Mushroom fusion

From toast to tandoori bharwan tikka, buttoned mushrooms can be easily pressed into service 

One of our regrets is that we discovered the joys of mushrooms a bit late in life. Mukteshwar in the hills where our childhood was spent had forests that abounded with wild mushrooms. The only problem was that most of these were highly poisonous. Every year a couple of lives were lost when mushroom gatherers failed to distinguish between the edible and the strictly avoidable variety.

It was only with the loss of innocence with the advent of adolescence that we discovered that one could indulge to once hearts content without any fear of fatal after effects if one consumed only the farm-produced fungi. As years passed we learned with great delight that a great variety of fresh and dried mushrooms was available in the market and a greater variety of delicacies could be prepared with these.

Since, we have enjoyed curries, pulav and kebab, not to forget salads and achar that rely on good old khumb. For some reason, button mushrooms remain most popular with fellow Indians. More flavourful mushrooms like oyster and shitake are confined to Chinese and Japanese menu. We are not complaining because we ourselves are quiet partial to the stuff.

For one, this variety is most easily available and lends itself to the ‘spice treatment’ much better. From mushrooms on toast to tandoori bharwan tikka, it can be pressed in service and it comes out with flying colours.

The recipe we bring to our readers this time is a hybrid — call it fusion if you like — that claims descent from tandoori kebab but can be prepared without the tandoor and tickles the palate like any other stuffed dish.

HOME