A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source. The standard for the name "mushroom" is the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus, hence the word mushroom is most often applied to those fungi (Basidiomycota, Agaricomycetes) that have a stem (stipe), a cap (pileus), and gills (lamellae, sing. lamella) on the underside of the cap, just as do store-bought white mushrooms. Thats the defination given in wikipedia for Mushroom.

Generally, mushrooms are spore- producing fungal growths, some of which are edible. The most popular ones have a very distinguishable shape, typically a dome cap with gills or lamellae on the underside along with a stem. Though some mushrooms fit that description there are actually many variations in the mushroom family. They come in an assortment of colors, some are bell shaped, others flat, some have stems, some don’t, some are edible, some aren’t, and some grow in the moist earth while others grow on their food source.

Mushrooms are unique. They are neither animal or plant.

Some people consider them plants for various reasons, but they differ from plants in that they lack the green chlorophyll that plants use to manufacture their own food and energy. For this reason they are placed in a Kingdom of their own," The Kingdom of Fungi".

A mushroom is but the fruit of the fungal organism that produces them, just like an apple tree produces apples to bear seeds to ensure the continuation of it's species, so the fungal organism produces mushrooms that carry spores to ensure the continuation of it's own species.

Therefore, the mushroom is the reproductive organ for the fungus.

Mushrooms are very delicate things, they do not last, some have a life span of less than a day others may survive one week, and a group of tougher mushrooms may last months but they have a tough woody texture.

Mushroom Basically is a fungal with or without stem and is widely used for cooking in almost every country. Though Button Mushroom is the common type available in market, apart from it there are several other varities of mushrooms available for cooking purpose. There are some mushrooms which are poisonous too but it can not be termed as deadly poisonous it only effects the stomach and makes a human sick for few days. But many researchers believe there are few wild mushrooms which can be more harmful too.


Many species of medicinal mushrooms have been used in folk medicine for thousands of years. The use of medicinal mushrooms in folk medicine, is best documented in the East. Medicinal mushrooms are now the subject of study for many medical researchers. The ability of some mushrooms to inhibit tumor growth and enhance aspects of the immune system has been a subject of research for approximately 50 years.

Potassium (good for the heart) is also found in mushrooms. It has been suggested a diet with potassium may help to reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke. Copper is another essential mineral found in mushrooms. Copper aids iron (also found in mushrooms) in making red blood cells and delivers oxygen to the body. Mushrooms also contain three B-complex vitamins; riboflavin for healthy skin and vision, niacin aids the digestive and nervous systems, and pantothenic acid helps with the nervous system and hormone production. These vitamins are found in every cell and help to release energy from fat, protein and carbohydrates in food. Vegetarians should know that mushrooms are one of the best sources of niacin. The vitamin content of mushrooms is actually similar to the vitamin content found in meat.

Ingredients:
Button Mushroom - 1 Packet, sliced
Onions - 4 Big Onions, finely chopped or shredded
Tomatoes - 5 Big Tomatoes, finely chopped
Green Peas- 1/2 cup or 5-6 tablespoon
Ginger - Paste or finely chopped, 1/2 teaspoon
Garlic - Paste or finely chopped, 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Coriander Powder- 1/2 teaspoon, Coarse powder
Red Chilli Powder - 1 Tablespoon
Kasuri Methi Powder(Dried Coriander leaves powder)- 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
Cloves - 4-5 nos
Bay leaves - 2 nos
Oil - 2 tablespoon
Salt - to taste
Coriander leaves - to garnish, 1 tablespoon.



Method:

1. Mushrooms are usually available in Packets which is nicely packed in a plastic transparent case and contains some 15-20 mushrooms in each packet. Before purchasing ensure that it is fresh ones since mushrooms have short life and only fresh ones are good for health or it might cause stomach upset. Buy only Button mushrooms for this recipe. I am enclosing a pic of Button mushroom below for a reference.
   

