30-Minute Pepper Mushroom Masala Recipe | Quick Side Dish for Chapati & Roti
Pepper Mushroom Masala is a simple and beginner-friendly recipe, especially for office-goers or bachelors who want to make an easy side dish for chapati, roti, ghee rice, or even idli and dosa.
If you have some mushrooms at home, you can make this with a simple homemade masala paste without adding too many store-bought masalas. You can also make the same recipe as a gravy or cook it a little longer and make it dry like a chukka.
Whenever I feel lazy and still want to make something tasty, this is one of the side dishes I go for. I also love having the leftovers with rice the next day. Let me show you how I make this Pepper Mushroom Masala and share a few tips along the way.
What Is Pepper Mushroom Masala?
Pepper Mushroom Masala is a simple mushroom side dish with a spicy, peppery flavour and a rich homemade masala. It is a South Indian-style preparation that works well when you want something quick and tasty to go with chapati, roti, ghee rice, dosa or idli.
The mushrooms are cooked with a freshly prepared masala, giving them a good coating and plenty of flavour. Depending on how you finish the cooking, you can serve it with a little gravy or cook it down to a dry masala.
It is an easy recipe to try even if you are new to cooking, and you can make it with basic ingredients usually available at home.
If you’re looking for more simple side dishes for everyday meals, you can also try our easy side dish recipes like Potato Egg Curry.
Health Benefits of Adding Mushrooms to Your Food
- Good source of nutrients: Mushrooms provide nutrients such as B vitamins, selenium, copper and potassium.
- Provides dietary fiber: They can contribute to your daily fiber intake and support a balanced diet.
- Low in calories: Mushrooms are naturally low in calories, making them an easy ingredient for lighter meals.
- Contains antioxidants: Mushrooms contain compounds with antioxidant properties that help protect cells from oxidative stress.
- Adds plant-based nutrition: Mushrooms are a useful ingredient for adding variety and nutrients to vegetarian meals.
Ingredients for Pepper Mushroom Masala
For the Mushroom
- Mushroom – 200 g, cleaned, washed and cut into pieces
- Oil – as needed
- Onion – 1 medium, sliced
- Curry leaves – 1 sprig
- Salt – as needed
For the Masala Paste
- Small onion – as needed
- Fennel seeds – 1 tbsp
- Cumin seeds – 1 tbsp
- Black pepper – 1 tbsp
- Coriander seeds – 1 tbsp, lightly roasted
or use coriander powder - Ginger – 1 inch piece
- Garlic – 10 cloves
- Cloves – 2
- Cardamom – 2 pods
- Water – little, for grinding
For the Cashew Paste
- Cashews – as needed
- Water – for soaking and grinding
How to Make Pepper Mushroom Masala
1. Prepare the Mushroom
Clean the mushrooms well, wash them and cut them into medium-sized pieces. Keep them aside.
2. Make the Masala Paste
In a mixer, add small onion, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, pepper, lightly roasted coriander seeds, ginger, garlic, cloves and cardamom. Add a little water and grind everything into a smooth paste. Keep the masala paste aside.
If you are using coriander powder instead of coriander seeds, you can add it while grinding.
3. Prepare the Cashew Paste
Soak the cashews in water for a few minutes. Drain the water and grind the cashews with a little water into a smooth paste. Keep it aside.
4. Sauté the Onion
Heat oil in a pan. Add the sliced onion and curry leaves. Sauté until the onion turns golden brown.
5. Cook the Masala
Add the prepared masala paste and sauté well. Cook until the raw smell goes away, the colour becomes slightly darker and the oil starts to separate from the masala. This step is important for getting a good flavour.
6. Add the Mushroom
Add the cleaned mushroom pieces and mix well with the masala. Cover the pan and cook for about 5 minutes.
The mushroom will start releasing its own water while cooking.
7. Add the Cashew Paste
Add the prepared cashew paste and mix everything well. Cook for another 10 minutes on medium heat.
At this stage, you can decide whether you want a gravy or dry version.
