Chettinad Mushroom Curry Recipe | Spicy Mushroom Kuzhambu with Fresh Masala

A rich, flavorful and aromatic South Indian gravy made with mushrooms, onions, tomatoes and freshly roasted spices. This gravy pairs perfectly with idli, dosa, idiyappam, parotta or steamed rice.

This year during the summer holidays, we planned a ladies’ trip to Pondicherry. Early in the morning, we started from Chennai and reached Pondicherry just in time for lunch. Since it was a long weekend, the place was fully crowded. After lunch we relaxed at the resort, laughed, chatted, and enjoyed ourselves. By evening, we headed to the beach – but with heavy traffic on the beach roads, we could spend only a little time there.

When dinner time came, we began searching for restaurants, but everywhere was crowded. Finally, we decided to go to Karaikudi Chettinad restaurant. Even though it was far from the beach, we went by walk through the buzzing streets. That walk itself turned into a fun memory – moving slowly through the festive crowd, chatting and laughing all the way.

Once seated, we ordered starters and main dishes. One dish that stole my heart was the Chettinad Paneer Gravy with Parotta. The taste was amazing – bold flavors, perfect spice balance, and such a beautiful consistency. I enjoyed it so much that after coming back to Chennai, I decided to experiment with the same dish using mushrooms. To my delight, the taste turned out extraordinary, and that’s how this Chettinad Style Mushroom Curry was born in my kitchen.

That memorable dinner experience inspired me to recreate the flavors of Chettinad cuisine in my own kitchen. Instead of paneer, I tried the same masala base with mushrooms, and the result was truly delicious. The earthy taste of mushrooms perfectly absorbed the bold spices, making it a dish worth sharing.

Now, let me take you through the step-by-step recipe of this Chettinad Style Mushroom Curry so you can enjoy the same taste at home!

Here is the video link for Chettinad Mushoroom Curry

Similar Recipes

Chettinad Mushroom Curry Recipe Details

Ingredients

Mushroom – 200 g
Onion – 1 (chopped)
Tomato – 2 (chopped)
Curry leaves – a few sprigs
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Kashmiri chilli powder – ½ tsp
Mustard seeds and urad dal – 1 tsp
Dry red chillies – 3
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
Coriander leaves – ¼ cup (chopped)
Coconut oil – 1 tbsp
Oil – as needed
Salt – to taste

To Roast and Grind

Cinnamon – 2 pieces
Cloves – 2
Cardamom – 3
Star anise – 1
Marathi mokku – 1
Kalpasi (black stone flower) – a small piece
Coriander seeds – 2 tbsp
Dry red chillies – 7–9
Curry leaves – 10 leaves
Shallots (small onions) – 10
Cashew nuts – 8
Grated coconut – ½ cup
Fennel seeds – 1 tsp
Poppy seeds – 1 tsp
Cumin seeds – ⅛ tsp

Preparation

Step 1 – Roast the Masala

Heat 2 tsp of oil in a heavy-bottomed pan.Add cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, star anise, marathi mokku and kalpasi. When the aroma rises, add dry red chillies and curry leaves. Sauté well. Then add coriander seeds and roast till slightly aromatic.

When coriander seeds turn light golden, add cashews and shallots. Sauté until the onions become soft. Add grated coconut and roast till light golden. Finally, add fennel seeds, poppy seeds, and cumin seeds. Turn off the flame and allow the mixture to cool.

Once cooled, grind it into a smooth paste by adding little water.

Step 2 – Prepare the Gravy

Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed kadai. Add mustard seeds, urad dal and dry red chillies. Once they splutter, add chopped onions and sauté till they turn golden.

Add curry leaves and ginger garlic paste. Sauté till the raw smell goes away. Then add chopped tomatoes and cook until they become soft and mushy.

Step 3 – Cook the Mushrooms

Add sliced mushrooms and sauté well for a few minutes. Once the mushrooms shrink slightly, add the ground masala paste and mix well so that the masala coats the mushrooms evenly.

Pour in 2 cups of water and stir. Add salt, turmeric powder, and Kashmiri chilli powder. Mix well and cover the pan. Let it simmer on medium flame for about 15 minutes until the oil separates and the gravy thickens.

Step 4 – Finishing Touch

Once the gravy reaches the right consistency, add finely chopped coriander leaves and 1 tbsp of coconut oil. Mix gently and turn off the heat.

Your Chettinad Style Mushroom Kuzhambu is ready — spicy, aromatic, and full of authentic South Indian flavor! Serve hot with idli, dosa, idiyappam, parotta, or steamed rice.

