Methi		1 tsp

Method:
1. Add chopped onion, ginger and garlic in a microwave safe bowl with 3/4 cup of water and cook on high covered for 5-6 minutes till they get tender. Add cashews and drain the water and blend to a fine paste.
3. In the pan on medium heat add the oil and cumin seeds, cook for a minute and add the onion paste with salt and turmeric and cook while stirring for 3-4 minutes, add the tomato puree, coriander and cook till oil separates. Be careful as it may splutter.
4. Add in the peas and mushrooms. Cook for 3-4 min. Add garam masala and cook for 3-4 minutes till the mushrooms are tender. Add the sugar and  desired amount of water, about 11/2 cups. Cover and let it cook for 2-3 minutes. Add in the kasoori methi, stir and turn off the heat. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with roti, naan or rice. ENJOY!

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