   

2. Clean the mushrooms properly under water since they tend to have soil particles sticking to them.
3. Let them dry for few minutes.
4. Slice them into 3-4 pieces vertically depending on its size or else chop them each into 3-4 pieces.
5. Chop the onions and tomatoes and keep them aside. Also keep the paste or finely chopped pieces of ginger garlic aside. I prefer fresh paste since, it bends well with gravy dishes and also those who avoid ginger and garlic don't find a problem with it if used as paste.
6. Take a kadai and heat it over flame.
7. Add 2 tablespoon oil and heat it. Add Cumin seeds, allow it to crackle.
8. Add cinnamon, cloves and bay leaves. Saute for a minute over low flame.
9. Add the chopped onions and saute it over high flame till it is soft and turns transparent pink in colour. A pinch of salt can be added while sauting onions , this helps the onions to cook faster an saves time and also add some taste to the onions while sauting.
10. Once the onions are saute, add the chopped tomatoes and saute them till they are soft. This will take some 5 minutes. Tomatoes will give a rich colour while it is being cooked and use only chopped tomaotoes and not puree or paste which might not give the fine texture and tangy taste unlike freshly chopped ones.
11. Saute the tomatoes nicely till they are soft and some water is visible which is a result of sauting of tomatoes.
12. Lower the flame and add cumin powder and coriander powder , both coarsely powdered so as to give a nice aroma and taste. Add the turmeric powder, kasuri methi powder and red chilli powder and saute well till the masalas get mixed properly. Also add the peas and mix well , saute for a minute or two.
    
13. Close the lid of the kadai and cook it in low flame for 6 minutes. Just stir once or twice in this duration, but cook them with closed lid.
14. Open the lid and add the sliced mushrooms and saute well till it gets mixed well with the gravy and masala. But saute them with care since mushrooms are too delicate and might break easily if sauted harshly. Dont add any water since mushrooms leave some moisture when cooked and thats enough for a gravy consistency.
    
15. When the mushroom gets mixed nicely with the masala, close the lid and cook it over low flame for 5 minutes.
16. Open the lid and just stir once.
17. Mattar Mushroom Masala is ready. Garnish it with chopped coriander and serve with rice or roti.
    

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4 persons
Shelflife: Best Fresh
Serving Suggestion: Serve hot with rice or roti as a side dish.


Note:

• Purchase only Fresh Mushrooms , since mushrooms have short life and can cause stomach related problems if they are old stocked up ones.
• Clean the mushrooms properly under tap water and let them dry. Dont chop them finely . Either slice them vertically into 3-4 depending upon its size or cut them into 4 pieces.
• Coarsely powdered cumin and coriander powder will enhance the aroma and tate of the dish.
• Don't add water to this recipe while cooking since tomatoes and mushrooms both leave moisture while being cooked leaving enough water for a gravy.
• Kasuri methi powder can be avoided if not available. It for taste.
• Don't be harsh while sauting the mushrooms. They are very delicate, so just toss them or else stir softly.
  

In my last post, I mentioned that sweet potatoes are used as fasting food by many Maharashtrians. Here is one such simple recipe. In Maharashtra, only simple starchy foods are allowed during fasting times. This starchy foods gives stamina to keep going without letting the meaning of fasting go-by. Sabudhana wada, Aroratachi poli etc are some well known fasting foods of Maharashtrians.

Those staying in Maharashtra must be well know to this recipes. Often most restaurants and Hotels in the city includes fasting recipes in menu especially during Chaturthi and Sankashti. Even groceries stores sell fasting products in most parts of Maharashtra like Rajgira ladoo, Rajgira roti, Sabudhana Wada etc. Special flours are sold in most local grocery stores for fasting purpose like Rajgira flour, Arorat flour, Upvaasachi Bhajni, Mukhane and Mukhane flour etc. I would post fasting recipes in my blog with most of the fasting ingredients available in market.

Today am posting a simple fasting recipe which can be taken during evening time when human body is really exhausted after fasting for long hours. Its a simple recipe and needs very few ingredients and can be cooked fast.




Ingredients:
Sweet Potato - 1/2 kg
Desi Ghee - 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Curry Leaves - 10-12 nos
Dry whole red chilly - 2-3 nos
Grated Coconut - 2-3 tablespoon
Salt -to taste.




