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Mad about mushrooms

Mushrooms are tasty and nutritious. Here are two easy- to- make recipes

HEALTH FOOD Capped with protein

Mushrooms are fleshy umbrella shaped fungi with a central stalk and a cap called pileus. They are devoid of the plant pigment chlorophyll. There are 33,000 species of mushrooms throughout the world. Many species are tasty and safe to eat. The harmless varieties are known as `table mushrooms'. Some are either poisonous or have a bad taste and often referred to as `toadstools'. These poisonous varieties can be fatal.

Health benefits

Mushrooms are rich sources of quality protein, so it is supposed to be the best substitute for meat in many preparations. Extremely low in calories, mushrooms are fat free and form an excellent slimming diet. They provide good amounts of trace minerals like selenium, riboflavin, thiamin, folate, vitamin B6 and zinc. They are also one of the best sources of niacin. Mushrooms contain certain amount of potassium, which can have a positive effect in lowering blood pressure. People eat mushrooms fresh in salads. Cooking reduces the toxic content in mushrooms. Because of their high concentration of glutamic acid, the naturally occurring form of MSG, mushrooms can be used as a natural flavour enhancer in gravies, sauces, soups and other food preparations.

Mushroom ball

Ingredients

Mushroom minced- 200grams

Onion chopped-1
Salt- 1/2tsp
Pepper powder-1/4 tsp
Garam masala-1/2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste- 1 tsp
Oil- 1tsp
Bread slices- 10-12(made into crumbs)
Egg-1
Oil for frying- Three-fourth cup
Method

Pour oil in a heated tawa and add mushrooms and onion. Stir well for 5-6 minutes on a high flame.

Add ginger garlic paste, garam masala, salt and pepper and sauté well. Remove from fire.

After a few minutes add two tbsp breadcrumbs, mix well and make small balls.

Dip each ball in beaten egg, coat with the remaining breadcrumbs, and set aside.

Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the mushroom balls. Serve hot with chutney or sauce.

Mushroom wraps

For chilly mushroom

Ingredients

Button mushroom - 1and a quarter cup (cut into cubes)
Tomato sauce -1tbsp
Soya sauce -1tbsp
Chilly sauce -1tbsp
Big onions -2 chopped
Green chilly chopped-1and a quarter tbsp
Capsicum -quarter cup chopped
Red chilly (remove seeds inside) paste -2tbsp
Coconut paste- 3tbsp
For the wrap

Ingredients

Wheat flour - half cup

Soya or ragi flour - half cup

Maida - 2tbsp
Salt to taste
Hot water as required
Oil - 2tbsp

For the spread

Tomato sauce - quarter cup
Cashew nut- quarter cup (grind to a smooth paste)
Method

Clean, wash and marinate mushrooms with the ingredients except oil, chopped onions, capsicums and green chilly. Keep it aside for 30 minutes. Heat oil in a pan. Add the chopped ingredients and sauté well. Then add red chilly skin paste and sauté till done. To this add marinated mushrooms and keep on a high flame for a few minutes. Keep stirring all the while. Then cover it and cook for five minutes on slow fire. Finally add coconut paste and stir for another three minutes. Remove from fire and keep aside. For the wrap, mix all the ingredients except oil. Add hot water as required to get a smooth dough. Pour oil and knead into a smooth dough. Cover it with a wet muslin cloth and leave for 30 minutes. Divide the dough into equal portions. Roll out into a round chapatti. Cook both sides of the chapatti on a tawa and set aside.

For the mushroom wrap, take each chapatti, spread a layer of cashew nut paste, then tomato sauce and top it with chilly mushroom. Wrap and fold.

serve hot.

LEENA LEON

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