(Step-wise recipe too below) Mushroom tikka masala is a robust north Indian curry with grilled or sauteed marinated mushrooms smothered in a creamy rich cashew, tomatoes and onion based gravy flavored with exotic spices from the Indian subcontinent. I have added some bell peppers to give it a crunch and texture. If you love Indian curries then you must try this very soon! This luscious, easy to make Mushroom Tikka Masala tastes divine with any Indian flat bread like rotis, naan, flaky parathas or even with just a bowl of hot steamed rice. Most Indian restaurants will have either mushroom tikka masala, paneer tikka masala or even chicken tikka masala (for the non vegetarians) on their menu. The marinated vegetables or meat/chicken, roasted or grilled, and then dunked in a creamy orange colored onion and tomato based sauce, is to die for!
But as you all know, it is not practical, healthy or cheap to eat out or order take out often. The next best thing is to make your own tikka masala curry at home with ingredients most often available in your refrigerator or pantry. One of my personal favorites is Aloo Tikka Masala which I love to serve to my family (and is their another favorite) with flaky methi laccha parathas or even some soft, fluffy bhaturas. Making this deliciousness is not so difficult once you are familiar with Indian spices and cuisines. I have shared all the individual steps below so that you can make this easily at your home too. Once you have mastered all the various steps (it is a slightly lengthy process with many steps, but hey, the final outcome is well worth it!) you will love it so much you will enjoy homemade tikka masala more. If you are short on time during weekdays or weeknights, you can prepare the tikka sauce ahead of time (make as much or as little as you want) and refrigerate it for up to 3 days or freeze for about a month or so. When you are ready to make the curry, just marinate your choice of vegetables; mushrooms, paneer etc. or even chicken in the creamy spiced yogurt based marinade, grill in an oven or on a skillet and just stir into reheated tikka masala gravy.
A dash of finely chopped coriander leaves/cilantro, or my favorite, crushed dried fenugreek leaves and divine homemade tikka masala curry is ready to dunk any flat bread like parathas, naan or even a crusty bread into. My personal fetish is hot steamed Basmati rice with a bowl of creamy mushroom tikka masala; a fresh salad on the side and my lunch or dinner is perfecto!! So do try my version of mushroom tikka masala today and enjoy it with your family over dinner or lunch; it is a great dish to make ahead of time for a casual dinner party too. Recently, I made this again after a long time and just because I love, love it and wonder how come I had not made it sooner! With a huge tree of moringa or drumsticks in our factory backyard and a continuous supply of moringa leaves (which by the way is almost a super food and a power house of nutrients), decided to make some soft theplas with it. Theplas are the Gujarati version of parathas or rotis. My favorite way of enjoying theplas is with some greens in it like Methi Theplas which I make often especially during winters when we get fresh methi or fenugreek leaves. Instead of methi leaves here, I have used moringa leaves along with some finely chopped green onions in the thepla instead. Served these soft MORINGA LEAVES THEPLAS with this creamy, mouthwatering Mushroom-Bell Pepper Tikka Masala.
Do try this mushroom deliciousness the next time you are craving for a delicious side to go with your breads! Enjoy and Happy Cooking/Eating!
If you are a huge lover of Indian curries, then do check out these too:
Tofu Tikka Masala Curry 30-minute Spinach Chickpea curry Mixed Vegetable Kadai Masala Curry Quick and Simple Tomato Curry
Now, let’s see how I made this tikka masala…..time to Save/Print:
How to make Mushroom Tikka Masala with step-by-step method:
Marinating the mushrooms:
In a large mixing bowl, add all the marinade ingredients, except mushrooms.
My favorite is this soft, nutritious Moringa Theplas or if you do not have moringa leaves, then use methi/fenugreek leaves to make Methi Theplas. It tastes wonderful mixed with some hot steamed rice too!
Mix well, do a taste test and adjust spices and salt according to your taste. Add the cut mushrooms and toss to coat with the marinade evenly.
Cover and keep in the refrigerator or on the kitchen counter for about 30 minutes to an hour. Meanwhile, prepare the tikka masala paste.
Preparing the tikka masala paste:
In a saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons oil and once hot, add the cloves, cumin, cinnamon and green cardamom. Sauté for a few seconds.
Add the chopped onions, green chilies, ginger, garlic and cashew nuts; fry for a few minutes till lightly roasted and the onions turn soft and cashews light brown.
Stir in the chopped tomatoes along with a pinch of salt and fry on medium flame until the tomatoes are slightly cooked, turn soft and most of the moisture is gone (you can see oil starting to separate from the mixture); about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from flame and let cool.
Once cool, place the fried mixture in a blender jar and blend to a fine paste; there is no need to add any water as the moisture in the tomatoes is enough to make a smooth paste. Keep aside.
To make mushroom tikkas:
Now, heat the same saucepan with 2 teaspoons of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the marinated mushroom (if there is marinade left in the bowl, do not add this; you can add this in the tikka masala gravy later) and fry on medium high heat, stirring continuously. When the mushrooms start to wilt, it will start to release water. Keep stirring. Once most of the moisture is gone, add the cubed capsicum and sauté again for a few minutes till the mixture is well roasted and oil starts to separate.
At this stage, remove from the pan.
To make the tikka masala gravy/sauce:
In a deep kadai or saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil/ghee, add bay leaf and stir in the tomato-onion-cashew paste.
Sauté for a few seconds; tip in the rest of the spices; coriander powder, garam masala powder, turmeric powder and salt to taste (remember, the grilled mushrooms have salt too, so add accordingly); give it a good stir.
Add about 1 cup of water (rinse the blender jar and add this water too), mix well and bring to a boil on medium high heat. Adjust the consistency of the gravy according to how thin or thick you want it. At this stage, if you have any leftover marinade, you can add that too.
Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat and stir in the sauteed mushrooms and bell pepper mixture. Mix well, adjust the salt and heat on medium high, until the mixture is heated through; about 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove from heat, garnish with crushed kasoori methi leaves/coriander leaves and serve hot with flaky parathas, puris, rotis, naan etc. I have enjoyed these with hot steamed rice too!
Enjoy this easy to make spicy Indian favorite at the comforts of your home anytime now!
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