About Tawa Mushroom

‘Tawa’ in Hindi refers to a concave-shaped flat pan. Food cooked on a tawa has a distinct flavor compared to food cooked in a kadai (wok) or handi (pot). The vegetables caramelize and cook faster on a tawa, imparting a unique caramelized taste to the dish. The same goes with this recipe of Tawa Mushroom. North Indian cuisine is renowned for its rich and aromatic flavors, and Tawa Mushroom is a perfect example of this culinary tradition. Cooked on a flat griddle or tawa, this dish showcases the earthiness of mushrooms enhanced by a blend of robust spices and a tangy onion-tomato base. The result is a savory, mouthwatering dish that’s delightful to eat. The key to a great Tawa Mushroom lies in the quality of the ingredients. Fresh button mushrooms are the star of this dish, chosen for their firm texture and ability to absorb flavors. These mushrooms are complemented by a medley of onions, tomatoes, and capsicum (green bell pepper), which add sweetness, tanginess, and a slight crunch. The spices are essential in creating the deep, layered flavors characteristic of North Indian cuisine. The recipe I follow for this Tawa Mushroom is the same as that of my recipe of Tawa Paneer. Beyond chopping mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes, there is no additional preparation required for this recipe. Make sure to use a medium or large tawa, so that the food does not spill from the sides while cooking. It is quick and easy to make, serving as an excellent side dish with Roti, bread, or dal and rice. It is also convenient to pack in a tiffin box. What to do if you don’t have a tawa If you do not have a tawa, then the next best option is to use a shallow frying pan to make this Tawa Mushroom.

How to make Tawa Mushroom

Sauté Aromatics

  1. Place a heavy medium or large tawa on the stovetop. First, heat it on medium flame. When the tawa gets hot, reduce the heat to low.
  2. Add 2 tablespoons salted butter. You can also use oil instead of butter.
  3. Add ¼ teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain) and ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. Ajwain gives a good aroma in the dish. If you do not have carom seeds, then skip them.
  4. Next, add ⅓ heaped cup chopped onions.
  5. Stir and begin to sauté on low to medium heat.
  6. Sauté until the onions soften and turn translucent.
  7. Next, add ½ teaspoon ginger-garlic paste.
  8. Sauté until the raw aroma of ginger-garlic fades away.

Sauté Tomatoes

  1. Now, add 1 cup finely chopped tomatoes and 1 to 2 chopped green chilies.
  2. Mix well and lower the heat.
  3. Cover the onion-tomato mixture with a lid and cook on low heat for 4 to 5 minutes.  Check once or twice, just to make sure that the mixture is not sticking on the tawa.
  4. After 4 to 5 minutes, the tomatoes will soften.
  5. Using a potato masher, mash the tomatoes once they have softened.
  6. You don’t need to make a smooth mush of the tomatoes. Just roughly mash the tomatoes.

Sauté Further

  1. Next, add ½ cup finely chopped capsicum.
  2. Mix very well.
  3. Sauté the capsicum on low heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
  4. Then, add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon coriander powder, ½ to 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder and 1 teaspoon pav bhaji masala. If you do not have pav bhaji masala, add ½ teaspoon garam masala powder and ¼ teaspoon dried mango powder (amchur powder) instead.
  5. Mix the spice powders very well.

Make Tawa Mushroom

  1. Now, add 2 cups sliced or chopped white button mushrooms. You can also use cremini or portobello mushrooms.
  2. Stir, mix the mushrooms with the onion, capsicum, tomato mixture and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
  3. Then, season with salt as per taste.
  4. Mix again very well.
  5. Add ½ cup water.
  6. Mix well.
  7. Cover with a lid, and on low heat, simmer till the mushrooms are tender and cooked well. It will take about 10 to 12 minutes for the mushrooms to cook.
  8. Check a couple of times and if the water looks dried up, add some more water. In the picture below, the mushrooms are cooked and the gravy is almost reduced. If there is too much of water in the dish, then cook till all of the water evaporates. This Tawa Mushroom is dry to semi-dry with no gravy.
  9. Lastly, add ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves and ¼ teaspoon crushed dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi). Skip kasuri methi, if you do not have it.
  10. Mix very well and sauté for a minute. Turn off the heat.
  11. Serve Tawa Mushroom with chapati or Tandoori Roti or Naan or pudina paratha or bread or as a side dish with dal-rice. Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. Kadai Mushroom Recipe (3 Ways) Matar Mushroom Mushroom Masala | Mushroom Curry (Punjabi Style) Vindaloo Recipe With Mushrooms This Tawa Mushroom recipe from the blog archives was first published on October 2016. It has been updated and republished on May 2024.

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