There’s more to Goan cuisine than fenny, vindaloo, and bebinca. In fact, Goan cuisine is home to one of the most creamy mushroom recipes, the mushroom xacuti. A vegan adaptation of the traditional chicken xacuti, this mushroom recipe yields a spicy curry that pairs beautifully with buttered pav or steamed rice. Xacuti, an authentic Goan spice blend, is what lends it the signature taste.
Traditionally, the recipe used wild or forest mushrooms, available during the rainy season. However, you can also use simple, store-bought mushrooms. Follow this mushroom xacuti recipe to jazz up your weekly dinners, or as one of the many dishes of an elaborate feast — it won’t disappoint!
Place a pan on low heat. Dry roast the whole spices (red chillies, poppy seeds, cloves, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds) for about 3- 5 minutes. Once the spices begin popping, turn off the heat. Set aside to cool.
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Step 2: Make the onion-coconut mix
Add oil to a pan and place it on medium heat. Add chopped onions and ginger-garlic paste. Sauté till the onions turn lightly golden. Then, add grated coconut and sauté till the coconut turns golden brown. Turn off the heat, remove from the pan, and let it cool.
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Step 3: Make the masala paste
Grind the cooled-down roasted spices, tamarind pulp and onion-coconut mixture into a smooth paste. Add a little water when grinding.
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Step 4: Cook the mushrooms
Add oil into a flat-bottomed pan and place it on medium heat. First, add the ground masala paste and saute for 3-4 minutes till the oil starts separating. Then, add the sliced mushrooms, turmeric powder, and salt. Stir everything for a few seconds, ensuring the mushrooms are coated in the spice masala.
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Step 5: Simmer the xacuti
Add a little water (mushrooms release water too) to give the xacuti a gravy-like consistency. Cover the pan. Let the mushroom xacuti simmer for 3 to 5 minutes before turning off the heat. Keep a careful watch and keep the heat on medium, since mushrooms get cooked very quickly.
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Step 6: Garnish and serve
Once the mushrooms are cooked all the way through, turn off the heat. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves on top and serve hot with buttered pav.
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Indian
Easy
Main Course
