Mushroom Xacuti

Mushroom Xacuti is a Goan dish which is best cooked with wild mushrooms and is a preferred dinner dish at every Goan kitchen. It’s also known as Mushroom Tondak.

It is a coconut and onion based curry with varied spices. I use it mainly for mushrooms, soya chunks and cauliflower based curries.

Ingredients

• 20 Button mushrooms
• 2 Onion , chopped
• 1 Tomato , finely chopped
• 3 sprig Coriander leaves , finely chopped (optional)

For the gravy

• 1/2 cup Fresh coconut , grated
• 4 Dry red chillies , crushed
• 1 tsp Coriander seeds
• 5 Black Pepper Corns
• 2 Cloves
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Garam masala powder
• 1/2 Tamarind , marble sized
• Salt , to taste
• 3 tablespoon Cooking oil

Method:

• To begin with Goan Mushroom Xacuti, wash the mushroom or wipe them with a clean cloth. Chop them into medium chunks or as you like and keep them aside.
• The next step is to make the Xacuti paste. Take a pan and add 2 tablespoon oil. Add the onions and sauté them until it changes colour and becomes soft.
• Add all the spices including coriander seeds, dry red chillies, cloves into the pan masala and sauté for 4 to 5 mins more.
• After 4-5 mins, add grated coconut and sauté it on low flame till it changes its colour to brown and then switch off the gas.
• Now add the tamarind ball and turmeric powder to the roasted grated coconut mixture, stir and let this cool down.
• Once it’s done, grind the grated coconut mixture by adding 1 cup of water to make it a thin gravy and keep it aside.
• Now in the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil and fry the remaining chopped onions. Sauce it till the onion changes its colour.
• Once it’s done, add the chopped tomatoes and cook it till they becomes soft. Now add the chopped mushrooms and cook it for 15-20 minutes till they becomes soft and releases water.
• Once it is done, pour the grinded gravy in the mixture and cook it for another 5-8 minutes. Add salt according to your taste and garnish it with chopped fresh coriander leaves.
• Serve Mushroom Xacuti with tandoori roti, phulkas, and rice.

Note: If you are not using tamarind as souring agent i.e. kokam, lemon juice, raw mango and using something, one could add that at the last instead of the midst of cooking process.