Mushroom Xacuti or Mushroom Tondak is an authentic Goan traditional recipe. The recipe tastes the best when cooked using wild or forest mushrooms. The Goan mushroom xacuti recipe is actually simple to make. You have to first sort out all the ingredients. Then grind the ingredients mentioned below to make a gravy. Then stir fry chopped onion, tomatoes and mushrooms and add the gravy to this. Simmer and adjust salt and garnish with coriander leaves.
Forest mushrooms:
In Goa, we get the forest mushrooms only during the rainy season. They are plucked by the people living in the forest as only they know which forest mushrooms are edible and which are not and only they know the trick of plucking these mushrooms. The forest mushrooms are then sold at exorbitant rates on the highway passing through the dense forests on the Goa Karnataka border or Goa Maharashtra border by tying them tightly in big leaves.
Sometimes they get it to the markets as well as sell it as expensive as Rs.10/- per mushroom and they are always in demand. These forest mushrooms tastes the best and are never missed by during the season. They are bit more rubbery in taste and takes more time to cook, than the cultured button mushrooms that we get in stores. But whatever you say, they are the tastiest mushrooms and should never be missed.
Health benefits of mushrooms:
The health benefits of mushrooms are numerous. They are rich in antioxidants, Vitamin D and contain selenium which helps to detoxify cancer-causing compounds in the body and helps prevent diseases like cancer and diabetes. They are rich in vitamin C, fiber and potassium and hence promotes heart health by reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Since it is rich in selenium it increases the immunity.
Ingredients to make mushroom xacuti Goan style:
Mushrooms: The star ingredient in this mushroom xacuti recipe. I have used button mushrooms in this recipe. You can make it with any type of edible mushrooms. But I would recommend the edible wild forest mushrooms.
Onion: Chopped onion is added while roasting the masala needed to make this mushroom curry.
Tomato: Chopped tomatoes are needed to add the tangy and delicious flavor to the Goan mushroom tonak.
Grated coconut: Freshly grated coconut is a must in any Goan dish. In this recipe, grated coconut is roasted with other spices. It is then ground to a smooth paste. This coconut paste forms a base in this curry made with mushrooms.
Spices: Spices like dry red chilies, coriander seeds, peppercorns and cloves are added while roasting grated coconut. All these spices used in the right proportion adds the right amount of spice and flavor to the mushroom curry.
Tamarind: Tamarind is added while grinding the masala. Tamarind adds the correct amount of tanginess needed in this delicious mushroom recipe.
Other xacuti recipes:
How to make Goan mushroom xacuti?
- Wash and clean the mushrooms. Chop them into pieces and keep them aside.
- Finely chop the 2 onions separately and keep aside.
- Heat a kadai. Add 2 tablespoon oil. Add one finely chopped onion and fry till it turns pinkish. Then add the spices like coriander seeds, crushed dry red chilies, cloves and peppercorns and roast them for 5 Minutes.
- Then add grated coconut and roast on low flame till grated coconut turns brownish. Take care not to burn the grated coconut. Switch off the gas. Add tamarind ball and turmeric powder to the roasted grated coconut mixture, stir and let this cool down.
- After cooling down, grind the grated coconut mixture by adding 1 cup water to make a thin gravy. Keep it aside.
- Now in the same kadai which will be empty or in another empty kadai, heat 1 tablespoon oil and fry the other finely chopped onion. Once it turns pinkish, add chopped tomatoes and cook till tomatoes turn mushy. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook till mushrooms soften and release water. This should take another 15-20 Minutes.
- Pour the ground gravy in this onion and mushroom mixture, stir and simmer.
- Add salt to taste and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
How to serve the mushroom xacuti in Goan style?
You can serve this mushroom dish for dinner with rotis, naan or chapatis. We Goans love to have it with Pav. We also serve it for parties with slice bread.
Mushroom Xacuti
Goan style mushroom xacuti is a delicious spicy vegetarian curry made with mushrooms in a base made of coconut and spices. Serve it with rotis or naan or Goan pav. This is the best mushroom curry recipe you would have ever made.
Servings: 4 people
Equipment
- Kadai / wok
- Mixer grinder
Ingredients
- 20 button mushrooms
- 2 medium sized onion
- 1 tomato finely chopped
For the gravy:
- ½ cup grated coconut
- 4 dry red chilies
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 5 peppercorns
- 2 cloves
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 marble sized ball of tamarind
- 2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves for garnishing
- Salt to taste
- 4 tablespoon oil
Instructions
- Wash and clean the mushrooms. Chop them into pieces and keep them aside.
- Finely chop the 2 onions separately and keep aside.
- Heat a kadai. Add 2 tablespoon oil. Add one finely chopped onion and fry till it turns pinkish. Then add the spices like coriander seeds, crushed dry red chilies, cloves and peppercorns and roast them for 5 Minutes.
- Then add grated coconut and roast on low flame till grated coconut turns brownish. Take care not to burn the grated coconut. Switch off the gas. Add tamarind ball and turmeric powder to the roasted grated coconut mixture, stir and let this cool down.
- After cooling down, grind the grated coconut mixture by adding 1 cup water to make a thin gravy. Keep it aside.
- Now in the same kadai which will be empty or in another empty kadai, heat 1 tablespoon oil and fry the other finely chopped onion. Once it turns pinkish, add chopped tomatoes and cook till tomatoes turn mushy. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook till mushrooms soften and release water. This should take another 15-20 Minutes.
- Pour the ground gravy in this onion and mushroom mixture, stir and simmer.
- Add salt to taste and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Notes
I have not added garlic to this recipe. Because the taste of mushroom goes away with the strong taste of garlic.
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Recipe was published on 12th February 2016. Republishing today on 22-Nov-2019.
Mushroom looks delicious.I can pair it with roti,chapathi.
Thanks 🙂