Chettinad Mushroom Masala (காளான் கறி)

காளான் கறி

Chettinad Mushroom Masala Recipe | காளான் கறி

Spicy Chettinad Style Mushroom Masala, a perfect side of rice, roti, idli or dosai!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course, sidedish
Cuisine: chettinad, Indian, south indian, tamil nadu
Keyword: chettinad mushroom masala, kalan, kalan curry, mushroom masala, mushroom recipes
Servings: 4
Author: Mullai Madavan

Ingredients

Ingredients – Table – 1

  • Dry Red Chili 3 small or 5 (long)
  • Coriander seeds 5 teaspoons
  • Black Peppercorns 1 teaspoon
  • Cumin seeds 1 teaspoon
  • Fennel seeds 1/2 teaspoon
  • Poppy seeds 1 teaspoon
  • Split roasted gram / pottukadalai/ dalia 1 teaspoon
  • Cardamom 2
  • Cloves 3
  • Cinnamon stick 1 one inch stick
  • Mace flower / Jathipoo 1 petal
  • Star anise 1 petal
  • Nutmeg 1 pinch powdered from fresh nutmeg
  • Dry Coconut flakes / desiccated / Copra / Kopara Thengai 3 teaspoons

Ingredients – Table – 2

  • Shallots / Pearl Onions/ Sambar Vengayam 15
  • Ginger 2 inch piece
  • Garlic cloves 5
  • Curry leaves 5
  • Turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon

Ingredients – Tables- 3

  • White Button Mushrooms 6-7 small or 5 (large)
  • Tomato 1 large or 1/2 cup chopped
  • Green chili 1 large slit open or 2 small
  • Bay leaf 1
  • Black Stone Flower / Kalpasi 2- 3 petals or 1/2 tsp powdered
  • Curry leaves 5
  • Coriander leaves 1/4 cup chopped
  • Salt 1 teaspoon or to taste
  • Oil 3 tablespoons
  • Water 1 cup

Instructions

  • Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel, cut them into thin pieces and keep aside. Slice them vertically for a even look. I’ve used white button mushrooms for this recipe.  Assemble all ingredients and start with the masala powder. Chettinad Masala powders have special ingredients which gives the unique taste to the dish. These ingredients (kalpasi / Nutmeg/ Mace / Fennel seeds) are a must for this recipe.
  • Dry roast the ingredients listed in Table- 1 except the coconut. Once the spices are roasted well, remove them from the pan and now add the coconut flakes and roast them until slightly golden. Let them all cool a bit. (If you are using copra then there is no need to roast)
  • Put all the spices and coconut powder in a spice blender/ mixer and powder them to fine texture. This is your dry masala powder. To this add the small onions, ginger, garlic, curry leaves & turmeric powder to the spice powder and grind to coarse texture. A few pulse in the mixer will be sufficient to chop the onions and ginger garlic. Keep this wet masala ready for the preparation.
  • In a kadai, heat oil and toast the bay leaves, kalpasi, green chili and some curry leaves. Now add the wet masala mixture and fry along for few minutes.
  • Add the sliced mushrooms and tomatoes at this stage and add one cup of water. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes over low flame.
  • Mushroom has the tendency to release water when cooked, so the gravy will be watery at this stage. Simmer till it reaches a semi-thick consistency-
  • This process should take about 6-7 minutes over low flame for the oil to separate. Now garnish with chopped coriander and curry leaves and turn it off.
  • Serve as a side for Chapati / Roti / Pulao / Biryani. Goes well with steaming hot idlis or Kal dosai!

