Food talk
Mushroom mazaa

Preparing vilayati doodhiya khumb requires no culinary expertise. It can be enjoyed by itself or added to colourful partners for creating exotic delicacies,  writes Pushpesh Pant

THERE may be a legion who can’t relish mushrooms unless the palate pleasing and fitness friendly fungi is dowsed in masala-oozing oil and tinted sinister scarlet reeking of garlic and more than laced with tomatoes, pyaaz- shyaaz — we prefer the champignons sans frills.

We have been accused of laziness before and many a friend suspects that we avoid back-breaking labour in the kitchen and hence discover recipes that eschew peeling, slicing, grinding and time consuming stir-frying of spices that has to be patiently supervised. We shall let such slurs pass for the moment. We have always advocated the ‘long scenic route’ over the vulgar short cut but must insist that there are delicate ingredients that deserve a soft touch and taste best unadorned. One doesn’t have to drool thinking of unaffordable morels — common button mushrooms too have hidden charms — a subtle taste — that they yield only to gentler folk.

Vilayati doodhiya khumb we feel has the potential of winning over the whole family. It takes hardly any time to prepare, requires no skills (is impossible to botch up), can be enjoyed by itself or added in a jiffy to colourful partners to create exotic delicacies. It can add body to soups and lend elegant substance to omelettes made with eggwhites. We have substituted ajwaini paranthas topped with vilayati doodhiya khumb for mushrooms on toast and have taken great delight in it. And, a few rings of onions and tomatoes slices with matchsticks fashioned from gingers paired with this stuff makes a greet filling for wraps.

A word or two in explanation of the prefix Vilayati are perhaps in order.`A0 Just a pinch of mixed herbs — oregano, rosemary, thyme has a magical effect in making the milkfed babe come alive. If you continue to be committed to swadeshi in the era of globalisation, the same jaadu can be invoked with shahi zeera and freshly ground kali mirch and a small pinch of saunf powder. To be honest, the East-West jugalbandi works best. Happy eating.

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