8. For Pepper Mushroom Gravy
If you like a gravy consistency, stop cooking once the mushroom is cooked and the masala reaches the consistency you like. Serve hot.
9. For Dry Pepper Mushroom Masala
If you prefer a dry chukka-style side dish, continue cooking and sauté until the extra moisture reduces and the masala coats the mushrooms well.
Serve hot with chapati, roti, dosa, idli or ghee rice.
This Pepper Mushroom Masala also pairs well with simple breakfast dishes like Thinai Upma when you want something different on the side.
Tips for Making Pepper Mushroom Masala
- Clean the mushrooms well: Wash and clean the mushrooms before cutting them into pieces.
- Don’t add too much water: Mushrooms release their own water while cooking, so add only a little water when grinding the masala.
- Cook the masala well: Don’t rush this step. Sauté the ground masala until the raw smell goes away and the oil starts separating.
- Adjust the pepper: If you prefer a milder taste, reduce the amount of pepper. For a stronger pepper flavour, you can add a little more.
- Cashew paste is optional: It gives the masala a richer texture, especially when making the gravy version.
- For gravy: Stop cooking once the mushroom is cooked and you get the consistency you like.
- For dry masala: Cook a little longer and sauté until the extra moisture disappears and the masala coats the mushroom well.
- Use fresh pepper: Freshly ground pepper gives this dish a much better flavour than old pepper powder.
If you often make chapati at home, check out our collection of side dishes for chapathi for more simple combinations.
FAQs for Pepper Mushroom Recipe
What is Pepper Mushroom Masala made of?
Pepper Mushroom Masala is made with fresh mushrooms and a homemade masala prepared with pepper, fennel, cumin, coriander, ginger, garlic and a few whole spices. Cashew paste is added to give the masala a richer texture.
Is Pepper Mushroom Masala healthy?
Mushrooms are a nutritious ingredient and provide nutrients such as B vitamins, selenium, copper and potassium. This homemade version also lets you control the amount of oil, salt and spices used.
What are the ingredients for mushroom pepper gravy?
For the gravy version, you need mushrooms, onion, curry leaves, a freshly ground pepper-based masala and cashew paste. The mushroom releases some water while cooking, which helps create the gravy.
How do I make Indian-style mushroom gravy?
An Indian-style mushroom gravy can be made by cooking mushrooms with a spiced onion-based masala. In this recipe, a freshly ground pepper masala and cashew paste give the gravy its flavour and richness.
Can I make this mushroom recipe creamy without adding cream?
Yes. Cashew paste gives this mushroom gravy a naturally rich and creamy texture without using fresh cream.
What can I serve with Pepper Mushroom Masala?
You can serve it with chapati, roti, dosa, idli or ghee rice. Leftovers also taste good with plain rice the next day.
Can I make Pepper Mushroom Masala without store-bought masala powder?
Yes. This recipe uses a homemade ground masala, so you don’t need to add a ready-made mushroom masala or other store-bought masala powder.
30minutes Pepper Mushroom Masala Gravy
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Clean, wash and cut the mushrooms into medium-sized pieces.
- Grind the small onion, fennel, cumin, pepper, coriander, ginger, garlic, cloves and cardamom with a little water to make a smooth masala paste.
- Soak the cashews in water and grind them into a smooth paste.
- Heat oil in a pan and sauté sliced onion and curry leaves until the onion turns golden brown.
- Add the ground masala paste and sauté until the raw smell goes away, the colour darkens slightly and the oil starts separating.
- Add the mushrooms and mix well. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add the cashew paste, mix well and cook for another 10 minutes.
- For a gravy, stop cooking when you reach the consistency you like.
- For a dry chukka, continue sautéing until the extra moisture reduces and the masala coats the mushrooms well.
Notes
Tried This?
I’d love to hear how this Pepper Mushroom Masala turned out for you and what you paired it with. Leave a comment below and share your experience.
If you make this recipe, don’t forget to share your photos on Instagram and tag @indianrecipestoday.
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Happy Cooking!