Notes

I’ve used white button mushroom for this recipe, use more if they are too small. You can use any kind.
Sambar onion / small shallots are a must for this recipe. Try to use them, if using other variety then do not grind them raw. It will make the gravy bitter.
If using regular big onions then use about 2 large onions, chop them and fry them in oil and then add the dry masala powder to it.
To make it extra spicy add few red chilies.
Check this page for list of spices with pictures Enspicelopedia
This dish goes well plain, to make it non-veg throw in some boiled eggs.
Poppy seeds & Split roasted gram is added to give thickness to the gravy.
Adjust consistency- make it semi thick or slightly on the running side depending on your preference.
Coconut milk can be added if you want more gravy.
  • Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel, cut them into thin pieces and keep aside. Slice them vertically for a even look. I’ve used white button mushrooms for this recipe.  Assemble all ingredients and start with the masala powder. Chettinad Masala powders have special ingredients which gives the unique taste to the dish. These ingredients (kalpasi / Nutmeg/ Mace / Fennel seeds) are a must for this recipe.
  • Dry roast the ingredients listed in Table- 1 except the coconut. Once the spices are roasted well, remove them from the pan and now add the coconut flakes and roast them until slightly golden. Let them all cool a bit. (If you are using copra then there is no need to roast)
  • Put all the spices and coconut powder in a spice blender/ mixer and powder them to fine texture. This is your dry masala powder. To this add the small onions, ginger, garlic, curry leaves & turmeric powder to the spice powder and grind to coarse texture. A few pulse in the mixer will be sufficient to chop the onions and ginger garlic. Keep this wet masala ready for the preparation.
  • In a kadai, heat oil and toast the bay leaves, kalpasi, green chili and some curry leaves. Now add the wet masala mixture and fry along for few minutes.
  • Add the sliced mushrooms and tomatoes at this stage and add one cup of water. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes over low flame.
  • Mushroom has the tendency to release water when cooked, so the gravy will be watery at this stage. Simmer till it reaches a semi-thick consistency-
  • This process should take about 6-7 minutes over low flame for the oil to separate. Now garnish with chopped coriander and curry leaves and turn it off.
  • Serve as a side for Chapati / Roti / Pulao / Biryani. Goes well with steaming hot idlis or Kal dosai!

Comments

66 responses to “Chettinad Mushroom Masala (காளான் கறி)”

  1. Kavitha Sivakumar Avatar
    Kavitha Sivakumar

    This is the best mushroom masala I would say.. I have made this recipe plenty of times! My family loves it every time ❤️
    Thank you for sharing this with us??

    1. Mullai Avatar

      So happy to hear Kavi, thanks a bunch for trying it and for writing us a feedback!

  2. QueenBee Avatar
    QueenBee

    Chettinad mushroom curry is fantastic – very aromatic & authentic taste.

    1. Mullai Avatar

      Thank you dear, glad you enjoyed!

  3. Deepika Thiluk Avatar
    Deepika Thiluk

    I tried this today.. But it is not like a restaurant style recipe.. Btw mushroom didn’t sink with chettinadu style m, so folks think twice before you try!

    1. Mullai Avatar

      Well, taste differs from person to person, we at home like it as a side for rice and chapati and do make it often. Thanks for your feedback!

  4. Madhu-desimejwani Avatar

    OMG they absolutely look scrumptious. it just made me hungry at its first sight :) Whenever we visit Tamil Nadu, we never failed to order this dish:) Thanks for sharing recipe. Will definitely try it out 🙂

  5. Gauri Avatar

    This looks absolutely delicious… yummy mushroom post

  6. Malar Avatar

    Kalakkal mushroom masala 🙂

  7. Ritu ahuja Avatar
    Ritu ahuja

    Lovely. It looks delicious. I am gonna try it out soon. Yum yum 🙂

  8. padma Avatar

    Supper yummy mushroom curry…I Love mushrooms:)

  9. kushi Avatar

    I must say this the best of best mushroom gravy I have seen so far!! Its mouth watering!!Loved it!

