Mushroom Bhaji (Indian Mushroom Curry)

This easy mushroom bhaji recipe is a vegan mushroom curry with a kick! A tomato based curry made with simple ingredients; it is rich, flavourful and on the table in just 15 minutes!

Jump to:

• What is mushroom bhaji?
• Why we love this recipe
• Ingredients notes and substitutions
• How to make this easy mushroom curry
• FAQ
• My recipe tips
• Cheaper mushrooms
• Add extra vegetables
• Serving Ideas
• Storage
• More vegan curry recipes
• Mushroom Bhaji (Mushroom Curry)

What is mushroom bhaji?

Not to be confused with the deep fried fritter ‘bhajis’, this type of ‘bhaji’ refers to vegetables in a spicy sauce. Here I have used mushrooms, but you can make bhaji curries with other vegetables such as aubergine / eggplant or okra. Indian mushroom bhaji and is a dry curry, in that it is a curry without much sauce – but don’t worry, it’s packed with flavour!

Why we love this recipe

• This easy Indian mushroom recipe is a quick dinner, ready in 15 minutes, and is a one pot meal.
• Delicious recipe for slightly sad looking mushrooms (as you will see from the video!)
• The curry recipe can easily be doubled – make a larger batch and then enjoy over two nights, or freeze for later in the week.
• This vegan curry is vegetarian, dairy free and gluten free, and is a curry without coconut milk.
• Perfect make ahead dinner – curries are such a great meal prep recipe as their flavour improves with being left in the fridge for a day or two.

Ingredients notes and substitutions

• Mushrooms – I often use button mushrooms to make this curry, but you can use roughly chopped field mushrooms or portobello mushrooms, or chestnut mushrooms.
• Spices – mustard seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric, garam masala
• Garlic, crushed – or use 1 teaspoon of jarred crushed garlic.
• Ginger, grated. Either use fresh ginger or substitute with jarred chopped ginger.
• Green chilli – green chillies are less sweet than red chillies, but they can be just as hot as red chilies. I prefer to cut them down the middle, lengthways, not cutting all the way through as this makes them easier to remove before serving. They still add a spicy hit to the curry.
• ½ Tin diced / crushed tomatoes – or use 2 fresh whole tomatoes, grated. Fresh tomatoes are more traditional to use in an Indian curry, however here in Australia, tinned tomatoes are often much cheaper to buy than fresh tomatoes. To use up the other half of the tin, you can make this sausage curry, or half a batch of this pizza sauce.

How to make this easy mushroom curry

(For full detailed recipe, please scroll down to the recipe card at the end of the post.)

1. Peel the mushrooms if needed, and cut smaller ones into half and larger ones into quarters.
2. Heat the oil in a large pan over a high heat then add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds.

3. Once the seeds start to pop add the onions and whole chillis, turn the heat down to medium, and cook for 4 minutes, until the onions are starting to soften.
4. Add the chopped mushrooms and turn the heat up then cook for 2 minutes until the mushrooms turn golden brown.
   • TIP: Cooking the mushrooms on a high heat adds flavour and stops them from becoming rubbery.

5. Turn the heat down and add the garlic and chilli then cook for 1 minute.
6. Add the turmeric, garam masala and chilli powder and cook for 30 seconds to a minute until fragrant.

7. Add the tomatoes, salt and black pepper to the pan. Bring to a boil then simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, adding a splash of water if it’s looking too dry.
8. Check for seasonings and serve.

FAQ

My recipe tips

• Chop the mushrooms so they are roughly the same size – so quarter larger button mushrooms and halve smaller mushrooms. This will ensure they cook evenly.
• Cook the mushrooms on a high heat at first so they go golden – this adds flavour and texture. If the heat is too low they tend to simmer which isn’t as good for flavour ad can make them rubbery.
• Don’t be tempted to add more liquid unless you absolutely have to. This is supposed to be a dry curry (without much sauce), and therefore by adding more liquid you will dilute the flavour.
• This is a medium to spicy curry, if you want a milder curry use 1 chilli.

Serving Ideas

• Plain fluffy rice is the perfect accompaniment for this curry to allow the flavours of the curry to shine through.
• Add some soft homemade vegan chapatis or fluffy naan bread on the side too for a feast.
• If you want a splash of fresh herb flavour, a spoonful of this mint coriander chutney is delicious too.
• If you have fresh coriander, roughly chopped coriander leaves are a pretty topping to the curry or here I have used leftover curry leaves fried in a little oil until crisp.

Storage

• Up to 3 days, covered in the fridge.
• You can freeze this mushroom curry, however I find the texture changes slightly and becomes a little watery. As it is such an easy curry to make I would recommend you make it as needed unless you have to freeze it.

More vegan curry recipes