Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Spiced Stuffed Mushrooms
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
40 minutes
25 minutes
1 hour 5 minutes
Serves:
4 starters
Mukul created this dish for MasterChef UK ™ Series 22. His breaded mushrooms - stuffed with a dry, well-spiced onion, pepper and cheddar filling and fried to a crisp golden shell - drew unreserved praise, with Grace Dent calling it a joy and Anna Haugh singling out his palate. The fresh mint, corian...
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Ingredients
FOR THE SPICED FILLING
2 tbsp (30 g) ghee (or unsalted butter)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 medium onion, finely diced
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced
Reserved mushroom stems (from the caps below), finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp (5 g) fresh ginger, grated
1-2 green chillies, finely chopped (to taste)
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp amchur (dried mango powder), optional
1/2 tsp salt (to taste)
3/4 cup (75 g) mature cheddar, grated
2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
FOR THE MUSHROOMS & CRUMB
8 large closed-cup / chestnut mushroom caps, stems removed and reserved
1/2 cup (60 g) plain (all-purpose) flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups (100 g) panko or fine dried breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil, for frying (or oil spray for oven / air-fryer)
FOR THE MINT-CORIANDER-WALNUT & POMEGRANATE CHUTNEY
1 cup (20 g) fresh mint leaves, packed
1 cup (20 g) fresh coriander (leaves + stems), packed
1/3 cup (40 g) walnut halves
1 green chilli (more for extra heat)
1 small clove garlic
1-2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp (1.5 g) salt (to taste)
2-3 tbsp cold water
1/4 cup (40 g) pomegranate seeds
TO SERVE
Extra pomegranate seeds, to garnish
Coriander sprigs / micro herbs, to garnish
1 lemon wedge per plate
EQUIPMENT
Frying pan or skillet
Three shallow bowls (for the crumbing line)
Deep, heavy pan or small saucepan for shallow frying (or air-fryer / oven)
Digital probe or cooking thermometer
Blender or small food processor
Slotted spoon and a paper-lined tray
Method
STEP 1: PRE-COOK THE MUSHROOM CAPS
Remove the stems and finely chop them, reserving for the filling. Wipe the caps clean. Sit the caps gill-side down on a tray and roast at 200C / 400F for 8-10 minutes to drive off moisture and part-cook them; cool. This is what later lets the shell crisp without the mushroom staying raw inside.
STEP 2: MAKE THE SPICED FILLING
Heat the ghee in a pan over medium heat and add the cumin seeds. When fragrant, add the onion, peppers and reserved chopped stems. Saute until soft and any moisture has cooked off, 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and green chilli; cook 1 minute. Stir in the ground coriander, turmeric, Kashmiri chilli, garam masala, amchur and salt and cook 1-2 minutes until the spices are toasted and the mix is dry. A dry filling is essential. Cool slightly, then fold in the grated cheddar and fresh coriander.
STEP 3: STUFF THE MUSHROOMS
Pack the filling firmly into each cap, doming it slightly. For fully enclosed parcels, sandwich two filled caps together filling-to-filling; or keep them as single domed caps. Chill 15-20 minutes to firm up - this helps the coating adhere and keeps the parcels intact in the oil.
STEP 4: CRUMB THE MUSHROOMS
Set up three shallow bowls: seasoned flour, beaten egg, breadcrumbs. Roll each stuffed mushroom in flour and tap off the excess, then coat in egg, then press into the breadcrumbs until fully covered. For an extra-crisp shell, double-crumb - back into the egg and breadcrumbs a second time. Chill until ready to fry.
STEP 5: MAKE THE CHUTNEY
Blend the mint, coriander, walnuts, green chilli, garlic, lemon juice and salt with 2-3 tbsp cold water to a coarse, vivid-green chutney, keeping some walnut texture. Balance brightly: more lemon for tang, salt for seasoning, chilli for heat. Stir most of the pomegranate seeds through by hand, reserving some to garnish. Chill. This is the element that lifts the plate, so make it punchy.
STEP 6: FRY TO A CRISP SHELL
Heat 2-3 cm / about 1 inch of oil to 170-180C / 340-355F. Fry the crumbed mushrooms in batches, turning, until deep golden and crisp all over, 3-4 minutes. Because the caps are already cooked, the fry is purely about colour, crunch and melting the cheese. Drain on kitchen paper and season with a little salt. Lighter method: spray with oil and oven-bake or air-fry at 200C / 400F for 15-18 minutes, turning once.
