The Vegetarian

Mushroom curry

-Sri Lankan style

200g of mushrooms (button mushrooms) - sliced into quarters
1 onion - sliced
3 cloves garlic - crushed
1 tomato - sliced into small wedges
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 stick of cinnamon
1 sprig of curry leaves
1/4 teaspoon of turmeric
1 teaspoon of dark roasted curry powder (see vegetables and spices)
1 tablespoon coconut milk
Chilli - flakes or fresh sliced.
salt to taste

In a large pot place the mushrooms, onion, garlic, fenugreek, cinnamon, turmeric and roasted curry powder. Add a cup of water and bring to the boil. Simmer covered until the mushrooms have reduced in volume and released their water content.

Add the tomato and simmer until it starts to break up. Add the curry leaves, coconut milk and chilli and stir in. Salt to taste.

 Tempered Mushrooms

-as usual most ingredients listed from most essential to least essential.

500g mushrooms (any type - try button mushrooms, oyster, king oyster)
1/2 medium red onion
handful of curry leaves
1 stick of cinnamon (or 1/2 teaspoon powder)
1 teaspoon of mustard seeds -lightly crushed with mortar and pestle
1/2 teaspoon of red chilli flakes
+/- 2 pinches of turmeric
+/- 1 teaspoon of corn flour dissolved in tablespoon of water
+/- 1 leaf of rampe (pandan)
+/- a pinch of curry powder
salt

Wash and slice the mushrooms into small slices (1/2 centimetre thickness). Peel and slice the onion into fine wedges. Break up the cinnamon stick into pieces (use mortar and pestle)

In a nonstick pan with a teaspoon of oil fry the onion, curry leaves, cinnamon, mustard seeds, chilli flakes and rampe, until the onion starts to brown. (+/- the turmeric and curry powder)

Add the mushrooms and stir until the mushrooms reduce in volume and appear to glisten. (Consider adding the corn flour in water and simmer until thickened).

Sprinkle with salt, stir and taste test. Add further salt to taste.








- King oyster mushroom. These mushrooms are very easy to prepare as they require so little cleaning. I usually slice the cap separately from the main stem, aiming for 5mm thick semi-circular slices.

Regular oyster mushrooms -->
which were used in the photo above, are much more commonly available.