Mushroom Masala is an all-time favorite and the best crowd-pleaser at a dinner party. Anyone who loves mushrooms will love mushrooms in a creamy sauce made with tomatoes, onions, aromatics, and spices. This recipe makes the creamy sauce 10x creamier with the addition of silken tofu sauce as a base along with the tomato-onion sauce. You can savor this dish with rice, roti, onion naan, or other Indian bread varieties. Mushroom Masala With Silken Tofu Cream follows the traditional gravy recipe but instead of cream, I have used blended Silken Tofu as it has a smooth texture and neutral flavor. It can mimic the creaminess of dairy without the saturated fat, making it a healthier alternative. Additionally, silken tofu is rich in protein and can work well in both sweet and savory dishes, offering versatility in cooking. The key to this delicious dish is making the creamy tomato and silken tofu gravy base, marinade and grilled mushrooms.
Tomato Onion Gravy
Indian gravies typically consist of a blend of ingredients that contribute to the rich and flavorful base. To help you understand the concept of a gravy, the following ingredients are typically the must haves in the sauce/gravy: With a simple gravy base like this, you can variate protein and vegetables to create different dishes like – Vegan Chicken Curry, Lentil Tofu Masala, or Vegan Mattar Paneer with Tofu.
Marinade for the Oven-Grilled Mushrooms
Chop or shred the mushrooms uniformly. In a bowl, combine 400g mushrooms, 8 tbsp thick plant-based yogurt, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp Garam Masala, 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder, 1 tsp chaat masala, 3 tsp ginger-garlic paste, 1 tsp ajwain, 1 tsp lemon juice, and salt. Coat the mushrooms well and marinate for at least 30 minutes or refrigerate overnight for enhanced flavor. Before grilling, add 2 tbsp oil to the marinated mushrooms for extra flavor. Grill or Bake: Grill with 1 tbsp oil on a cast-iron or bake until golden-brown for a perfect finish.
Fire-Grilled/Oven-Grilled Mushrooms
Grilling mushrooms before adding them to a masala base can enhance the overall flavor and texture of the dish. This step helps evaporate moisture from the mushrooms, intensifying their natural umami taste. It also imparts a smoky and slightly caramelized flavor, adding depth to the curry. Additionally, the grilling process can give the mushrooms a firmer texture, preventing them from becoming overly soft when cooked in the masala base.
Ingredients and Substitutes
For Marination:
Mushrooms (Preferred: Oyster Mushrooms, button mushrooms) Thick yogurt or hung yogurt (plant-based) Ground turmeric Garam Masala Kashmiri red chili powder (or Deghi mirch, or any red chili powder) Chaat masala powder Ginger Garlic Paste (or garlic cloves and ginger, crushed/minced) Ajwain or carom seeds Lemon juice Oil for coating Oil for grilling on cast iron or to grease the pan if baking in the oven Salt to taste
Substitutes for Marination: For Kashmiri red chili powder: Substitute with any other ground red chili powder. For Mushroom Masala Sauce:
Neutral oil Medium onions, finely chopped Ginger garlic paste (or garlic cloves and ginger, crushed/minced) Red tomatoes, pureed (Substitute with tomato puree) Ground turmeric Kashmiri red chili powder (or any other ground red chili powder) Ground cumin Ground coriander seeds Garam Masala
Substitutes for Mushroom Masala Sauce: For tomato puree: Use canned tomato puree if fresh tomatoes are unavailable. High Protein “Cream”:
Silken tofu Water
Garnish:
Kasuri methi/dried fenugreek leaves Cilantro leaves, chopped for garnish
Method: How to make Mushroom Masala With Silken Tofu Cream
Marinade and Grill Mushrooms:
Combine all marination ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Mushrooms, hung yogurt (plant-based), ground turmeric, Garam Masala, Kashmiri red chili powder, chaat masala powder, Ginger Garlic Paste, ajwain or carom seeds, lemon juice and oil.
Heat oil in a cast-iron skillet. Roast the marinated mushrooms on medium to medium-high heat, pressing them down with a spatula or heavy pan. Flip when one side is well-charred and repeat for the other side. Alternatively, bake in the oven at 200°C for 45 minutes (monitor to prevent burning).
Silken Tofu Cream:
Blend silken tofu and water until you achieve a smooth, cream-like mixture. Set aside.
Tomato Gravy: Check out my other Curry recipes from the blog:
Vegan Chicken Curry Best Chana Masala Creamy Lentil Tofu Masala Mushroom Masala – Restaurant Style Easy Chana Masala – Chickpea Vegan Malai Kofta Vegan Palak Paneer (Tofu)
