Last year, my husband and I moved to Cardiff. And near our house, there’s a family-run Indian supermarket and cafe/restaurant that we have been going to frequently. They serve the most delicious Indian curries, potato dosas, idlis, thali dishes, and desserts. And this mushroom bhaji quickly became a favourite after we first tried it! We asked the lady that cooks there about the recipe, and she quickly explained the ingredients to us and how to make it. We wrote the ingredients down and went home to experiment with the recipe. It came out very similar to what is served at the restaurant, and we’ve been making it quite often. In fact, it’s one of our go-to vegan dishes when we have mushrooms in the fridge and want something quickly. We just eat it with some garlic naan bread and crispy onion bhaji with a cooling cucumber-mint raita. So good!
Mushroom Bhaji Ingredients
The ingredients needed are so simple, and you probably already have everything in your kitchen if you have mushrooms. You will need: Olive oil, a white/yellow onion, a green chili, button mushrooms, garlic, ground cumin, ground turmeric, ground coriander, smoked paprika, tomato Paste, water, salt, and fresh coriander leaves to garnish.
How to make Mushroom Bhaji
Step 1. In a deep pan or a wok, heat olive oil and fry the onions and the green chili until the onions are soft and translucent. Step 2. Add the sliced mushrooms to the pan, season with a pinch of salt and cook for a couple of minutes. Step 3. Add crushed garlic and cook for 1 minute until it’s fragrant, then add the spices and cook for 30 seconds while stirring with a wooden spoon. Step 4. Add tomato paste with a dash of water, and stir with a wooden spoon until you get a thick sauce. Add more water if desired, and cook. Season with salt.
Top Tips
Slice the mushrooms in halves, but if the mushrooms are small then leave them as they are.Make sure that the spices that you’re using are finely ground, otherwise they’ll feel grainy.Don’t add too much water to create the sauce, as it might become too watery. Add the water gradually in small amounts.
What to serve it with?
Homemade naan bread! I either make my own homemade naan or if I’m running short on time then I buy naan bread from our local Indian store. Top it with minced/crushed garlic, fresh herbs, and enjoy with mushroom bhaji. I also like to serve this mushroom bhaji with crispy golden onion bhajis, and golden turmeric rice or jeera cumin rice.
Is this dish served hot or cold?
Usually warm, and honestly we always devour this right after it’s cooked. But it can also be enjoyed cold. Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. © Little Sunny Kitchen
