Recipe: Mushroom bhaji

Serves 4

Ingredients

Bhaji

• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) closed-cap button mushrooms
• ½ red onion, very finely chopped
• 1 fresh plum tomato, finely chopped
• small handful of baby spinach
• coriander to serve, roughly chopped
• sour cream and Naan bread to serve

Curry paste

• 1 level dsp mustard seed
• 2 level dsp coriander seeds
• 1 level dsp cumin seeds
• ¼ dsp fenugreek seeds
• ½ dsp gram flour (chickpea flour)
• ½ dsp garlic powder
• ½ dsp paprika
• ½ dsp turmeric
• 1 dsp curry leaves
• ½ dsp ginger powder
• ½ dsp chilli powder
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• ½ tbsp white wine vinegar
• 4 tbsp water
• vegetable oil to fry

Method

Curry paste

1. Fry the mustard, coriander, cumin and fenugreek seeds for 2–3 minutes in a dry pan.
2. Transfer the fried spices to a pestle and mortar and grind with the curry leaves. When ground, add the other spices.
3. Add the oil and vinegar to the spices and mix up into a paste.

Bhaji

1. Lightly fry the mushrooms in a little oil until just brown.
2. Add 1 heaped tbsp of the spice paste and the water. (Cover the remaining spice paste and leave in the fridge to use another day.)
3. Place a lid over the pan and leave to heat for 2–3 minutes.
4. Add the red onion and plum tomato and allow to cook for 1–2 minutes.
5. Add the spinach and stir into the hot bhaji.
6. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve sprinkled with coriander and drizzled with sour cream with Naan bread on the side.