Restaurant style Mushroom Butter Masala (Mushrooms sauteed and cooked in spiced butter cashew gravy)

Mushrooms have always been an all time favourite cooking ingredient of mine from all times. I love the texture that it lends to a dish as the main ingredient.  I remember my all time favourite mushroom dish was the Mushroom Butter Masala at TongueTinglers, a small time restaurant near my workplace in T.Nagar. Some afternoons of long drawn meetings would almost always end in a tongue tingling lunch ordered from this amazing restaurant. Combined with their Ginger Capsicum Fried Rice,  it was definitely a slice of heaven.   I recently found in my last trip to India, that they had closed. I never knew why, but I always miss their  amazing food. This recipe is a rehashed version of one that I read from an Indian magazine. Try it and I am sure you will love it`s richness in taste and texture.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound button mushrooms washed and diced.

1/2 Red Onion diced.

3 Roma Tomatoes diced.

1 Tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste.

1 Tbsp Butter.

Handful of Cashews soaked in milk.

Pinch of saffron soaked in warm milk.

Pinch of Sugar

Salt to taste.

1 Inch Cinnamon.

5 Cloves.

1 Tsp Ground Elaichi Powder.

1/2 cup Water/ Whey.

Pinch of Turmeric Powder.

1 Tbsp Red Chilli Powder.

1 Tbsp Dried Kasuri Methi.

Ghee.

PREPARATION:

• In the mixer grind the cashews, saffron and  warm milk to a smooth paste. Add a pinch of sugar and set aside.
• In a kadai add a spoon of ghee and when hot add whole masalas – Cinnamon, Cloves and Elaichi Powder.
• Next toss in the diced onions. Saute till pink.
• When done, add ginger garlic paste and tomatoes and give it a quick stir.
• Now add turmeric, red chilli powder and the aromatic kasuri methi. In my opinion, the kasuri methi acts as a catalyst and add a lot of body and character to the dish.
• Allow the tomatoes to cook till they are mushy , stay on a medium flame and the ingredients come together. Keep aside to cool and puree to a smooth paste.
• In the same kadai, add 1 spoon of oil/ ghee and toss in the diced mushrooms. Give it a quick stir.
• Pour the ground paste and add salt and a blob of butter.
• Cover and cook on medium low flame for 7-8 minutes.
• Also add in the rich cashew paste and continue to cook on a medium low flame for another 5-6 minutes.
• When  you see that the gravy just starts to come together remove from heat.
• Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve Hot with Tiranga Pulav.