This mushroom matar korma is here to satisfy cravings for creamy and flavorful Indian food. Mushrooms and peas are simmered in a rich gravy of aromatics, whole and ground spices, tomatoes, and cashews. It tastes like something you would order at a restaurant, but it’s made with pretty simple ingredients and steps!
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For some reason there’s an expectation for Indian food to be rich and creamy. I don’t agree but this mushroom matar korma is here to satisfy that expectation. And I’d be lying if I said I don’t see the appeal of scooping creamy gravies with roti. At least this has mushrooms and peas to add some degree of texture while still making this a creamy dish!
What is Korma?
I really had to look this up to write it here. Korma is a relatively mild and creamy North Indian dish that usually features yogurt, cream, toasted spices, and meat. We do things plant-based here though, so this mushroom matar korma gets its creaminess from cashews and cooked down tomatoes.
You can serve it with a flatbread of your choice! I think roti, paratha, and naan would all be wonderful.
How to Make Mushroom Matar Korma
Start with whole spices.
You’re going to start with cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves because they take you to flavortown and we need to give whole spices the gold star they deserve. I haven’t tried ground cinnamon, cardamom, or cloves for this recipe (or ever, for Indian cooking specifically), but I suppose you could use it if you do not have whole cinnamon or cardamom. You could also just omit them! You won’t get the hint of sweetness that is common in kormas, but trust me when I say it will still be delicious.
Add the aromatics, ground spices, and tomatoes.
This step is just the same old thing. Frying onions, ginger, garlic, and green chilis makes a fairly common base to many Indian recipes. It’s going to taste sooo good when it’s all blended up.
This recipe also calls for ground coriander, turmeric, and red chili powder. Indian red chili powder is a bit stronger than most red chili powders, and that’s what I used. If you’re using something else, just be mindful of the fact that you might need some more.
Finally, add chopped tomatoes. Since you’re blending all this up, you definitely don’t have to try too hard on anything you’re chopping for this recipe.
Blend!
The cool part about this recipe is you don’t need much to make it creamy. It’s quite economical. A handful of cashews blended with the rest of the gravy does the trick.
You’ll want to quick-soak the cashews in boiling water for 15-30 minutes. The more powerful your processor, the shorter the time you’ll need to soak the cashews.
Add mushrooms and peas.
You could add any vegetables you want. I’ve actually made this exact same recipe with some more veggies before (specifically red bell peppers and a frozen veggie mix), but you can’t go wrong with just mushrooms and peas.
You could use any mushrooms you like, but I used cremini/baby bella mushrooms to keep this recipe as accessible as possible. I really want to try it with a mix of mushrooms soon! I bet oyster mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms would be delicious.
Finishing spices.
Finish it off with garam masala and kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves), aka the holy grail. You could omit the kasoori methi, but I would only do so if I used all the whole spices the recipe calls for. If you do plan on making Indian recipes like this often, please consider purchasing it at your local store or online! It’s a game changer!
Mushroom Matar Korma
Ingredients
- ¼ cup cashews, soaked in boiling water for at least 15 minutes
- 1 tbsp avocado oil *sub any neutral oil
- ½ a cinnamon stick (~ 1-inch)
- 1 green cardamom pod
- 2 cloves
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 1 inch ginger, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 green chilis, chopped
- 1 tsp coriander
- ½ tsp red chili powder *taste and possibly add more if you're not using Indian red chili powder
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped (~ 1 cup of chopped tomatoes)
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp vegan butter *sub neutral oil
- 8 large cremini mushrooms, sliced to ½-inch thick (~ 2 cups of sliced mushrooms)
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Soak raw cashews in boiling water for at least 15 minutes. The longer they soak, the softer they get and the easier they are to process later.
- Add oil to a medium saucepan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, fry the whole spices for about a minute: cinnamon, green cardamom, and cloves. Make sure the spices do not start to burn.
- Add onions and cook until they are translucent, which should take 4-5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Add ginger, garlic, and green chilis. Stir for about 2 minutes before adding ground spices. Add the ground spices (coriander, turmeric, red chili powder) and stir frequently for a minute.
- Add tomatoes and salt. Increase heat to medium-high and cook until the tomato juices have mostly reduced. Take the pan off the heat, pour its contents into a bowl, and let it cool slightly. Once cooled, blend the contents of the saucepan with the cashews and ½ cup water.
- Meanwhile, add vegan butter to the same saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, add the mushrooms and cook until they are soft and mostly cooked. Then add peas. Cook the peas for a few minutes before adding the blended gravy.
- Use ½ cup water to capture anything remaining in the processor/blender and add this water to the saucepan. Simmer on medium heat until the peas are fully cooked, which may take up to 15 minutes.
- Finish with garam masala and crushed kasoori methi. Stir it all together for a few minutes before tasting for salt and serving with roti, paratha, or naan.
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