Mushroom 65 Recipe

Prepare mushrooms

Clean the mushrooms by wiping with a damp cloth or quickly rinsing and patting dry. Trim any tough stems and halve or quarter large caps so pieces are roughly uniform (about 2–3 cm pieces). Pat completely dry.

Make batter

In a bowl, combine all-purpose flour, rice flour, cornstarch, red chili powder, garlic-ginger paste, freshly ground black pepper, and salt. Gradually add cold water (about 120 ml) while whisking to make a smooth, slightly thick batter that coats the back of a spoon. If you want extra crispness, whisk in 1 tsp cornstarch slurry at the end. Batter should be thick but pourable — adjust with small amounts of water or flour to reach this consistency.

Coat mushrooms

Toss the dried mushroom pieces in the batter so each piece is well coated. Let rest for 5 minutes to allow the batter to adhere.

Heat oil

Pour 400–600 ml vegetable oil into a wide, deep pan or wok to a depth of about 3–4 cm and heat over medium-high until it reaches 175°C (350–360°F). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a little batter — it should sizzle and rise steadily without burning immediately.

Fry in batches

Working in batches to avoid crowding, carefully slide coated mushroom pieces into the hot oil. Fry 3–4 minutes per batch, turning once, until golden-brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Maintain oil temperature between batches (adjust heat as needed).

Optional double-fry for extra crispness

If you want extra-crisp Mushroom 65, allow the first fry pieces to cool for 3–4 minutes, then briefly return them to the hot oil for 30–45 seconds to finish.

Prepare sauce mixture

In a small bowl, whisk together red chili sauce, tomato ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and 30 ml water until smooth. Taste and adjust heat or sweetness to preference.

Sauté aromatics

In a large skillet or wok, heat 2–3 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add julienned ginger, sliced garlic, slit green chilies and curry leaves. Sauté 20–30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.

Combine sauce and mushrooms

Pour the prepared sauce into the skillet and bring to a gentle simmer for 30 seconds so it thickens slightly. Add the fried mushroom pieces and toss quickly and gently in the sauce for 1–2 minutes until evenly coated and glossy. Avoid over-stirring which can break the mushroom coating.

Transfer Mushroom 65 to a serving plate. Sprinkle with chopped coriander and sliced spring onions. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing. Optional: accompany with a cooling yogurt dip or raita.