Step 1

Soak cashews in hot water for 15 minutes. Soaking cashews helps to grind them better, especially if you have a blender or mixer-grinder which has difficulty grinding nuts and seeds.

Step 2

But if you do not have time to soak, then just chop them and grind with coconut.

Step 3

Once the cashews are soaked, add them to the grinder along with 1/2 cup grated coconut or 1/3 cup desiccated coconut.

Step 4

Add 1/3 cup fresh water and grind to a smooth paste. If using desiccated coconut, then use warm water while grinding. Keep the coconut-cashew paste aside.

Step 5

When the cashews are soaking, rinse or wipe the mushrooms and slice or chop them.

Step 6

Also chop the onions and tomatoes. Keep aside.

Step 7

Heat 2 tablespoon oil. You can use peanut oil or sunflower oil. Add teaspoon mustard seeds. On a low to medium flame saute till they begin to crackle.

Step 8

Once they begin crackling, then add teaspoon cumin seeds, 8 to 10 fenugreek seeds and 1/2 teaspoon urad dal. If you do not have fenugreek seeds, then skip them.

Step 9

Saute till the urad dal turns a maroonish red. Cook on a low flame, so that the urad dal, fenugreek seeds and cumin do not burn.

Step 10

Then add 1/3 cup chopped onions. Begin to saute the onions on a low to medium flame, till the onions begin to get light brown.

Step 11

Then add 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste. Saute till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.

Step 12

Next add 1 cup chopped tomatoes. Mix well and begin to saute the tomatoes, till they soften.

Step 13

Then add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder

Step 14

Mix the spice powders very well with the onion tomato masala.

Step 15

Now add the sliced or chopped mushrooms.

Step 16

Mix well and saute the mushroom on a low to medium flame for 5 to 6 minutes.

Step 17

Then add the coconut-cashew paste and 10 to 12 curry leaves. Mix very well and saute for 2 to 3 minutes on a low flame.

Step 18

When the masala is getting sauteed, add 2 cups water in the blender jar. Swirl and rotate the jar gently so that the remaining coconut-cashew paste gets mixed with water.

Step 19

Now add this water to the masala mixture. Mix well.

Step 20

Season with salt as per taste.

Step 21

Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 14 to 15 minutes.

Step 22

When the mushroom kurma is done, you will see specks of oil floating on top and the curry will also thicken a bit.

Step 23

Garnish with some chopped coriander leaves and serve mushroom kurma hot with steamed rice, chapatis or pooris or paratha. It will also go well with cumin rice or saffron rice.