Tasty Thursday- Not So Mellow Mushroom

Mushroom brings back a lot of childhood memories from when it was considered a delicacy and wasn't available as readily. I remember the first time I tried mushroom, it was a simple butter and onion sautéed preparation, an experimental gesture from my mom. Not sure if I liked it back then, but I am sure it was the texture and the wild taste that could possibly have been the deal breaker .
But as my Mom's culinary adventures took shape, the robust flavors of the mushroom unraveled in her dishes and my love for mushroom started to blossom. Amongst all her recipes, Matar ( peas ) Mushroom was my favorite. She would make tomato gravy, poppy seed gravy version of it, but I enjoyed the old school onion and garam masala recipe. I loved it so much that my love for it now reflects through Ribhya's love for it. She likes matar mushroom to the extent that once I gave her mushroom sans peas curry for school lunch which she decided not to eat eat coz guess what ??- 'there was no peas. 'According to her matar mushroom is the only mushroom recipe she thinks mom knows.

So to break this notion of hers, not that I don't make other mushroom dishes, I still tried this corn stuffed mushroom caps, which BTW has become her new favorite. Every time she sees mushroom, she wants me to make this. Trust me it's that delicious and super easy to make.
For this you would need :
8-10 large mushroom heads ( you could use full mushrooms, trim the head and use the rest in the stuffing ) corn kernels - 2 cups  onion- 1/2 chopped tomato ketchup - 2 tbsp  chaat masala - 1 tbsp  paprika for garnish  Italian cheese blend  panko/bread crumbs- 1/2 cup  salt to taste  oil for cooking 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees C. In a pan, pour some oil. When hot sauté the onions. Fry till it becomes translucent. Now add all the above ingredients, except for the cheese, bread crumbs and paprika. Wash and pat try the mushroom heads. This step is very important, otherwise your mushrooms will end up being too soggy.

Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.  Spray some cooking spray. Arrange the mushroom heads and fill them with the corn mix. Sprinkle some cheese and paprika.

I don't yet sprinkle the panko/bread crumb at this point, as it tends to over burn in the 20 minutes of baking time. I prefer to first bake it for ten minutes, then sprinkle the half baked mushrooms with the panko and then continue to bake it for 5 more mins and broil for additional  5 minutes. If you think the mushrooms are done before the 20 minute mark, turn off the oven. You could add a few extra minutes if you think the mushrooms aren't ready. Serve as a snack or a side dish. I promise you will not be disappointed. 

Hope you enjoyed this episode of Tasty Thursday. What other ways do you like your not so mellow mushroom???