A peek at the origin and history of mushrooms
Mysterious, scrumptious, deadly, intoxicating. Time and again, Mushrooms have gained varying reputations, both as food and foe. That is because today, it is easy for us to find mushrooms in the nearby grocery store but it wasn’t like that from the beginning. Edible mushrooms have their roots in Chile around 13,000 years ago. Otzi, the mummy of a man who lived between 3400 to 3100 BCE in Europe, was found with two types of mushrooms.
The Chinese value mushrooms for supposed medical properties as well as for food. Even today, China accounts for around 70% of mushroom production worldwide. Ancient Romans and Greeks, especially the upper-class ones, used mushrooms for culinary purposes.
With the passage of time, over twenty varieties of mushrooms have been cultivated commercially. Now, mushrooms are being cultivated in around 60 countries. A large fraction of the many fungi consumed by humans is cultivated and sold commercially. Mushrooms have become popular because they are low in calories, carbohydrates, fats, and sodium, and are cholesterol-free.
While you may have gotten bored of your regular sautéed mushrooms or your regular mushroom pasta, we have a new recipe made from the not-so-regular Portobello mushrooms, and that too with a desi touch.
Image: Shutterstock
Ingredients
1 packet of baby Portobello Mushrooms, cleaned and stem removed
Mushroom stems
3 scallions or spring onions
1 clove of minced garlic
1 minced jalapeno with seeds removed
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp lemon zest
¼ tsp of lemon juice
¼ cup of breadcrumbs
Salt
Olive Oil
Black Pepper
Chopped coriander
Method:
1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grab a saucepan, add a tsp of olive oil to it, and let it heat for a couple of minutes.
3. Once, the oil is hot, add a pinch of cumin seeds and let them pop. Now, add some coriander powder and muddle the spices until they are finely blended and crushed.
4. Now, add jalapenos, chopped garlic, chopped mushroom stems, and chopped scallions and mix them with the coriander-cumin mixture in the hot oil.
5. Saute a few times until the mixture becomes fragrant. Now, add lemon zest and bread crumbs. Continue to sauté the breadcrumbs until they become golden brown. Now, add lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Taste for seasoning.
6. Remove the pan from the heat and add a tablespoon of freshly chopped coriander.
7. Place the mushrooms on a baking tray, oil the mushrooms well, and sprinkle a bit of cumin powder and lemon zest.
8. Generously stuff the caps of the mushrooms with the filling to the top and a little over. Drizzle a little bit of olive oil again. Bake for about 10-15 minutes until the mushrooms are fork-tender and the filling is brown.
9. Once the mushrooms are perfectly baked, garnish with a drizzle of lemon juice and coriander.
Stuffed mushrooms are extremely common in western countries and are often served as appetizers on occasions and events such as weddings. So what are you waiting for? It is time to try this western delicacy wrapped up in our very own desi style.
