By Rajlakshmi
January 28, 2026
Tonak, a spicy Goan curry eaten for breakfast with freshly baked pao. A fun twist to this is the oyster mushroom tonak. Using this, give the curry a meaty taste that you’ll want more of.
450 grams king oyster mushrooms 1 cup fresh grated coconut 2 onions, sliced thin 1 tablespoon coriander seeds 6-7 dry red chillies 6 whole black peppercorns 2 clove pods 1 dried bay leaf 1-inch piece of ginger 8 cloves of garlic 1 small piece of cinnamon 1 teaspoon turmeric powder 1 teaspoon garam masala 3 tablespoons concentrated tamarind pulp 4 tablespoons vegetable/coconut oil Salt to taste
Wipe the mushrooms with a damp cloth. Slice each one lengthwise.
In a dry pan, toast the coriander, black peppercorns, red chillies, cloves and cinnamon until aromatic.
Heat oil in a pan and add sliced onions. Caramelise them on a medium-high heat until they start to develop a darker colour. Add coconut. Toast until brown.
Transfer coconut and onions to a blender jar along with ginger and garlic. Add water and grind into a smooth paste.
Heat oil again and add the ground paste. Cook for a minute. Add the bay leaf, turmeric powder and tamarind pulp to the paste.
Once the gravy begins to simmer on the sides, season with salt and add the mushrooms. Allow them to cook until floppy.
Sprinkle some garam masala on top to finish off. Garnish with some chopped coriander and serve hot with pao.