Button mushrooms stuffed with cheese and spices, crumb coated and fried. These chilli mushroom pakodas are simple to make and are a great idea if you have guests coming over. Available in various types, shapes and sizes, these edible fungi (purely vegetarian!) are a great way to glam-up your dishes.
Talking about the types, there are – button, enoki, morel, oyster, shiitake, porcini, chanterelle and portabella. Buy the ones with a firm texture and even colour with tightly-closed caps. If the gills are showing, it is an indication of age and they are probably past their prime.
Ingredients:
◦ Button mushrooms chopped ½ cup
◦ Red chilli finely chopped 1-2
◦ Bread crumbs 1 cup
◦ Onion finely chopped 1 medium
◦ Red chilli powder 1 teaspoon
◦ coriander leaves chopped 1 tablespoon
◦ Cornflour/ corn starch 1 tablespoon
◦ Processed cheese grated ½ cup
◦ Salt to taste
◦ Oil for deep-frying
◦ Mayonnaise ¼ cup
◦ Green chutney 1-2 tablespoons
Method
Take breadcrumbs in a bowl. Add mushrooms, onion, fresh red chillies, green chillies, chilli powder, coriander leaves and cornflour and mix. Add processed cheese and mix well. Add 2-3 tablespoons water and mix till well combined. Add salt and mix well.
Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. Drop small portions of the prepared mixture and deep-fry till golden and crisp. Drain on absorbent paper.
Take mayonnaise in a bowl. Add green chutney and mix well.
Serve the pakora hot with green chutney-mayo.
Recipe: Sanjeev Kapoor