  10. rati Avatar
    rati

    your recipes are good everytime. can you tell me where i must have went wrong in this, it tasted little bitter. would appreciate your reply..i want to try it .have followed your procedure

    1. Mullai Avatar

      Thanks Rati, to avoid bitterness try using small onions, big ones tend to be very strong. If using big onions you need fry them little longer, also if you roast the dry masala for long time it may have a burnt smell which could also be a reason. Other than that I dont see anything which can cause bitterness, try again and let me know! Thanks for your feedback!

  11. vino Avatar
    vino

    Hi mam.. Am a gr8 fan of urs..tried few of ur dishes turned out to be sooo gud.. Today am gonna try this.. I hav few queries.. Can i use canned mushroom in this?? I don knw how to use canned mushroom.. Pls help me out.. In this recipe wen shuld i add it?? Am in dubai so here poppy seeds r banned..can i substitute it with cashews or anything else?? Can i use fresh coconut bcos i don find desicated one here..?? Pls reply mam.. Thanks in advance..

    1. Mullai Avatar

      Vino,
      Fresh mushrooms are always better than canned. I personally on’t like canned mushrooms which has rubbery texture & is flavorless. If you still prefer then add after making the gravy and simmer for few minutes. You may use cashews instead of poppy seeds and fry the fresh coconut in a tawa for few minutes and then proceed to substitute for dry coconut. Goodluck!

  12. kumudam Avatar
    kumudam

    hi Mullai
    have tried this recipe yesterday…came out in a great manner..

    1. Mullai Avatar

      Thanks Kumudam!

  13. jaishree Avatar

    Recipe is awesome. i had this recipe recipe in bangalore at Chettiars . thanks for sharing it . quick question the ingredients which u have shared in ingredient1 is a chettinad garam masala or wht ? do u also use this masala in other chettinad recipes ?

    1. Mullai Avatar

      Thans Jaishree, well I use this chettinad masala only for gravy type chettinad dishes. You may use this for chicken, shrimp or veggie(mixed vegetable, potato, mushroom, peas) gravies. Hope this helps, thanks.

  14. shan Avatar

    awesum! i did this gravy n it really came out delicious!!!! wonderful recipe…. the taste,aroma,evrythn was perfect i wud say tis is the best out of mushroom we can do thnk!!!

  15. Vishnupriya Avatar
    Vishnupriya

    Hi Mullai Mam, just made this dish as a side dish for my parattas, It was simply delicious, everybody in our family liked it, super, Thanks a lot for posting this recipe.

  16. premalatha Avatar
    premalatha

    The taste of chettinad mushroom was excellent.
    Thank you
    premalatha

  17. krithika Avatar
    krithika

    hi, i have tried this receipe but it was bitter..i didnt burn the dish..will the onion paste turn the dish bitter? please help me

  18. megalaii Avatar
    megalaii

    I TRIED THIS DISH JUST NOW. ITS REALLY VERY SO GOOD.THANKS YOU.

  19. angelaJohn Avatar
    angelaJohn

    I have tried so many of your recipes Mullai.. and this one has become my Favorite..
    many thanks……..

  20. Akash Avatar
    Akash

    I came to know about this website from my friend today and this is great and collection of wonderful recipes.

    mouthwatering mushroom recipe ,me and my roommates like to make this curry in this weekend.we have 2 doubts.

    //can you give gram measures of tomato used in this recipe? or else can u give cup measurement for tomatopuree for this recipe,from that we will come to know howmuch we have to use.//

    This will be very helpful for us because when we make cooking everytime,we will add tomato less or more and it changes taste.

    //if we dry grated coconut, howmany teaspoons we can add.//

    Hope we will get help from u and looking for your reply.

    Thanks.

    1. Mullai Avatar

      Hi Akash,
      You may use about 1 and 1/2 Tbsp chopped tomatoes and 3 tsp of grated coconut for this recipe. If using tomato puree then go ahead and use about 3 Tbsp of it. Hope this helps, goodluck with the preparation.
      Thanks,
      Mullai.

  21. Kanda Avatar

    Yes, we also tried and turn out very well, delicious.