STEP 7: PLATE AND SERVE
Swipe or quenelle the chutney onto warm plates. Sit the crisp mushrooms alongside and halve one to reveal the molten spiced centre. Scatter the reserved pomegranate seeds and coriander, add a lemon wedge, and serve immediately while the shell is crisp and the cheese is molten.
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Instructions
FOR THE SPICED FILLING
2 tbsp (30 g) ghee (or unsalted butter)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 medium onion, finely diced
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced
Reserved mushroom stems (from the caps below), finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp (5 g) fresh ginger, grated
1-2 green chillies, finely chopped (to taste)
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp amchur (dried mango powder), optional
1/2 tsp salt (to taste)
3/4 cup (75 g) mature cheddar, grated
2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
FOR THE MUSHROOMS & CRUMB
8 large closed-cup / chestnut mushroom caps, stems removed and reserved
1/2 cup (60 g) plain (all-purpose) flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups (100 g) panko or fine dried breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil, for frying (or oil spray for oven / air-fryer)
FOR THE MINT-CORIANDER-WALNUT & POMEGRANATE CHUTNEY
1 cup (20 g) fresh mint leaves, packed
1 cup (20 g) fresh coriander (leaves + stems), packed
1/3 cup (40 g) walnut halves
1 green chilli (more for extra heat)
1 small clove garlic
1-2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp (1.5 g) salt (to taste)
2-3 tbsp cold water
1/4 cup (40 g) pomegranate seeds
TO SERVE
Extra pomegranate seeds, to garnish
Coriander sprigs / micro herbs, to garnish
1 lemon wedge per plate
EQUIPMENT
Baking tray
Frying pan or skillet
Three shallow bowls (for the crumbing line)
Deep, heavy pan or small saucepan for shallow frying (or air-fryer / oven)
Digital probe or cooking thermometer
Blender or small food processor
Slotted spoon and a paper-lined tray
Heading 5
Ingredients
STEP 1: PRE-COOK THE MUSHROOM CAPS
Remove the stems and finely chop them, reserving for the filling. Wipe the caps clean. Sit the caps gill-side down on a tray and roast at 200C / 400F for 8-10 minutes to drive off moisture and part-cook them; cool. This is what later lets the shell crisp without the mushroom staying raw inside.
STEP 2: MAKE THE SPICED FILLING
Heat the ghee in a pan over medium heat and add the cumin seeds. When fragrant, add the onion, peppers and reserved chopped stems. Saute until soft and any moisture has cooked off, 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and green chilli; cook 1 minute. Stir in the ground coriander, turmeric, Kashmiri chilli, garam masala, amchur and salt and cook 1-2 minutes until the spices are toasted and the mix is dry. A dry filling is essential. Cool slightly, then fold in the grated cheddar and fresh coriander.
STEP 3: STUFF THE MUSHROOMS
Pack the filling firmly into each cap, doming it slightly. For fully enclosed parcels, sandwich two filled caps together filling-to-filling; or keep them as single domed caps. Chill 15-20 minutes to firm up - this helps the coating adhere and keeps the parcels intact in the oil.
STEP 4: CRUMB THE MUSHROOMS
Set up three shallow bowls: seasoned flour, beaten egg, breadcrumbs. Roll each stuffed mushroom in flour and tap off the excess, then coat in egg, then press into the breadcrumbs until fully covered. For an extra-crisp shell, double-crumb - back into the egg and breadcrumbs a second time. Chill until ready to fry.
STEP 5: MAKE THE CHUTNEY
Blend the mint, coriander, walnuts, green chilli, garlic, lemon juice and salt with 2-3 tbsp cold water to a coarse, vivid-green chutney, keeping some walnut texture. Balance brightly: more lemon for tang, salt for seasoning, chilli for heat. Stir most of the pomegranate seeds through by hand, reserving some to garnish. Chill. This is the element that lifts the plate, so make it punchy.
STEP 6: FRY TO A CRISP SHELL
Heat 2-3 cm / about 1 inch of oil to 170-180C / 340-355F. Fry the crumbed mushrooms in batches, turning, until deep golden and crisp all over, 3-4 minutes. Because the caps are already cooked, the fry is purely about colour, crunch and melting the cheese. Drain on kitchen paper and season with a little salt. Lighter method: spray with oil and oven-bake or air-fry at 200C / 400F for 15-18 minutes, turning once.
STEP 7: PLATE AND SERVE
Swipe or quenelle the chutney onto warm plates. Sit the crisp mushrooms alongside and halve one to reveal the molten spiced centre. Scatter the reserved pomegranate seeds and coriander, add a lemon wedge, and serve immediately while the shell is crisp and the cheese is molten.
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