King Oyster Mushroom Curry

I am using curry in the most generic sense here because I am not sure what else to call the dish. Its origins are a fish dish in an Indian cookbook I have. There really isn't a vegan substitute for fish, but I thought I would try king oyster mushrooms for something different. In the end, I was a little disappointed with the mushrooms because they were rather tough. Chickpeas or tofu would work just as well with this sauce.

INGREDIENTS

- 4 king oyster mushrooms, thickly sliced

- 1/4 cup lemon juice

- 1/2 tsp tumeric

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 3 tbsp oil

- 1 tbsp sugar

- 1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced

- 1" piece of ginger, minced

- 2 garlic cloves, minced

- 1 tsp coriander

- 1 tsp chili powder

- 1/2 tsp tumeric

- salt to taste

- 3 medium tomatoes, finely chopped

- 1/2 to 3/4 cup veggie broth, or water

- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

METHOD

1. Mix tumeric, salt, and lemon juice together. Toss mushrooms in mixture and set aside for a few mins to let the liquid soak into the mushrooms.

2. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Fry mushrooms for about 5 mins, until they begin to soften. Remove from pan.

3. There should still be oil left in the pan. Make sure there is still about 2 tbsp. Add sugar to the pan and stir until sugar caramelizes. Add onions, ginger and garlic and fry until a nice golden brown (about 8-10 mins).

4. Add spices and mix well. Add tomatoes and cook until they reduce into a paste. Add enough water to get the consistency you are looking for, and season to taste. Stir in cilantro and add mushroom back to the pan. Cook until mushrooms are done. Serve over rice.