Mushroom and Pea Creamy Masala

Pea and Mushroom Masala 2.jpg

By the Gracious Vegan

This dish approaches the texture of a creamy korma. The spicing is simple, but the result is wonderful. The fenugreek spice is important to the flavor of this dish, so go online or to a local Asian market. 

Makes 5 servings

Soak cashews in cold water at least 2 hours, or pour boiling water over them, cover, and let them soak 20 minutes while you start the rest of the recipe.

  • 1/2 cups raw cashews

Water-sauté these ingredients in a Dutch oven until the liquid released by the mushrooms is evaporated and the mushrooms start to brown, 8-10 minutes. (What is water-sauté?)

  • 1 large onion, finely chopped

  • 4 cloves garlic, minced, grated, or finely chopped

  • 2 Tablespoons minced fresh ginger

  • 1 pound button mushrooms, sliced (or chopped, if you prefer)

Add the spices and stir 1-2 minutes.

  • 1/2 teaspoon garam masala

  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika

  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric

  • 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seed powder

  • Cayenne pepper for spiciness (I used 1/8 teaspoon but some like it hotter)

Add the diced green chili pepper and cook 1-2 minutes. 

  • 1 green chili pepper (jalapeno with seeds removed, or a spicier variety if desired), finely chopped

Separately, drain the cashews and place them in a blender with water 1 cup water and process until absolutely smooth and creamy.

Then add tomato paste to the blender and blend it with the cashew cream.

  • 1/2 cup tomato paste

Add the cashew-tomato mixture to the Dutch oven along with the peas, salt, and additional water. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add additional water to achieve a desired sauce consistency.

  • 1.5 cup peas (thawed or frozen)

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 3/4 cup water (or more)

Garnish with cilantro and serve over rice, other cooked grains, or with flatbread. 

  • Fresh chopped cilantro for garnish

Timing: Hands-on time 40 minutes, total time 40 minutes    

Nutritional information per serving (with 3/4 cup cooked brown rice): 321 calories, 6g fat, 1g sat. fat, 55g carbs, 263mg sodium, 8g fiber12g protein 

Gluten-free