  22. Harish Avatar
    Harish

    Hello Ms. Mullai, Thanks for your great recipes. I tried Chettinad Mushroom Curry and it turned to be crowd pleaser and taste was authentic. Many thanks to you. Please keep up your good work going.

  23. rums Avatar
    rums

    Awesome recipe Mullai. I just dished this up with Meijer sliced mushrooms. AMAZING! If I’m ever in the mood for Chettinad Cuisine, your site is the only place I stop by. I’ve tried your Biryani and Pepper chicken too, both of which were amazingly authentic. I couldn’t believe myself that I’d cooked something that tasted like it was ordered from Anjappar or Ponnuswamy! Thanks for the wonderful recipes, the Chettinad Mushroom Masala has turned out kick ass awesome 🙂

  24. Rama1 Avatar
    Rama1

    I like this recipe very much. I’m planning to make this for 12 persons, so it would be great if you let me how many does the above quantiy serve?

  25. shivani27 Avatar
    shivani27

    Hi Mullai Ma'am…I tried this dish and it came out really well.!!….

    Your site is really superb and am addicted to ur site like anything…You are doing a gr8 job..!!

  26. ananthiraja Avatar
    ananthiraja

    haiiiiiii
    can anbody plz lemme knw where we can get these chettinad items like kalpasi i mean the authentic chettinad items

  27. sudha.dilip Avatar
    sudha.dilip

    Mullai.. I tried it last night.. It turned out excellent !! My hubby too liked it a lot.. thank u so much.. Now i jus luv Mushroom…:-)

  28. sudha.dilip Avatar
    sudha.dilip

    Hi Mullai,
    I ve never tasted or cooked mushrooms before.. Ippo unga site irukara thairiyathula i ve bought home a pack of mushrooms.. gonna try this dish for dinner tonight.. with Chapathi.. will tell u tomo abt how it came out.. Thanks a lot for this amazing website.. enna mathiri newly married gals living abroad will really appreciate this site..its guiding us like mom..

  29. Aarthisuresh Avatar
    Aarthisuresh

    Dear friend Mullai,
    I tried chettinad mushroom masala today..it was really really gud and awesome…thankyou so much for this yummy recipe….takecare.
    regards
    Aarthisuresh….

  30. narmada.naren Avatar
    narmada.naren

    Hi mullai,
    I am new to this site and new to cooking too.. can you tell me how many people will this measure serve for dinner with parota

  31. gowher Avatar
    gowher

    Hi Mullai, I am going to try this today. One small confirmation, should we need to remove the stem of the mushrooms? or will they work? Thanks in advance. gowher

    1. Mullai Avatar
      Mullai

      If they look fresh and tender then its ok to include an inch from the tip. Good luck.

      1. gowher Avatar
        gowher

        Thanks Mullai,

        I tried it, It came out really well. Wonderful presentation.

        Thank you.

        gowher

  32. Gokilapriya Avatar
    Gokilapriya

    Nice Receipe!!! Thanks….

  33. gowher Avatar
    gowher

    Hi Mullai, Its a great dish. It really surprises me how you get all these wonderful recipes. Thank you.

    gowher

  34. gowher Avatar
    gowher

    gowher

  35. poornimaduraiswamy Avatar
    poornimaduraiswamy

    Hai mullai….

    Thank u for ur web site….
    I decide what to cook daily only seeing ur website…
    Thank u soooooooooooooooooooo Much

  36. nithyak Avatar
    nithyak

    hey mullai
    i tried this and nalla vandhirukku pa.. different than the usual masala/curries.. thanks for the recipe.. mean time i adjusted the qty of dhaniya seeds – korachu poten… according to my taste

  37. padmababu Avatar
    padmababu

    Hi Mullai, I tried this with dish and it was really g8…Thx for the receipe.

  38. Vijitha Avatar
    Vijitha

    Hi Mullai, One small doubt.. can i substitue small onions with big red onions

    VIJI

    1. Mullai Avatar
      Mullai

      Viji, ofcourse you can, but next time try with small ones.