Method:

1. Wash the vegetable nicely. Root Vegetables tends to have more mud on the skin than any ohter vegetables. So wash properly under tap water.
2. Let them dry or just clean the vegetable using a clean cloth.
3. Steam the Sweet Potato in a pressure cooker for 3 whistles. If you are using steamer then steam it for 15 minutes.
4. Don't remove the sweet potato from the cooker or steamer that sooner. Remove it only after further 15 minutes. This will make the vegetable softer and it will be well cooked inside.
5. Remove them, allow it to cool . But don't wait till its completely cooled or else the skin would be again hard to peel. So wait for 2-3 minutes and then peel the skin. It comes off easily. Just peel it with help of your fingers the way you peel the skin off from boiled potatoes.
6. Once the skin is peeled, cut the sweet potatoes into cubes of 1 inch and keep aside.
7. Take a kadai and keep it over flame. Heat oil in it and add mustard seeds and allow it to crackle.
8. Add dry red chillies, curry leaves and saute for a minute.
9. Add the sweet potatoes and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add salt and saute.
   
10. Spread the grated coconut over it from top and saute well for 2-3 minutes.
11. The dish is ready to be served. Have it as a evening food during fasting times. It is a ideal food for fasting and gives enough stamina for the body.

Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time : 7 minutes
Serves : 4 persons
Shelflife: Best fresh
Serving Suggestion: Serve as a evening snack.


Note:

• Fasting foods are meant to be simple without much taste , so avoid masalas and powders. But it still tastes excellent this way. Give it a try.
• Steaming the vegetable before hand makes it easy to peel off the skin. But avoid letting them to cool down completely since it tends to harden fast.
• Oil is avoided during fasting , and only ghee is consumed in fasting food or I have used desi ghee. On normal occasion , oil can be used.
  

Red Chilli Powder - 1 tablespoon
Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Oil - 1 tablespoon.

1. Wash the sweet potatoes nicely under water and let it dry.
2. The skin of Sweet potato is hard hence many find it difficult to peel it. But it is not impossible even so either you can peel take a knife and cut off the skin or just pressure cook it over flame without whistle for 5-7 minutes. It helps to remove the skin with ease and the cooking time would be saved while making the sabzi.
3. Cut the Sweet Potato into cubes and keep aside.
4. Take a deep bottom kadai and keep it over flame. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and heat it.
5. Add Asafoetida and mustard seeds to it and allow the seeds to crackle.
6. Then add the Sweet Potato cubes . Add water to it , add water till the sweet potoes gets covered by it.
7. Cover the kadai with a lid and allow it to cook over medium flame for 7-8 minutes.
8. Open the lid and stir softly.
9. The water must be still left, but dont worry since the that water would make the sabzi softer while it is being cooked.
10. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt to it and stir well.
11. Now don't stir the sabzi often and cover the lid and allow to cook for some 2-3 minutes over low flame.
12. Open the lid and check. If the water is still left then just cook it in open without a lid for further 2-3 minutes.
13. The sabzi is ready . Serve hot. This sabzi needs no Garnishing and needs very simple ingredients which is easily available at home.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes.
Cooking Time: 15 minutes.
Serves: 4 persons.
Shelflife: 1 day. Best Fresh.
Serving Suggestion: Serve hot with Rice and gravy. It also goes well with Puri.


Note:

• Choose good Sweet Potatoes for this cuisine. It can chooses easily , just take care that it doesn't has any patchy marks on the outer side.
• The skin of this vegetable is hard. So either cut it off with knife or just steam it over pressure cooker for 5 minutes without a whistle which makes it easy to peel the skin easily.
• Don't worry if you had added more water while cooking. Starchy vegetables like Sweet potatoes, Potatoes and Yam absorbs all the water and keeps the cuisine soft.
  
• Don't Keep stirring often while cooking or else the vegtable will end up being mashed. We just need it to be soft while it looks good and pleasing to our eyes while is one of the basic senses which checks the food.