South Indian Mushroom Pepper Fry
Mushroom pepper fry is a dry South Indian sabzi finished with coarsely crushed black pepper and curry leaves.
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25 mintotal
Prep 10 min · Cook 15 min
- Serves
- 2
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spice
- Spicy
Ingredients
Quantities are for 2 servings.
You'll need: Stovetop.
Method
Heat coconut oil in a wide pan on medium heat. Add mustard seeds and let them pop.
Add fennel seeds and a generous handful of curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds until highly aromatic.
Add the sliced onions and fry until they turn golden brown. Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for another minute.
Add the chopped tomato and turmeric powder. Cook until the tomato softens entirely into a coarse paste.
Turn the heat to high. Add the quartered mushrooms and salt. Toss continuously. The mushrooms will release a lot of water; keep cooking on high until all the water evaporates.
Once the mixture is dry and the oil starts glistening on the edges, add the freshly crushed black pepper.
Roast for 2-3 more minutes on medium heat so the pepper adheres to the mushrooms, giving them a dark, caramelized crust. Turn off the heat and serve.
How to tell it's done
Plump, juicy mushrooms enveloped in a dark, dry, deeply caramelized onion base with a fierce peppery kick.
Nutrition
Per serving, from 2 servings.
153kcal
Where the calories come from
- Protein4.4 g11%
- Carbohydrate14.7 g36%
- Fat9.7 g53%
- Sugars
- 6 g
- Saturated fat
- 7.6 g
- Fibre
- 3.7 g
- Sodium
- 791 mg
- Potassium
- 545 mg
- Calcium
- 49 mg
- Iron
- 1.4 mg
Estimated by calculation from the ingredient list, using USDA FoodData Central. Not a laboratory analysis.
Getting it right
Tip
Always use freshly crushed coarse black peppercorns in a mortar and pestle. Pre-ground fine pepper powder makes the dish bitter and muddy rather than fiery and aromatic.
What to serve it with
A stellar side dish with simple Dal Rice, Curd Rice, or folded inside a crispy Dosa.





