Pepper Mushroom fry (Milagu Kaalaan varuval)

Ingredients:

1/2 lb baby bella mushrooms(you can also use regular button mushrooms)
3 tsp black pepper
2 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tomato, chopped
2 sprigs curry leaves
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
lime, to taste
                                                                                   salt, to taste

Method:

Clean the mushrooms with a kitchen towel and quarter them. Set aside.

Place a dry pan over medium low heat. Add the black pepper and roast until a nice aroma comes out and the peppers start to pop. Remove, set aside. Add the fennel seeds and roast until golden brown. Remove, add the cumin seeds and roast them until a nice aroma is released. Let the spices cool down a bit. You can then powder them coarsely in a mixie or a coffee grinder. If you have a mortar and pestle that’s the best to use. The key is to not over roast the spices, otherwise they turn bitter and to make sure you powder it coarsely and not too fine.

Heat the oil in the same pan. Add in the chopped onions. Saute until the onions are golden brown and translucent. Add the ginger garlic paste and cook until the raw smell disappears. Add the quartered mushrooms and saute until golden brown. This takes about 6-8 minutes. Do not add salt as it would bring out the water and you will not be able to get a good sear on the mushrooms. When the mushrooms are golden brown and fried well, add the turmeric powder and salt. This may give out some water. Continue cooking until the mushrooms are well cooked and the water is absorbed.

Add in the chopped tomatoes and saute for a couple of minutes. You want the tomatoes to be just cooked, but not mushy. The tomatoes add a nice dimension of flavor in this dish, and you should be able to see and taste the tomato pieces in the dish. Finally, add in the coarsely powdered spices and saute for another 5 minutes, until the flavors are absorbed by the mushrooms. Continue cooking until all the water rendered by the tomatoes are gone and the mixture is dry. Add in the curry leaves and the cilantro. Mix to combine. Squeeze the lime on the mushrooms just before serving for a perk of fresh flavor. This goes well with chapati as well as rice dishes.