Malaysian Mushroom Korma

Malaysian Mushroom Korma is a beautiful curry, full of rich flavor, and it works for either a weeknight dinner or a special meal with family or friends.

I’ve been making this Malaysian Mushroom Korma for many years now, and I had shared it with you almost a decade ago. But like many old recipes on the blog, it was in need of some refreshing, so this time, when I made it, I got some new photographs for you.

This is a creamy curry that coats your tongue with a myriad of complex flavors. Malaysian cuisine is often described as a melange of influences from China, Indonesia and India, and in this curry, the contribution of the nation’s Indian residents is quite obvious.  The flavor profile reminds me, in fact, of a mutton curry my father would make for us when we were children.

Here are the ingredients you will need for this Malaysian Mushroom Korma:

• Mushrooms, of course. If you are a lover of mushrooms, you will be delighted by the possibilities. You can use just about any wild mushroom in here, dry or fresh. If using dry, be sure to reconstitute them first in hot water. I typically use shiitakes, portobellos or criminis. Oysters work great too. This time, criminis were all I had on hand.
• Onions
• Ginger
• Garlic
• Garam Masala
• Coconut Milk
• Yogurt. I use a tangy homemade cultured cashew yogurt, and it contributes to both the creaminess and the complexity of the flavors in this korma. You can go with a storebought yogurt too.
• Potatoes. These are optional, but I really like the balance they bring to this spicy curry.
• Peppercorns
• Fennel seeds
• Cumin seeds
• Coriander seeds
• Cayenne

How to make a delicious Malaysian Mushroom Korma:

There are no special skills needed, but make sure you have all of the ingredients, because each contributes to the unique flavor profile.

Also, make sure that you give the korma enough time on the stove, because the blended raw spices need to cook. Rushing things is just not a great idea. This curry takes under 45 minutes from start to finish, so you don’t really need to rush.

What to serve with Malaysian Mushroom Korma:

You can serve the korma with any sort of bread — a flatbread like a grilled naan or a squash-stuffed naan or roti is great, but even a crusty French or Italian bread would not be amiss for dunking into this curry and scooping it into your mouth. Or drizzle it over rice or quinoa.

Serve with fresh salad or, better still, a vegan cucumber raita on the side.

The korma tastes even better the next day, once the flavors have had time to work themselves into tasty harmony, so this is definitely a dish you can make ahead. It freezes well too — thaw and warm before use.

Malaysian Mushroom Korma Recipe:

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Malaysian Mushroom Korma

Malaysian Mushroom Korma is a beautiful curry, full of rich flavor, and it works for either a weeknight dinner or a special meal with family or friends.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Course: Curry

Cuisine: gluten-free, Malaysian, Soy-free, Vegan

Servings: 8

Calories: 134kcal

Author: Vaishali

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large onion (thinly sliced)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 tsp ginger (grated)
• 2 tbsp cilantro (optional)
• 1 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 cup vegan yogurt
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 24 oz mushrooms (shiitake, portabella, crimini, oysters are all wonderful. Chop or slice the mushrooms according to your preference. If you use dry wild mushrooms, be sure to reconstitute them in hot water and reserve the stock to use in the curry)
• 2 medium potatoes (cubed)
• Juice of 1 lemon

Spice paste:

• 4 shallots (or 1 medium red onion, chopped)
• 6 cloves garlic (chopped)
• 1 inch piece ginger (chopped)
• 1 tbsp peppercorns
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1-2 tsp cayenne (optional -- if you can't tolerate too much heat, leave this out because the peppercorns and the garam masala will add some heat)

Instructions

• Place the ingredients for the spice paste in a blender and using just as much water as is necessary, process to a thick, smooth paste.
• Heat oil in a large saucepan.
• Add the onions, cilantro if using, ginger and garlic and a pinch of salt. Saute until the onions turn translucent.
• Add the garam masala and stir to mix.
• Add the spice paste and stir well. Cook, on medium-low heat, stirring frequently to keep the paste from sticking to the bottom. Cook about 10 minutes or until the paste is quite fragrant.
• Add the yogurt, potatoes and mushrooms. Mix well. Don't add water at this point even if you think the curry looks dry because the mushrooms will express water, especially if you're using fresh mushrooms. If using dry mushrooms, add 1/2 to 1 cup of the mushroom stock -- the water remaining after you reconstitute the mushrooms.
• Cover and let the korma cook another 10 minutes. Check after five minutes to make sure there is enough liquid in the pot. If necessary, add some water or vegetable stock to thin out the korma to the consistency you like.
• Add the coconut milk and warm through before turning off the heat.
• Serve hot or warm. The korma tastes even better the next day!

Nutrition

Calories: 134kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Potassium: 647mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2.1% | Vitamin C: 13.9% | Calcium: 5.2% | Iron: 17.8%