A creamy, mildly spiced, coconut-based Zucchini Curry served with rice and crumb-fried Oyster mushrooms. This makes the perfect Goan-inspired vegan meal.
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Today’s post is a tribute to the humble Goan ‘Xit-Kodi’ (rice and curry). Typically this would mean either a Fish or Prawn curry served with some crumb-fried prawns or fish. My vegan take on this is a slightly different, mildly spiced curry with some Zucchini. If you had access to some white-pumpkin (also known as doodhi, long-melon or New Guinea Bean), that would work really well with this curry too. Zucchini doesn’t need much cooking, which is why I add it almost at the very end of the cooking process and thats what makes this curry a quick and easy recipe. However, if you’re using doodi or long melon, I would recommend adding it after the spice mix and letting it simmer till the vegetable has cooked.
This meal is a simple and quick one to put together. Today, I’m going to make it even simpler by using spice powders for the curry instead of a ground masala.
Onto the crumb-fried oyster mushrooms. In my opinion, the crumb fried oysters complete the meal. Don’t leave it out. It adds crunch and variety to the meal, not to mention, it is absolutely delicious. It is really easy to make and you can work on it while the curry is simmering away, which means you can get the meal on the table much sooner. My husband and I really enjoy these mushrooms with the little dipping sauce (I’ll add that recipe below) even by itself.
So if you’re entertaining or looking for vegan party food ideas, this is a must-try. Just remember to make a big batch, because these will disappear. The size of these little bites is totally upto you. I like to size these to be bite-sized which makes them perfect finger-food. I leave the little mushrooms whole and tear the bigger ones into two or three pieces depending on size. This also helps them all cook through uniformly.
There are a few elements to this meal and if you multi-task efficiently, you can have it all prepped in no time at all. There is no right or wrong way to do this. Here’s what works for me –
- Start by washing and soaking your rice
- Cut the onion, chilli, zucchini and tear the mushrooms
- Prep the spice powder blend
- Soak the tamarind
- Prep the batter for the mushrooms
- Pre-heat oil for deep frying
- Start on your curry
- When the curry is simmering, cook the rice and fry the mushrooms
Hope this helps.
Zucchini Curry with Rice and Crumb-fried Oyster Mushrooms
Course: Mains, SidesCuisine: GoanDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes40
minutesA creamy, mildly spiced, coconut-based Zucchini Curry served with rice and crumb-fried Oyster mushrooms. This makes the perfect Goan-inspired vegan meal.
Ingredients
- For the Zucchini Curry –
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 birdseye chilli, slit vertically
2 zucchini, cut into thick slices
1 heaped teaspoon Kashmiri chilly powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper powder
3/4 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
A walnut sized ball of tamarind
A piece of dried mango (optional – see note)
2-3 pieces of dried kokum (optional – see note)
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1 can coconut milk
Salt, to taste
- For the Crumb-fried Oyster Mushrooms
A small punnet of oyster mushrooms (about 150 gms)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornflour
Salt, to taste
Black pepper powder, to taste
A pinch of extra-hot cayenne pepper
Bread crumbs, to coat the mushrooms
Oil, for deep frying
- For the Dipping Sauce –
1-2 tablespoons of vegan mayonnaise
1 teaspoon of tomato ketchup, or to taste
A few drops of Tabasco sauce, to taste
Directions
- For the Zucchini curry –
- Start by soaking the tamarind in 1/4 cup of warm water and set this aside.
- In a vessel, heat the coconut oil on medium heat. Add the red chilly and let it warm through. Next add the chopped onion. Saute till the onions have softened and start browning on the edges.
- Add the spice powders and fry off for a minute or two. At this stage add the dried mango and kokum, if you’re using any. (Please see note below for substitutions.)
- Add 1 tablespoon of water to prevent the spices from burning. Let this cook off till most of the water is absorbed. You may need another tablespoon of water at this stage. Please see recipe video below. Let this cook off till most of the water is absorbed.
- Now add a can of coconut milk and stir through. Let it come to a boil. Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat to low and let the curry simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Keep an eye on it and add water to adjust the consistency as required.
- When there’s a couple of minutes left in the cooking process, add salt and tamarind paste to taste and the zucchini slices.
- Cook for another 2 minutes. Check for seasoning and adjust as needed.
- Take the curry off the heat and serve piping hot with some rice.
- For the crumb-fried oyster mushrooms –
- Heat the oil for deep frying.
- Prep the mushrooms into similar sizes. I leave the small ones whole and tear the bigger ones into 2-3 pieces depending on the size.
- Add the all-purpose flour, cornflour, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to a bowl and mix through. Using a little water, whisk to form a lump-free batter. Add the water gradually till you get a consistency that is thinner than pancake batter. (Make sure to not leave it either too thick or too thin. It should be thick enough to coat the mushrooms. Please see video for example.)
- Place the breadcrumbs on a plate.
- Once the oil has heated, dip the mushrooms into the batter and let any excess batter drip off. Place this into the breadcrumbs and make sure the mushrooms are well coated with the breadcrumbs. Carefully place in the oil and let it fry on medium heat till golden brown and crisp.
- Drain on some kitchen paper while you cook off the rest of the mushrooms and serve hot.
- For the Dipping Sauce –
- Place the mayonnaise, ketchup and Tabasco sauce in a little bowl and stir well. Check for seasoning and adjust the quantities as required to suit your taste.
Serve alongside the crumb-fried mushrooms
Recipe Video
Notes
- I’ve used some dried raw mango pieces and dried kokum along with tamarind. If you don’t have the dried mango and kokum, adjust the amount of tamarind pulp till you get the desired tartness in your curry.
- Zucchini doesn’t need much cooking, which is why I add it almost at the very end of the cooking process and thats what makes this curry a quick and easy recipe. However, if you’re using doodi or long melon, I would recommend adding it after the spice mix and letting it simmer till the vegetable has cooked.
A tasty vegan dish.
Hi This is Mrs.Sheron Menezes
Really grateful to u
Dear
Praise God
Because of u I have learnt the method of making tasty Marzipan
Because of your easy way of mastering it
Thank
You so much
Thus time made Marzipan hearts for Valentine Day
God bless you and your family too 💘