History:
Ancient Egyptians believed mushrooms were a delicacy reserved for royalty. In traditional Chinese medicine, mushrooms like reishi and shiitake were prized for their healing properties. Romans considered mushrooms ‘the food of the gods’. Mushroom cultivation began in France around the 17th century, particularly with button mushrooms. Over time, mushroom farming spread across Europe, Asia and the Americas. In India, mushroom cultivation began on a larger scale in the 1980s and has been steadily growing ever since.
Production in India
- India is a growing hub for mushroom cultivation, especially button mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, portobello, shiitake and milky mushrooms.
- Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Odisha are major mushroom producers.
- Mushrooms are grown in controlled environments and require less land and water, making them ideal for small-scale and indoor farms.
Culinary Uses
- Mushrooms are incredibly versatile—they can be eaten sautéed, grilled, roasted, stuffed or added to curries, pizzas, pastas, stroganoffs, risottos and soups.
- In Indian cuisine, mushrooms are used in mushroom masala, pulao, biryani, stir-fries, tikkas and even parathas.
Regional Specialities
- Wild mushrooms like rugda, putu and phutka are gathered by Adivasis in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha during the monsoon. They are cooked with mustard oil, chillies and garlic and paired with rice or rice flour.
- Wild mushrooms are stir-fried with smoked pork fat or fermented bamboo shoot in northeast Indian states like Nagaland. They are also sun-dried for chutneys and added to local stews like galho.
- In the Western Ghats of Karnataka, Kerala and Goa, mushrooms known as alekoodi or alambi appear with the first rains. They are sautéed with coconut and curry leaves and served with rice or roti.
- In Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Kashmir, gucchi (morels) are prized and cooked in pulaos or rich gravies. They are also sun-dried and rehydrated for winter cooking.
INTERESTING FACT
- A honey mushroom colony in Oregon, USA, is the largest living organism on Earth. It spans over 2,385 acres—roughly the size of 1,350 football fields. Scientists estimate the organism to be around 8,000 years old.
- Some mushrooms, like truffles, are incredibly expensive and are found using trained dogs or pigs.
RECIPE: CHETTINAD MUSHROOM BIRYANI
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 200 grams mushrooms
- Whole spices to taste: black peppercorns, cloves, star anise, bay leaf, black cardamom and green cardamom
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 1 teaspoon each turmeric powder, chilli powder and coriander powder
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 cup coconut milk
- Salt to taste
- 3 tablespoons oil
For the marination
- Blend together 1 cup coriander leaves, ½ cup mint leaves, 3 green chillies, ½ inch ginger, 3 garlic cloves and 3 tablespoons curd
METHOD
- Wash the mushrooms well and cut them into 2 or 4 parts. In a bowl, add the mushrooms and the blended marinade and mix well. Let them marinate for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, wash and soak the basmati rice for half an hour.
- Add oil to a thick-bottomed pan.
- Once the oil is heated, add all the whole spices followed by the onion. Sauté till the onion is golden brown.
- Add the tomatoes and let them cook well. Add the powdered spices followed by the marinated mushrooms.
- Mix everything well and cook with the lid on.
- Once the mushrooms have softened, add 1 cup of coconut milk.
- Now add 2 cups of water and let it all boil together.
- Once the water is boiled, add the salt and the soaked and drained basmati rice.
- Mix and let them cook together.
- Once the water is soaked and the rice is cooked, turn the heat off.
- Serve with raita.
Warning: Ask a parent or adult to help with this recipe.
Recipe credit: Mayura Sidharth. You can reach her on
Instagram and Facebook @thetinytiffins
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