Kalan Kuzhambu / Spicy Mushroom Gravy

Kalan Kuzhambu / Spicy Mushroom Gravy is one of the popular South Indian kuzhambu variety that too its popular in South Indian Wedding Dinner. In recent years, have seen in many wedding receptions in my hometown. Many people prefer this Kalan Kuzhambu and Parotta for dinner menu in Wedding Receptions. Even i tasted Mushroom first time in a wedding reception dinner only. I liked this spicy kuzhambu, its so flavorful and yummy with parotta & Ghee Rice. Then my mom got the recipe from a Cook and tried it few times. We all love this mushroom kuzhambu and i love it with hot idlis and with Jeera Rice or Ghee Rice.
If you haven't cooked Mushroom this way, please give it a try to feel the real flavor and taste of this kuzhambu. Dunno why i did not posted this recipe in my space, Thanks to Nalini for starting Tamizhar Samayal Tuesday event, in which one should post traditional or regional recipes of Tamil Nadu on every month's 2nd and 4th Tuesday. So keep watching i am gonna share few of my hometown special recipes here in coming weeks.

Ingredients

1. Mushroom      8 oz. pack (cleaned & sliced)
2. Onion    1 medium (chopped)
3. Tomato    1 no. (chopped)
4. Ginger Garlic Paste      1 tsp
5. Mint Leaves      2 tbsp (chopped)
6. Curry leaves    1 sprig
7. Cilantro      few finely chopped
8. Turmeric Powder     1/4 tsp
9. Chicken Curry Powder    1 tsp
10. Coconut Paste     2-3 tbsp
11. Salt    to taste

To Temper

1. Oil     2-3 tsp
2. Mustard seeds     1/4 tsp
3. Fennel seeds     1/4 tsp
4. Bay leaf    1 small
5. Cinnamon     1"piece
6. Clove    2 no.s

To Roast  & Grind

1. Dry Red chilli       4 no.s
2. Coriander seeds     1 and 1/2 tbsp
3. Poppy seeds     1/2 tsp
4. Fennel seeds    1/2 tsp
5. Dry coconut     1 tsp
6. Pepper corns     8 or 10 no.s
7. Dalia/Pottu kadalai     1/2 tsp (optional, i added)

Method

• First heat a pan and dry roast all the ingredients under the heading "to roast & grind" in medium heat for 1-2 minutes, then cool for a while and grind it to a fine powder and keep aside.
• Then heat oil in a kadai, add the tempering ingredients one by one allow to splutter, fry well and add onions, mint leaves and curry leaves and saute for 1-2 minutes.
• After that add ginger garlic paste and saute until the raw smell leaves.
• Now add tomato and saute until soft and mushy.
• Then add mushroom, turmeric powder , ground masala powder, chicken masala powder and stir fry for 1-2 minutes.
• And add 1/2 cup water, enough salt and bring to boil.
• Once it starts boiling add coconut paste or coconut milk and cook till the raw smell leaves and done. Adjust the kuzhambu consistency to your taste, if you are serving it for idli/dosa/parotta then make it little thin and if you serve for rice/chapathi/puri/Biryani make it little thick like mine.

it tasted great with oats too :)

Notes:
You can also add chilli and coriander powder instead roasting and ground, but this method makes your kuhambu so flavorful and yummy.
Try to add mint leaves, it sure gives some nice flavor and taste to the kuzhambu.
Instead of chicken masala powder you can use garam masala powder(1/2 tsp) or curry masala powder(1 tsp)