Alambya Ambat
A mild, delicious Konkani mushroom curry.
Servings Prep Time
8servings 30minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
10minutes 4hours
Servings Prep Time
8servings 30minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
10minutes 4hours
Ingredients
  • 360gm fresh, wild enokitake mushrooms(if not available, use oyster mushrooms)
  • 185gm grated coconut
  • 100gm onion(peeled) (50 gm for curry, 50 gm for tempering)
  • 3gm ginger
  • 3gm tamarind(seedless)
  • 6gm dry Kashmiri chilies
  • 2gm turmeric powder
  • 7gm salt
  • 700ml water
  • 25ml cooking oil
  • 15ml vinegar(for cleaning the mushrooms)
Instructions
To prepare:
  1. Take a couple of litres of water in a bowl.Pour in the vinegar and tip in the mushrooms. Let soak for 5 minutes so that the soil particles deposit themselves at the bottom of the vessel. Scoop up the floating mushrooms and rinse well in tap water. Drain and set aside.
  2. Chop the onion finely to bits. Divide into two equal portions and set aside.
  3. Chop the ginger to superfine bits.
  4. Set a skillet on low heat. Pour in a teaspoonful (5 ml.) of cooking oil.
  5. Break the chilies each into two pieces and tip them in. Stir for a minute and switch off the heat. This process mellows the heat and enhances the flavor of the chilies.
  6. Transfer the contents of the skillet to your food processor. Tip in the grated coconut and the tamarind. Pour in 200 ml. of water and grind to superfine paste.
To cook
  1. Put the mushrooms, one half of the chopped onion, the chopped ginger, the turmeric powder, the salt and the remaining water (500 ml.) into a curry vessel or deep pan and set on high heat. Stir occasionally.
  2. As soon as it comes to a boil, turn down the heat and cover partially with a lid. Stir now and then, letting the enoki mushrooms cook for 5 minutes. If you are using oyster mushrooms, remember to cook for 10 minutes.
  3. Now tip in the ground paste and turn up the heat. Stir frequently. Let boil for just a minute before switching off the heat.
  4. Set a skillet on low heat. Pour in the remaining cooking oil (20 ml.) and tip in the second half of the chopped onion. Stir continuously till the onion turns golden brown in color. Switch off the heat and empty the contents into the curry. Stir and cover with a lid.
  5. In order to get the full taste of the curry, it needs to rest for 4 to 5 hours, since the mushroom, unlike vegetables, takes longer to assimilate the grand flavor of the curry. Reheat the alambya ambat and serve with hot rice, chappatis, vellappams, soyyea polos or with porottas. I’m sure you’ll love it!