Chettinad Mushroom Masala (South Indian Mushroom Pepper Curry)

5 from 12 votes

Chettinad Mushroom Masala is a south Indian restaurant style curry of silky tomatoes and onions cradling juicy mushrooms.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 69kcal

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds (rai/kadagu)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera/jeeragam)
2 sprigs curry leaves (kadi patta/karuveppilai)
2 tablespoons cilantro (coriander leaves/dhania. Chopped)
2 green chilli peppers (like jalapeno or serrano, slit down the middle. Deseed or use less for less heat)
1 large onion (finely chopped)
2 tablespoons ginger garlic paste
3 medium tomatoes (diced)
1 tablespoon ground coriander (dhania)
1 teaspoon ground fennel (saunf/sombu)
½ teaspoon turmeric (haldi/manjal podi)
12 oz cremini mushrooms or button mushrooms
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon ground black pepper (miri/milagu)
¼ cup coconut milk
Salt to taste

Heat oil in a skillet or wok. Add the mustard seeds to it, then the cumin. As soon as the mustard seeds crackle, add half the cilantro, curry leaves and slit green chili peppers.
Stir in the onions with a pinch of salt and saute them until they are a rich golden brown. Onions fried this way will melt into the gravy and help thicken it, so take your time and don't leave them half-cooked.
Add the ginger garlic paste, stir it in and saute for a minute.
Add the tomatoes along with the turmeric, ground fennel and ground coriander. Mix well and let the tomatoes cook, stirring frequently, until they are pulpy and very soft and have acquired a deeper color
Add the coconut milk and cook the curry for 4-5 minutes until it's a rich reddish-brown in color.
Add the chopped mushrooms and stir them in. Let the curry come back to a boil, then stir in the garam masala, ground black pepper and salt to taste. Turn off the heat.
Stir in the remaining cilantro, then serve hot.