Tandoori Mushrooms & a Tribute to Tarla Dalal

Last Wednesday I woke to the news that Tarla Dalal was no more. Tarla Dalal is India’s Julia Childs in vegetarian cooking. She started her career conducting cooking class from her apartment in Mumbai in mid 1960’s and published her first cook in 1974.

She went on to write many cook books since then. I do not own any of her cookbooks but have subscribed to her emails over a decade ago. I have hundreds of emails in my inbox, with links to her online recipes. I go back to these mails to check for a new recipes or recipe ideas very often.

I have a few of her tried recipes on this blog; shahi gobhi and cucumber watermelon cooler. My blogging marathon group decided to do a tribute to her today by posting at least one of her recipes. She will be missed in the culinary world and may her soul rest in peace.

Last week as I was looking for vegetarian starters and found Tandoori Mushrooms recipe that I saved in my recipes folder long time ago. I love mushrooms this is a very quick and easy recipe. I tweaked the recipe a little to suit my taste.

Source: Tarla Dalal
Total Time: 15 – 22 minutes
Preparation: 5 – 10 minutes
Cooking: 10 – 12 minutes
Serves: 2

Ingredients:

10 oz. or 280 grams. Mushrooms (I used white mushrooms)
½ tbs. Oil
½ tbsp. Ginger Garlic Paste
1 tsp. Kasturi Methi ~ Dry Fenugreek Leaves
½ tsp. Tandoori Powder (Adjust to taste this is a little spicy. I used Rajah Brand)
½ tsp. Chili Powder (adjust to taste. These mushrooms turned out spicy)
½ tsp. Coriander Powder (opt)
½ tsp. Cumin Powder (opt)
½ - ¾ tsp. Salt (adjust to taste)
½ cup Milk
½ tsp. Cornstarch (known as corn flour in India)

Preparation:

Wash the mushrooms and wipe them dry. Cut each mushroom to 2-3 pieces depending on the size.
Mix cornstarch and milk in a bowl and keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan and sauté ginger garlic paste, kasturi methi, chili powder, tandoori powder, coriander powder and cumin powder for a minute or two until all the spices are roasted.
Add mushrooms and mix well so that spices coat the mushrooms.
Add milk corn starch mixture and continue to fry the mixture coats the mushrooms. Milk mixture should evaporate. This will take about 8-10 minutes.
Serve hot as a starter or as a side dish .