Comments

Quick Paneer Masala - 15 minute Paneer Gravy - Easy Paneer Masala

Quick Paneer Masala - this homemade restaurant style paneer masala is one of my most frequently made gravy recipes. It's perfect with chapathi, poori, nann and also for pulao varieties. Fresh tomatoes help to make the best gravy, especially when you use red ripe tomatoes. What makes this quick paneer masala easy to make and why it calls for 15 minute gravy is because instead of pureeing the tomatoes, it's made with ground tomato paste. For paneer butter masala, we blanch the tomatoes and then made into puree. But I want to prepare a quick gravy with simple process. During the summer season, I like to prepare gravy and sambar with a shortcut.This quick paneer masala is one of the best 15 minute gravy recipes for beginners and also for busy mothers. I am actually really excited about this gravy because this paneer masala is made without any artificial colours, fresh cream. It has a delicious flavour with a smooth, creamy gravy. Tips for the best Paneer masala Use fresh ...

Seppankizhangu Poriyal - Taro Root (Arbi) Fry

Seppankizhangu Poriyal - this poriyal is prepared with taro root, chilly powder, small onions cumin garlic paste and perfectly roasted in an iron kadai. The best cooking method for this taro root poriyal is to cook the taro roots in an open vessel for 10 minutes on medium heat with a good amount of water. No one likes a mushy taro root, so just keep an eye on it and check them for doneness by inserting a knife. If you cook taro roots in a pressure cooker, it will be too soft and turns mushy. For these types of roast dishes, low heat and long cooking times are important for its texture. The small onions cumin garlic paste, adds flavour to the taro roots. Roasting the taro roots in an iron kadai creates an excellent flavour and texture. Similar recipes Vazhaikkai Thuvattal - Raw Banana (Plantain) Stir Fry Mithi Paavakai Poriyal - Baby Bitter Gourd Stir Fry Vazhaikkai Poriyal - Raw Banana (Plantain) Poriyal Brinjal (Egg Plant) Stir Fry -...

Carrot Capsicum Stir Fry - Low Calorie Side Dish Recipes

Carrot Capsicum Stir Fry - another low calorie side dish for chapathi and rice. You can prepare this healthy side dish within 10 minutes. Last year during lockdown I prepared many sabji recipes for the Aval Vikatan magazine. This carrot capsicum stir fry is also one among those dishes and l often prepare this stir fry for our dinner. In addition to carrot and capsicum, you can also add boiled cauliflower, potato and broccoli. The crushed cumin pepper powder gives a nice flavour to this dish. There is no need for any other extra masala powders for this recipe. Made with a few simple ingredients and this will be your favourite 10 minute side dish. If you cook the capsicums correctly, it brings out their unique flavour and you can absolutely enjoy this dish as a salad. If you don't crush the cumin pepper you can also add chat masala powder. Check out my other low calorie recipes here Low calorie Black Chana Masala Sprouts and Mushroom Dal Green Moong Dal Sabji Easy Dal Dal Fry ...

Street Style Vegetable Fried Rice - Quick Recipe of Veg Fried Rice Street Food Style

Today we are going to see an interesting street style vegetable fried rice with simple cooking techniques. For the past twenty years, vegetable fried rice and pani puri have been a favourite food for many of us. Everywhere we can see, these two dishes are the stars of the street food. One day during our trip to Tirumala, I learnt this street style vegetable fried rice from a street food vendor. He prepared varieties of fried rice within a few minutes, very casually. As he was preparing, I saw exactly how it was done. There's something magical about eating hot fried rice on the streets.The sound of the street vendors tossing the tang tang with their wok is always enjoyable to me. How to make street style vegetable fried rice in your home kitchen You can use basmati rice or long grain rice. Always prefer the open pot method to cook the rice for fried rice. The texture will be perfect with less stickiness. Brands such as Unity and India Gate are perfect for fried rice. You can ...

Street Style Sundal Masala Recipe - Perfect Evening Snack - Vandikadai Sundal Masala

Cozy up with a warm and comforting bowl of street style sundal masala, perfect for the winter season. This flavorful evening snack is made with a combination of green and yellow peas, cooked in an aromatic gravy. To prepare this dish, soak the peas for 7-9 hours, then pressure cook until soft. The magic lies in the ground masala, featuring onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, coriander leaves, and mint leaves. Add a blend of chilly powder, kuzhambu chilly powder, and garam masala powder to elevate the flavor. Finish with a sprinkle of chat masala and a garnish of chopped onions, grated carrot, and coriander leaves. Now let's see the detailed recipe to prepare this mouthwatering Sundal Masala gravy. Check out my other Evening Snacks Recipes Vazhaikkai (Plantain) Bajji Cauliflower Fry Nullikai urundai - Urid dal balls Kara Vadai - Pattani Paruppu (Yellow Split Peas) Bonda Sabudana Vada - Javarisi Vadai Ulundha Vada Tapioca Bonda Urad dal Bonda...

