Peanut Butter-Tandoori Mushroom Pita Sandwiches from Mother Tongue

"The only binary rule here regards the peanut butter: you simply must use crunchy, smooth just won't do! Load the pittas to bursting point with the scorched masala mushrooms, a good splodge of mango chutney and even more peanuts for extra crunch."

- Gurdeep Loyal

Mushrooms & peanut butter go together like basketball & rap music. I'm really happy we were able to make these PB & tandoori mushroom pita sandwiches. Maybe haven't been this happy since I went to Smokin Grooves. Feelin' like a cool princess.

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PB & Mushroom Pita Sandwiches can really brighten up your day!

Kat put in most of the prep work herself. She loves Mother Tongue. It's all about the cover with her.

Mother Tongue

These PB & tandoori mushroom pita sandwiches come from Mother Tongue: Flavours of a Second Generation by Gurdeep Loyal.

Mushrooms are the supreme non-binary ingredient, existing somewhere between plant and animal worlds, with not two but thousands of sexes, each of which can mate with any other. In fact, there could truly be no more fitting a flavour vehicle for the culinary embodiment of 'middleness' that is third-culture cooking.

This recipe brings the ethos of the tandoori clay oven to the home kitchen, with a robust masala paste containing crunchy peanut butter for rich nuttiness along with the crucial ability to burnish the mushrooms to that delicious char synonymous with tandoori cooking.

Peanut Butter-Tandoori Mushroom Pita Sandwiches

Ingredients

• peanut butter - must be crunchy, but you can take your chances with the smooth
• tandoori masala - you can purchase this blend or make it yourself using cumin, coriander, fennel, black peppercorns, cardamom, aniseed, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, mace, chilli powder, turmeric, and saffron.
• ginger - freshly grated
• garlic
• chilli powder
• salt
• flour - gram flour, also known as besan or chickpea flour
• yogurt - plain natural yogurt works best, especially if you're using it to make your own minty yogurt
• lemon - you'll need the zest and the juice of a large lemon
• mushrooms - grab a mix. Gurdeep recommends shiitake, chestnut, enoki, and oyster, but you can use mushrooms you like that are accessible to you
• pita bread - toasted or if you're kids are like mine, skip the toasting
• mango chutney - can be found at the market or online
• peanuts - shelled, unsalted peanuts, crushed are recommended
• pickled ginger
• coriander leaves
• minty yogurt

Equipment

• prep bowls
• utility knife
• cutting board
• molcajete y tejolote
• paddle grater
• spoon or spatula
• measuring spoons
• plastic wrap
• baking sheet
• aluminum foil
• griddle

Prep the Mushrooms, Garlic, Mint, & Ginger

Wash your hands with soap and water. Use a knife and a cutting board to halve the mushrooms, and chop the garlic and mint.

Place them in clean bowls. Use a paddle grater to grate the ginger into a bowl.

Combine the Spices for the Peanut Butter Paste

If you're making your own tandoori masala, now is the time. Use measuring spoons to add the tandoori masala, chilli powder, and smoked salt to a large bowl.

Use a molcajete as needed to grind the spices.

Combine the Mushrooms, Ginger, Garlic, & the Spices

Add the mushrooms, ginger, and garlic to the bowl with the spices. Stir to combine.

After some time at the molcajete, she decided to take 5, thinking about all the fun spices she played with. I took over, knowing we were all in for a treat if we could maintain our focus to the end.

Add the Flour, Peanut Butter, Yogurt, & Lemon

Use a tablespoon to add the flour, peanut butter, and yogurt to the mushroom mixture. Grate the lemon zest into the bowl, and squeeze the lemon juice into it. Mix it with a spoon or spatula.

Cover & Leave for 15 Minutes

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it aside for 15 minutes.

Transfer to a Baking Sheet & Bake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Remove the plastic wrap from the bowl and spread the mushroom mixture onto the baking sheet. Use a spoon or spatula to spread it out evenly.

Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 20 - 25 minutes, or until the mushrooms are cooked through.

Finish on the Grill

While the mushrooms are baking, preheat the griddle over medium heat. When the mushrooms are done baking, turn off the oven. Transfer the mushrooms to the preheated grill. Cook for 1 - 2 minutes to burnish them on top. Turn off the stove when finished and remove the tandoori mushrooms from heat.

Build Your Best Pita Sandwiches

Stuff the pitas (toasted, if you like) with the tandoori mushrooms. Add the mango chutney, peanuts, pickled ginger, coriander leaves, and minty yogurt.

Enjoy every bite of those spiced-up PB & mushroom pita sandwiches. They're worth it.

Just know that with all that fun, there's gonna be some clean up, and you could be on your own for that part.