Mushroom Curry

Mushroom curry is one of the staples of the western curry restaurant and a favourite in a few Indian homes.  Here is a tasty curry recipe I was given by the chef in a London curry house twenty years ago, plus one from Calcutta.
The secret is not to over-cook your mushrooms. They are delicate creatures and will go bitter and soggy if overcooked. They also love oil. As every breakfast cook knows, fry a mushroom in oil and it will absorb practically everything in the pan, so it's best to starve them rather than saturate them with oil.

Mushroom Bhajee (restaurant style)
(From Mr Ali, formerly of the Kennington Tandoori)
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon turmeric
1  teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon chilli powder

6 green cardamons

450 grams (1lb) mushrooms, washed, dried and thinly sliced

Fry the onions in a wok or karahi (though any heavy-based pan will do) until they start to turn golden, add the garlic and fry for another minute before adding the cardamons and dry spices. Stir and give the mixture another minute or so to cook. Remove from the pan and allow to cool. Remove 4 of the cardamons. Add a little water (roughly 200ml, 7 fluid ounces) and liquidize in a blender, making sure the remaining two cardamons are properly blended. Return the mixture to the pan and reduce until a thick sauce is obtained. Season with salt and pepper, as necessary. Add the mushrooms and stir them in, making sure they are warmed thoroughly but be careful not to break then. Serve immediately.

I hope you enjoy your tasty mushroom curry. You will traditionally serve it with boiled rice and a green vegetable dish or as an accompaniment to a main meat-based meal.