Dry Pepper Mushrooms: Succulent & Mouthwatering

Dry pepper mushroom is a recipe from Southern India, a dish made as a side to the sambar rice combination or the rasam rice combination, but can also be served as a starter with cocktails since Mushrooms have the meaty texture which goes well with drinks. It is generally made as a dry dish, but can also be served with a sauce, if it is prepared as part of the main course. Pepper-based recipes are very common across South Indian states and made with different main ingredients. Generally, pepper is used for flavour, to improve the spice level and eventually the taste of the dish. One such simple and easy dish made with a generous amount of pepper is the mushroom pepper fry recipe.

Edible mushrooms are the fleshy and edible fruit bodies of several species of macrofungi (fungi that bear fruiting structures that are large enough to be seen with the naked eye). They can appear either below ground or above ground where they may be picked by hand. Edibility may be defined by criteria that include an absence of poisonous effects on humans and desirable taste and aroma. Edible mushrooms are consumed for their nutritional and culinary value. 

Edible mushrooms include many fungal species that are either harvested wild or cultivated. Easily cultivated and common wild mushrooms are often available in markets and those that are more difficult to obtain (such as the prized truffle, matsutake and morel) may be collected on a smaller scale by private gatherers. Some preparations may render certain poisonous mushrooms fit for consumption.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients for Masala

1 tbsp Pepper

½ tsp Fennel

½ tsp Cumin

½ tsp Coriander Seeds

Ingredients for Dry Pepper Mushroom

2 tbsp - Ghee

1 tsp - Mustard

2 dried - Red Chilli

8-12 - Curry Leaves

1-inch - Ginger (finely chopped)

½ - Onion (sliced)

300 grams - Mushroom (sliced)

½ - Capsicum (sliced)

½ tsp - Salt

Method Dry Pepper Mushroom

In a blender, add pepper, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, and coriander seeds, blend to coarse powder without adding any water. Once ready, set aside. In a large pan add 2 tbsp ghee, add 1 tsp mustard and allow it to sputter. Add 2 dried red chilli and a few curry leaves, add 1-inch ginger and ½ an onion. Saute until onions start to shrink a little, Add mushrooms and stir fry on high flame. Saute onions further until moisture is released from mushrooms. Add capsicum and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the prepared pepper masala powder and salt to taste. Mix well making sure all the spices are well coated. Once done, turn off the heat. Serve hot. 

In 2019, world production of commercial mushrooms and recorded truffle collection reported to the Food and Agriculture Organisation was 11.9 million tonnes, led by China with 75 per cent of the total.