MUSHROOM TIKKA STYLE

As you know I have been totally smitten by the lovely gigantic button mushrooms that my vegetable vendor snuck under my nose and enticed me into buying. Those lovely mushrooms that my family and I have been enjoying over the week.
I wondered if I should divulge my secret recipe now or keep it for until later.
But my excitement over my new creation just wouldn't let me wait.

It would have been blasphemy to cut up these mushrooms to make a soup or a casserole or a curry or any other dish that would require cutting or chopping of my beauties. So naturally they had to be made whole.



mushroom tikka style

Mushrooms are low in calories, fat and carbohydrate and contain no vitamin C and sodium. They are a good source of the B vitamins niacin, pantothenic acid and riboflavin and essential minerals such as potassium, selenium and copper. Vitamin D2 is produced in them when exposed to ultraviolet rays. More about mushrooms in my previous posts Mushroom on Toast, Grilled Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms in Capsicum Coulis, Chili Mushroom, Mushroom with Greens-Tapas.

I love to combine my mushrooms with yogurt so yet again I started to think of yogurt as my base.

Here's what I came up with.

MUSHROOM TIKKA STYLE

Ingredients:

.Large sized white button mushroom.............16

.Red bell pepper...........................................1 large, cut into large sized dice

.Yellow bell pepper.....................................1 large, cut into large sized dice

.Japanese cucumer........................................1. halved vertically and cuy into large chunks

.Baby corn....................................................12, halved

.Olive oil......................................................2 Tbsp.

For the marinade:

.Yogurt..........................................................2 cups

.Red onion.....................................................1 large or 1 cup finely chopped

.Garlic...........................................................3 large cloves

.Ginger..........................................................2 tsp., finely chopped

.Red chili(bird's eye)....................................2 to 3 finely chopped(adjust to taste, but add all if you like

.Red chili powder.........................................2 tsp.

.Garam masala powder.................................3/4th tsp.

.Roasted cumin seed powder........................1 tsp.

.Turmeric powder.........................................3/4th tsp.

.Dry raw mango powder(amchur).................1 tsp.

.Pav bhaji masala..........................................1 tsp.*

.Dry oregano leaves......................................1/2 tsp.

.Carom seeds................................................1/2 tsp.

.Salt..............................................................to taste

.White vinegar..............................................1/8th cup

.Black salt....................................................1 dash

.Black pepper powder.................................1 dash

mushroom tikka style

Method:

Preparing the vegetables:

.Gently rinse the dirt off the mushrooms, peel them and gently rinse again, taking care not to get the gills
 water logged.(I prefer this step though you can choose to avoid it.)
.De-stem them if you like.
.Cut the baby corn into crosswise halves.
.Cut the bell peppers into 1 to 1.5inch dices.
.Cut the Japanese cucumber vertically into half and then cut into 1 inch thick pieces.

For the marinade:

.In a mortar and pestle, pound together onion, ginger, garlic and red chili to a rough paste.
.You can adjust the bird's eye chili according to your own taste, but add all(in the recipe) if you like it
 hot and spicy like I love.

.In a large bowl beat the yogurt to a smooth texture.
.Add to it all the ingredients of the marinade.

.Add the onion paste and mix well.

.Mix together all the prepared vegetables and the marinade till all the vegetables are well coated.

.Refrigerate for 6 to 7 hours or upto 24 hours.

How to proceed:

.Heat oven on grill setting .

.In a baking tray spread out the marinated vegetables and sprinkle the olive oil and grill till the

 vegetables start to colour.

.Here the vegetables will be seen cooking in the marinade and the juices from the vegetables. It

 may appear to be a little runny while being cooked.

.Flip all the vegetables using tongs or a spatula.

.Grill till the vegetables start to colour and appear a little charred at the tips and the liquid has almost
 dried up.

How to serve:

.Serve as a starter.

.Skewer them if you like.
   or

.Use it as a filling in a wrap.
   or

.Pasta it with Durum wheat Penne pasta. Do not let all the liquid of the marinade dry up.
 Mix it with the al dente pasta. Grill for 5  to 7 minutes until light charred marks begin to appear.
 Serve hot.

Note:
*You can get Pav Bhaji Masala at an Indian store. It is a blend of spices that I put in my rice, in my
 vegetables, in my kebabs and I always have it in my freezer (I keep it there to maintain maximum
 flavour as I do with my other blends like Garam masala).
.Grilling the yellow and red bell peppers makes them sweet. Green bell peppers do not grill well.