Tirunelveli Kootanchoru - Mixed vegetables rice with dals and spices

Kootanchoru is a popular lunch dish from Tirunelveli. This is our family favourite rice and it is rich in nutrients as it contains lots of vegetables and dals. We prepare this rice frequently for special events and family get togethers. In most of Tirunelveli dishes we use small onions, garlic, coconut and generous amount of jeera. In this dish also we have used coconut small onion paste and good amount of fresh vegetables. We add commonly used vegetables such as raw banana, brinjals, drumsticks, carrots, beans and potatoes. I have learned this recipe from my grandma. She taught me with her some useful tips and techniques about how to cook, when to add the ingredients and how to choose the correct vegetables. My son named as Tirunelveli biriyani for this rice. Now let's see how to prepare this kootanchoru with step by step photos. Here is a short video for Tirunelveli Kootanchoru

Wheat Rava Kichadi With Vegetables - Samba Godhuma Rava Kichadi - Healthy Breakfast

A healthy diabetic friendly kichadi recipe made with wheat rava. You can start your breakfast with a cup of this healthy kichadi as it includes carrot, green peas and beans which blend together beautifully with wheat rava. A handful of fresh green peas gives a slightly sweet taste for the kichadi. There are two main varieties of wheat rava - medium coarse and fine coarse. Fine coarse wheat rava is my favourite for kichadi and upma dishes. Medium coarse wheat rava is perfect for sweet pongal and payasam. Both types require more time to cook when compared to regular white rava. Fine coarse wheat rava doesn't need to be roasted for this kichadi. To cook 1 cup fine coarse wheat rava you will need 3 cups of water. After preparing the kichadi you should let it stand for 15 minutes, covered and undisturbed for a perfect fluffy texture. And once you find how to cook wheat rava perfectly, you will be making it regularly for your breakfast. Check out my other tiffin recipes here Idli ...

Mixed Vegetable Rice with Dal - One Pot Protein Rich Rice Recipe - Modern Kootanchoru

Mixed vegetable rice with step by step photos and video. Quick one pot rice within 30 minutes. Apart from kootanchoru and thuvaram paruppu sadham we make this mixed vegetable rice for weekend lunch and family get togethers. During our childhood days, my Karthi mama makes this rice for dinner and always one of our favourite rice dishes for our whole family. During his bachelor days in Delhi, they prepared this rice frequently with whatever vegetables available in their kitchen. Making of this vegetable rice doesn't involve any grinding or soaking and bachelor's can easily cook this rice. When it comes to any rice with dals, it must be slightly mushy with soft texture. But I do not like mushy rice, so I have reduced the amount of water. You can change it according to your preference. Allow the rice to cook on medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes or pressure cook for 2 whistles. Cooking time may vary depending on the quality of the rice and the pressure cooker. To make this h...

Bajji Milagai Kootu - Bajji Milagai Recipes - Mirchi Bajji with Vegetables and Dal

Bajji milagai is the long variety green chilly commonly used for bajji, sambar and gravy. As I was asking for recipe ideas with this bajji milagai, my husband suggested me the idea to try a kootu dish with bajji milagai. The first thing I told him that it will be very hot and it won't taste good for kootu dishes. Then he told me to include carrot, potato in this kootu, so it will reduce the spiciness level. I had no plans to take the video, but my husband asked me to publish the recipe along with the video on the blog. The kootu was so delicious and it is a best side dish for rice, chapathi and poori. The beautiful orange colour from the carrots, a hint of red colour from tomato in the kootu looks awesome. When you take a first bite, it tastes like regular vegetable kootu . After a few minutes, you feel a little hotness in your tongue. I have removed the pith and seeds in the chilly. For this kootu, I started off by cooking the carrots and potatoes first and then...

About me

Hai, I am Muthulakshmi Madhavakrishnan welcoming you to my blog VIRUNDHOMBAL . Basically, I am a computer science graduate from Bhrathidasan university, Tiruchy. From my infancy stage till I get married I have been nurtured In Tiruchy. I went to a school where a rich tradition and heritage find a valuable space. Yes, I did my schooling in Railway mixed High school and all disciples are unique in their own way. Even while I was pursuing my higher education in Jamal Mohmaed college, Tiruchy we the students feel free to interact with our co students about our way beyond our college days. After my college days are over I was about to choose Home science with specialization of food science my wedlock ceremony, though not an interruption, had to be arranged as a part of the parental care. It was a blessing in disguise as my husband a busy software techie found his own time to appreciate my magical work in the kitchen.That was an inspiration for me, a hou...

VIRUNDHOMBAL

Search This Blog