Mushroom Masala for Vegans

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 (2 inch) cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 pods green cardamom
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 star anise
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tomatoes, pureed
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon chili powder, or to taste
• salt to taste
• 8 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced
• ½ cup water
• 1 tablespoon cashew powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• ½ teaspoon kasoori methi

Step 1

Warm some oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Toss in the cinnamon, cumin seeds, green cardamom, cloves, star anise, and bay leaf, and let them sizzle for about 30 seconds so the oil gets all fragrant. Then add the chopped onion and cook it slowly, stirring now and then, until it turns a nice golden brown—this usually takes around 10 minutes. Next, mix in the ginger-garlic paste and cook it for about a minute until the raw smell fades.

Step 2

Add the tomatoes and cook everything together for 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle in the coriander powder, turmeric, and chili powder, and let the sauce thicken a bit, which should take about 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt, then add the mushrooms, stirring well so they get coated in the flavorful sauce.

Step 3

Pour in some water, just enough for the mushrooms to cook through, and let everything simmer gently for 5 to 7 minutes until the mushrooms soften up. Stir in the cashew powder and garam masala, cooking for another couple of minutes to bring all the flavors together. Finally, crumble the kasoori methi over the top, give it one last stir, and it’s ready to serve.