Chilli Mushroom Recipe

Clean and slice mushrooms

Wipe the mushrooms with a damp paper towel to remove dirt. Trim the stems if needed. Slice larger mushrooms in halves or quarters so pieces are roughly bite-sized; keep small ones whole.

Prep aromatics

Peel and mince the garlic, grate the ginger, slice the green chillies lengthwise, and separate/slice the spring onions into white and green parts.

In a small bowl combine tomato ketchup, soy sauce, chilli sauce, red chilli powder, black pepper, vinegar, sugar and salt. Stir until smooth. In a separate small cup, whisk cornstarch into 2 tablespoons water until fully dissolved to make a slurry; set both aside.

Heat a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbs vegetable oil and 1 tbs butter. Once the butter melts and begins to shimmer, add the sliced mushrooms in a single layer. Do not overcrowd; if needed cook in two batches. Let the mushrooms sear without stirring for 2–3 minutes to develop color.

Stir the mushrooms and continue to cook for another 3–4 minutes until they release their moisture and start to brown. If the pan becomes too dry, add a splash (about 1 tsp) of oil.

Push the mushrooms to one side of the pan. Add a small drizzle of oil if pan looks dry, then add minced garlic, grated ginger, and the white parts of the spring onions. Sauté for 30–45 seconds until fragrant but not browned.

Add the sliced green chillies and immediately pour in the prepared sauce. Stir everything together so mushrooms are coated. Scrape any brown bits from the pan into the sauce for extra flavor.

Give the cornstarch slurry a quick re-stir and pour it into the pan. Stir continuously as the sauce heats; it should thicken and become glossy in about 30–60 seconds. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, sugar, or soy sauce as needed.

Turn off the heat and stir in 1/2 tsp sesame oil and the green parts of the spring onions. Toss to combine.

Transfer the chilli mushrooms to a serving plate, sprinkle toasted sesame seeds if using, and garnish with extra sliced spring onion greens.

Serve hot as an appetizer, side, or with steamed rice/noodles.