Crispy Schezwan Mushroom

Steps

1. 1
   Prep vegetables: cut capsicum into triangular pieces, slice onions into petal-shaped pieces, and separate spring onions into white and green parts. Chop the green part finely for garnish and roughly chop the white part.
2. 2
   Prepare the aromatic base: roughly chop green chillies, garlic, ginger, and coriander stems, then grind them together in a food processor until coarsely chopped.
3. 3
   Make red chilli paste: soak dried Kashmiri red chillies (after removing seeds) in warm water for 15-20 minutes until softened, then blend with a little water into a fine paste.
4. 4
   Prepare mushrooms: use fresh quality button mushrooms, wash and pat dry. Trim the stems, halve medium-sized mushrooms and quarter larger ones for even cooking.
5. 5
   Blanch mushrooms: bring a pot of water to a rolling boil (without salt), add mushrooms to blanch them, and prepare a bowl of ice water for cooling.
6. 6
   Coat and first frying: drain and cool the blanched mushrooms. Lightly coat them with a mixture of cornstarch and dry flours, being careful not to coat too heavily. Fry in oil until partially cooked and beginning to crisp.
7. 7
   Prepare sauce: heat oil in a pan, sauté the aromatic base (green chilli, garlic, ginger, coriander mixture), then add the red chilli paste and other seasonings, cooking until fragrant.
8. 8
   Flash fry and final cooking: do a second quick fry of the partially cooked mushrooms until completely crispy. Toss the fried mushrooms into the sauce, add capsicum and onion, and stir-fry everything together until well coated and evenly colored.
9. 9
   Plate: transfer the crispy schezwan mushroom to a serving plate, garnish with the finely chopped green spring onion, and serve immediately.