Rugra Curry
Veg
Vegan
Wild forest mushrooms (rugra) foraged during the monsoon from Jharkhand's sal and mahua forests, cooked with mustard oil, onion, green chillies, and turmeric in a simple, earthy preparation. Rugra is prized by tribal communities for its dense, meaty texture and intensely savoury flavour; when cooked it darkens and contracts, releasing a deep umami into the cooking liquid.
Cuisines
Jharkhand
Best for
Lunch
Dinner
Recipe
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 45 min
2-3 servings
Ingredients
| 200 grams | rugra mushrooms |
| 1 tablespoon | mustard oil |
| 1 teaspoon | panch phoron |
| 1 medium | onion, finely chopped |
| 2 cloves | garlic, minced |
| 1 inch | ginger, grated |
| 1 medium | tomato, chopped |
| 1 teaspoon | turmeric powder |
| 1 teaspoon | red chili powder |
| 1 teaspoon | coriander powder |
| 1 cup | water |
| — | salt to taste |
| 1 handful | fresh coriander leaves, chopped |
Instructions
- 1 Clean the rugra mushrooms thoroughly under running water to remove any dirt.
- 2 Heat mustard oil in a pan until it starts to smoke, then reduce the heat.
- 3 Add panch phoron to the oil and let it splutter for a few seconds.
- 4 Add the chopped onion to the pan and sauté until it turns golden brown.
- 5 Stir in the minced garlic and grated ginger, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
- 6 Add the chopped tomato and cook until it softens and blends with the onion mixture.
- 7 Mix in the turmeric powder, red chili powder, and coriander powder, stirring well.
- 8 Add the cleaned rugra mushrooms to the pan and stir to coat them with the spices.
- 9 Pour in the water, add salt to taste, and bring the mixture to a boil.
- 10 Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pan, and let it cook for 15-20 minutes until the mushrooms are tender.
- 11 Garnish with fresh coriander leaves before serving.
Tips
Ensure the rugra mushrooms are thoroughly cleaned as they can have a lot of dirt. Adjust the spice levels to your preference.