Chathu Rai

Recipe PREP 20 min COOK 30 min

Chathu Rai

PREP 20 min COOK 30 min

Description

Chathu Rai, a popular mushroom dish from Odisha, India, features mushrooms in a tangy mustard gravy. This fusion version uses Japanese shimeji mushrooms and pairs them with gram flour fettuccine. Mushrooms are rich in B and D vitamins, while mustard seeds provide vitamin K, thiamin, riboflavin, and folic acid, supporting heart health, bone strength, and immunity.

Ingredients

4 SERVES

For the Mustard Sauce

2 Tbsp (15 g) mustard seeds
2 tsp cumin
3 to 4 dry red chiles
8 to 10 cloves of garlic
½ tsp salt

For the Mushroom Gravy

200 g button mushroom heads (stems discarded), cleaned and cut into quarters
200 g shimeji mushrooms
100 g dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked for 3 hours in lukewarm water
2 Tbsp (30 ml) mustard oil or olive oil
1 Tbsp whole panch phoran (easy to make yourself, see “Note” in Step 3)
3 (200 g) medium red onions, finely chopped
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chili powder
3 (200 g) medium ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
Salt
2 tsp amchur powder
5 to 6 springs fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Directions

Step 1

To make the mustard sauce: In a small bowl, soak the mustard seeds, cumin, and dry red chiles for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and add the spices to a blender. Add the garlic cloves and salt, and blend the ingredients to a smooth paste, adding a little water, if needed.
Step 2

Prep the mushrooms: Wash dirt and grime off the mushrooms and leave to air-dry for 10 minutes. Trim the stems off the button mushrooms and cut the umbrellas into quarters. Drain the shitake.
Step 3

In a medium pan, heat the mustard oil to a smoking point (this helps bring down the oil’s pungency; if using olive oil, no need to smoke). Turn the heat to a medium and add the panch phoran. When the spices start to splutter, add the onions and let them soften and brown, stirring occasionally. (Note: To make your own panch phoran spice blend, simply mix 1 tablespoon each of cumin, brown mustard seeds, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds, and nigella seeds. Store in a jar and use as desired for sautéed dishes. You can adjust the quantity of the ingredients to make a smaller or bigger batch.
Step 4

Add the turmeric and red chili powder and mix well. Add the chopped tomatoes, mix well, and cook down on high heat, stirring now and then to prevent it from sticking.
Step 5

Once the tomatoes soften, mix in the mushrooms. Add the salt and amchur powder for a nice tang. Cook on high heat while stirring continuously until the water from the mushrooms evaporates. Once the mushrooms are browned, lower the heat and add about 2 to 3 tablespoons of water to deglaze the pan. Mix well to assimilate the flavors.
Step 6

Add the mustard paste prepared earlier, mix well, and cook on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of water for a semi-dry preparation (if eating with rice, add more water for gravy). Lightly stir in some chopped cilantro and turn off the heat.