methi mushrooms
Back in the winter, I was eating Amy’s or Ethnic Gourmet frozen meals for work lunch a few times a week. Not only was the cost adding up, the calories were as well. Now that I have learned a bit about cooking Indian at home, I’m trying to make my own frozen lunches.
Tonight I made fresh mushrooms with tomato and spinach, flavored with kasoori methi. Simple, spicy, low-cost and lo-cal!
fresh mushrooms, spinach, garlic and tomato
Methi Mushrooms
enough for four lunches
1 1/2 lbs fresh mushrooms
1 large ripe tomato
4 oz fresh spinach
1 tsp oil or ghee
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 TB minced garlic or garlic paste
1/2 tsp kashmiri chili powder, or to taste
1/4 tsp salt
1-2 TB kasoori methi
1 TB daliya powder mixed with 1 TB water
Wipe mushrooms with a damp cloth (they absorb a lot of water if actually washed) and cut into thick pieces. Chop tomato into smaller pieces. Wash spinach, and if large, tear into smaller pieces.
In a wide saute pan, heat oil or ghee over medium heat and pop mustard. Add garlic and saute a few minutes till fragrant. Add chopped tomatoes and their juice, cook down 5 minutes, then move tomatoes to one side of the pan. Turn heat to high and add the mushrooms in the free area. Stir and turn the mushrooms for a few minutes till they take on some color, then add chili powder, salt, and kasoori methi. Reduce heat to medium-low, mix all together well and cook 10 minutes or so, till most of the liquid has evaporated.
Mix daliya powder and water together in a small bowl, then pour over the veggies, stirring constantly. Allow to cook a few minutes to remove raw taste of daliya. Fold in spinach and cook a further few minutes till wilted.
Give everything a good stir and taste for salt. Serve hot with plain rice, or freeze for lunch!
homemade lunches: methi mushrooms and Indira’s yummy chana masala with rice
Out Of The Garden 