Recipe: Mushroom curry with coconut from cookbook author Madhur Jaffrey

Which country has the best vegetarian food in the world?

India according to cookbook author and actress Madhur Jaffrey, who has been consideredthe 'godmother'of Indian cookingfor over 40 years.

"I seem biased and I probably am, but there is no food that compares. There is no food that goes back 2,000, 3,000 years," Jaffrey toldNorth by Northwest host Sheryl MacKay.

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"We worked out not only which are the best nutritious meals to put together which are fully vegetarian, but also the medicinal properties of those spices and seasonings that we use, what goes with what, and what you eat in what season. Our ancestors have worked this out."

That inspired Jaffrey to travel the country and not just collect recipes but watch how other people cook the vegetarian dishes that have been passed down from generations.

The result is her new cookbook Vegetarian India, which is filled with over 200 recipes as well as the fascinating stories and photographs of the people and places behind them.

"There are many recipes that even Indians don't know, because India is so vast," she said.

Jaffrey shared a recipe from her latest cookbook with North by Northwest for Kodava mushroom curry with coconut.

She said the recipe comes from the Kodava people of Kodagu (or Coorg) in Karnatka, a region in southwestern India that has tropical forests, and grows coffee beans, cardamom and black pepper.

Jaffrey said mushrooms make up this curry because during the rainy season the locals forage for many different kinds of wild mushrooms.

But, "this is a dish anyone can make at home, with any mushrooms."

Kodava mushroom curry with coconut

Ingredients:

• A 14-oz can coconut milk, leftundisturbed for 24 hours toallow the cream to rise tothe top
• 1 lb small button mushrooms
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 4 tablespoons olive or peanutoil
• 6 tablespoons peeled andfinely chopped shallots
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon nice red chilipowder
• 23 fresh hot green chilies, slitin half lengthwise or finelychopped
• 1 tablespoon lime juice

Method:

2. Halve the mushrooms. Any large ones may be quartered.Place them all in a bowl and sprinkle the salt and turmeric overthem. Wearing plastic gloves if you wish, as the turmeric canstain, thoroughly rub these flavourings into the mushrooms. Setaside for about 10 minutes.

4. Put the pan back on the stove, turning the heat to medium-low. Add the green chilies and stir a few times. Now add themushrooms and their accumulated liquid. Stir and cook onmedium-high heat for two minutes. Add 3/4cup of the thin coconut milkand bring to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

To hear the full interview listen to the audio labelled: 'Godmother of Indian cooking' Madhur Jaffreytravelled India to research vegetarian dishes for new cookbook