Dhingri Matar Curry Recipe | Simple and Quick Vegan Mushroom and Peas Curry

Learn how to make Vegan Dhingri Matar Curry or Mushroom and Peas Curry ~ Mushrooms and green peas cooked in a creamy onion, coriander and cashew nut gravy with aromatic spices

Another week has swished through and I am left gasping for a breath as I run around home, school, and everything in between trying to get back to the normal school term routine. LD has started his second year in school and just a week later, it feels so much busier than the year before! I want to grab the time by its shoulder, shake it and tell sternly to slow down… What is the hurry? Why rush when one want to slow down and smell the roses?!

Gone are the days of snuggling for extra hours in the morning, pillow fighting until our tummies ached after laughing… Gone are the days of waking up to streaming sunlight through the little gap between the blackout curtains fluttering in the morning breeze, and not to have to wake up to the shrieking noise of alarm clock… Gone are the days of leisure breakfasts, stroll in the woods and gardens, doing everything and nothing, and simply enjoying each others' company… Gone are the days of late night dinners, treats, movies and never ending bedtime stories… The first few weeks of getting back to normal routine after the summer holidays are always tough, but this feeling too shall pass as we embrace the fun bits of school life. It’s just a matter of time… It’s always a matter of time before everything falls into place! Like preparing a weekly menu with simple but wholesome dishes which can be made under half an hour on a busy weekdays, like this creamy Dhingri Matar Curry or Vegan Mushroom and Peas Curry.

Dhingri Matar Curry is a simple mushroom and green peas curry cooked in a creamy onion, coriander and cashew nut gravy with freshly roasted and ground whole spices. Don’t be scared by the little lengthy ingredient list as they are easily stocked in every Indian kitchen pantry. The use of fresh whole spices and herbs in this recipe of Dhingri Matar Curry is what it makes it so flavourful and unbelievably delicious! Extra 5 minutes that goes into making the fresh, aromatic onion, coriander and cashew nut paste is well rewarded when you taste the final dish as it will leave one wanting to go for second, and even third, helpings.

I have not used any tomatoes in this recipe, but if you like you can add finely chopped tomatoes when you fry the onions or after frying the ground spicy paste for little kick of tartness. You can also use half a tsp of amchur or dry mango powder if you like little sourness. The fresh coriander leaves and the whole coriander seeds in the gravy give this curry a wonderful citrusy flavour. This is one of those curries where you use the spices as per taste by changing the amount of whole spices used. I have listed the ingredients as per how we like it here in our home and hence feel free to change, substitute or simply omit some of the whole spices as how you like it. I would recommend using the fennel seeds and the kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) as they give it a touch of sweet and bitter taste and a wonderful aroma. So without further ado, let’s get cooking this simple and deliciously rich and creamy Vegan Dhingri Matar Curry or Mushroom and Peas Curry.

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Dhingri Matar Curry (Mushrooms and green peas cooked in a creamy onion, coriander and cashew nut gravy with aromatic spices)
Prep Time: 5-10 mins
Cooking Time: 20-25 mins
Recipe Level: Easy/Beginner
Spice Level: Low to Medium
Serves: 5-6 people
Shelf Life: Best served fresh but can be refrigerated for 2-3 days
Serving Suggestion: As a side dish with any Indian flat breads or aromatic Basmati rice

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Ingredients:
15-18 Button Mushrooms, cleaned and cut into 1 cm thick slices
1 cup Green Peas, fresh or frozen
1½ tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
1-2 heaped tbsp. Fresh Coriander Leaves, finely chopped
Salt to taste

For the Onion, Coriander and Cashew Nuts Paste:
1 large Onion, finely chopped
8-10 Whole Cashew Nuts
1-2 Green Chilli, slit (Optional, adjust as per taste)
¼ packed cup Fresh Coriander Leaves, finely chopped
1 tsp Sugar
1 tbsp Oil

Whole Spices Used for the Onion-Cashew Nut Paste:
1 inch Cinnamon
5 Green Cardamoms
5-6 Cloves
10-15 Black Peppercorns (Adjust as per taste)
1 heaped tbsp. Dhania/Coriander Seeds
1 tsp Jeera/Cumin Seeds
1 heaped tsp Saunf/Fennel Seeds (Optional, but recommended)
1 Tej Patta/Bay Leaf

Other Spices Used:
½ tsp Garam Masala
½ tsp Kitchen King Masala (Optional)
1 tbsp Kasuri Methi

For Tadka/Tempering:
1 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Jeera/Cumin Seeds
1 tsp Saunf/Fennel Seeds
A generous pinch of Hing/Asafoetida

Method:
Preparation:

1. Chop the onion, coriander leaves and mushrooms and keep them aside.
2. Crush the fresh ginger and garlic, if making fresh ginger-garlic paste, using a pestle and mortar or food processor and keep it aside.

Prepare the Onion, Coriander and Cashew Nut Paste:

1. Heat a tbsp. of oil in a pan on a medium flame. Once hot, add cinnamon stick, cardamom, bay leaf and cloves and give a quick stir for couple of seconds. Next add coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and black peppercorns and stir them for a minute until the spices are nicely roasted and turn light golden in colour.
2. Next add chopped onions, green chilli, sugar and stir fry for 2-3 minutes until their edges turn golden brown on medium flame. Add the cashew nuts and turn off the flame.
3. Let the mixture cool down to room temperature. Transfer the mixture to a food processor along with chopped coriander leaves and grind it to smooth paste by adding little water.

Proceed to cook:

1. Heat oil in a pan on medium flame and once hot, add cumin seeds, fennel seeds and hing. Stir the spices until they sizzle and change colour, about 15-30 seconds.
2. Add the ground onion-cashew paste and fry it on a medium flame for 2 minute.
3. Next add the ginger-garlic paste and keep stirring them for 2-3 minute until the mixture becomes little dry and the oil separates on the edges.
4. Next add 2½-3 cups of water and salt to taste and bring the gravy to a gentle boil by stirring in between.
5. Add the sliced mushrooms and green peas and mix them well. Let it cook covered for 7-8 minutes, stirring in between. Add little more water (about ½-¾ cup) if you find the gravy too thick to get the desired consistency. Remember that the gravy will thicken as it cools down.
6. Add garam masala, kitchen king masala and crushed kasuri methi and mix them well. Let the curry simmer for another 7-8 mins on a low flame until the mushrooms and peas are cooked well.
7. Turn off the flame and mix in finely chopped coriander leaves. Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes for all the flavour to blend well. Serve this delicious creamy Dhingri Matar Curry with roti, naan, chapatti, poori or with any flavoured basmati rice and enjoy!

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Sia’s Notes:

• I have not used any tomatoes in this recipe, but if you like you can add finely chopped tomatoes when you fry the onions or after frying the ground spicy paste for little kick of tartness.
• You can also use half a tsp of amchur or dry mango powder if you like little sourness.
• You can replace the mushrooms with paneer, tofu or any other vegetables of your choice.
• You can replace the cashew nuts with almonds or simply omit it if you have nut allergy. If not using any nuts, use 2 large onions or a cup of fresh cream to get thick gravy.
• Add little more water (about ½-¾ cup) if you find the gravy too thick to get the desired consistency. Remember that the gravy will thicken as it cools down.