      1. Vijitha Avatar
        Vijitha

        Hi Mulllai, tried mushroom masala with big red onions and it was awesome. Wow really fantastic recipeVIJI

  39. shivamahesh Avatar
    shivamahesh

    do we need to add any water while adding mushrooms & masala? will mushroom get cooked along with tomatoes?

    1. Mullai Avatar
      Mullai

      Hi Shiva, it depends on how you wish to have the consitency. Tomatoes and salt should be suffiecient to cook the mushroom and with my recipe, the consitency will be a thick gravy. But its ok to add 1/2 cup water to make the consitency thin. Thick masala suits as a side for rice and thin gravy suits for roti and paratha.

  40. Abhi Muthu Avatar
    Abhi Muthu

    Mullai,
    I tried chettinad mushroom today. It came out good, but it was slightly bitter. The reason is I think I added more poppy seeds and the poppy seeds did not grind properly in the blender.
    But overall it is good.
    Next time I will correct the quantity.
    Thanks again.

  41. Abhi Muthu Avatar
    Abhi Muthu

    Mullai,
    The picture is so tempting that I cant wait to try this recipe(Chettinad mushroom) I will try and let you know. Thank you for all your posting. I am a fan of your website.

    1. Mullai Avatar
      Mullai

      Hi Abi,

      This shot didn't come that perfect, out of focus… as I took while it was steaming hot and thats why it looks blurred. But hope you would enjoy the dish, seems you have posted many comments under member categories. Appreciate all your feedbacks… a big motivation factor for all members. Thanks!!

      1. Abhi Muthu Avatar
        Abhi Muthu

        Mullai,

        Thank you for your response. Idhuve nalla picture illa solreenga appo real picture a kaattinaa thaanga maaten.. hihih..
        I got mushrooms yesterday will try tomorrow. Mullai seriously, you and your members are doing a good job.
        keep your good work and I love to see ur presentation..

  42. Visitor Avatar
    Visitor

    I tried this Mullai, Very nice…am a new reader to ur site…looks like i find a lot…

  43. Anja Avatar
    Anja

    Dear Mullai, I wanted to prepare this dish a few days ago, but when I went for shopping, no one knew the kalpasi/black stone flower. I tried in different indian stores, and when I called up my fiances mom in india, she didnt know either. Is there a special tamil name for the black stone flower?

    1. Mullai Avatar
      Mullai

      Anja, these are sometimes quite hard to get here. Grocers don't go by the English or tamil name, ask for Pathar ka phool (hindi term), may be… that might help. Only tamil name, which I know is, Kalpasi, nowadays all stores carry them, but for sure "Naattu Marunthu Kadaigal" will have them. Good luck.

  44. lakshmipriya Avatar
    lakshmipriya

    hai mullai,
    Today i tried this recipe
    it came out well..
    i tried lot of recipes for mushroom
    but this is the best one
    thanks for u’r recipe….

    1. Mullai Avatar
      Mullai

      Good to know, thanks for your feedback.

  45. latha.mn Avatar
    latha.mn

    Dear Mullai,
    On my vacation, I prepared your recipe pepper chicken curry instead of “chicken” I used “mushrooms’,really it was superb, everyone liked it very much .
    regards
    latha

    1. Mullai Avatar
      Mullai

      Dear Latha, Glad to hear from you, its been a long time. Vacation in India???? Hope that must have been exciting.

  46. karthikshan Avatar
    karthikshan

    Hi Mullai,

    Thanx for this wonderful recipe. The recipe came out very well and am going to serve it with chapathi…..Thanx a lot again.

    Cheers

  47. Nithya Avatar
    Nithya

    Dear Mullai,

          Chettinad Mushroom Masala was awesome..it was really gud..Thanks for the receipe.

    1. Mullai Avatar
      Mullai

      Thanks Nithya.