Dhingri dolma is a delicious, mildly spiced, semi-dry curry recipe from the Awadhi cuisine featuring earthy button mushrooms and soft paneer (Indian cottage cheese) in a savory base of onions, tomatoes, herbs and a special spice – caraway seeds (shahi jeera). This dish makes for an easy and quick weekend or weeknight meal paired with roti, naan or bread.
About Dhingri Dolma
Mushrooms specifically, fresh or dried oyster mushrooms are called as “Dhingri” or “Dingri” in North India. The word Dolma or Dulma means a dish made with stuffed vegetables. While in this recipe, there is no stuffing involved. So I am not sure why the word ‘Dolma’ is used for the recipe name.
This Dhingri Dolma recipe is an amazing dish and a regular at my place. If you like mushrooms and paneer, then I am sure you will love this dish. It is also a healthy and protein rich dish.
The umami mushrooms and tender paneer are cooked in a lightly spiced onion-tomato base. The recipe is from the Awadhi cuisine and Awadhi cuisine comes from the city of Lucknow.
I had heard and seen the unique name of this recipe in the menu of many Awadhi restaurants. Little did I know then, that this recipe was made from mushrooms and paneer.
Later I read about this recipe while in my college, and came to know that this recipe is made from mushrooms and paneer. Never tried it then and even later this recipe faded from my memory.
A decade back, I again came across this recipe in Jiggs Kalra’s book “Prashad – Cooking with Indian Masters” and decided to adapt it.
It was amazingly simple, easy and quick to make and tasted great. From the time I have adapted the recipe, I have made it many times now and thus have also updated the post with better photos.
In fact the recipe is so quick, that when I have mushrooms and paneer in the refrigerator, I make this dish. I just need to pair it with roti or naan.
The recipe calls for one unique spice – Shahi Jeera also known in English as Caraway seeds. These are slightly thinner and darker than the regular cumin seeds and have a unique aroma than regular cumin seeds. They are sweeter than cumin seeds.
Shahi Jeera is quite often used in Mughlai cuisine. I also add them to Veg Biryani, Veg Pulao and in some more Mughlai recipes that I make.
In this colorful recipe, both mushrooms and paneer are sautéed with shahi jeera, onion and tomatoes together with a few more herbs and spices. You can also use tofu instead of paneer.
While I prefer to make this dish with button mushrooms, you can make it with dhingri a.k.a fresh or dried oyster mushrooms. You can also make it with king oyster mushroom or shiitake or cremini mushrooms. If using dried mushrooms, then rinse and rehydrate them in water before adding to the recipe.
Serve dhingri dolma with roti, naan, paratha or as a side with veg pulao or jeera rice. You can also serve this delectable mushroom paneer curry with bread.
How to make Dhingri Dolma
1. Firstly prep up by rinsing or wiping 200 to 250 grams of button mushrooms. Slice or chop the mushrooms. Also chop 1 medium onion and cut 1 large tomato in 1 cm cubes. Crush 1 inch ginger and 3 to 4 garlic to a paste in a mortar-pestle.
2. Crumble 250 grams of paneer and keep aside. You can also grate the paneer.
3. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter or ghee in a pan. You can also use 2 tablespoons oil instead of butter.
4. Add ½ teaspoon shahi jeera (caraway seeds) and saute till they splutter.
5. Then add 1 medium sized chopped onion (about ⅓ cup chopped onion).
6. Saute the onions stirring often till they turn light brown on a medium-low to medium heat.
7. Next add 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste and saute for a few seconds or till the raw aroma of the ginger garlic paste goes away.
8. Now add 1 large tomato, cut in 1 cm cubes (about ¾ cup tomato cubes).
9. Then add the spice powders – ¼ teaspoon red chili powder and ½ teaspoon black pepper or white pepper powder.
10. Stir very well and saute till the tomatoes soften on a medium-low heat.
11. Now add 200 to 250 grams sliced or chopped mushrooms.
12. Stir well.
13. Begin to sauté them on a low to medium heat, stirring occasionally on medium-low to medium heat.
14. The mushrooms would first begin to release water.
15. Sauté till all the water dries up. In the below photo, there is still some water left. So continue to sauté until there is no water in the pan.
16. A light browning of the mushrooms along the edges is also fine.
17. Now add the grated or crumbled paneer.
17. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder and salt as per taste.
18. Stir and mix the paneer with the rest of the ingredients. Cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute on a low heat
19. Switch off the heat and add 2 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves and 1 inch ginger julienne.
20. Stir and mix.
21. Serve dhingri dolma hot or warm with Roti, Naan, Paratha, tandoori roti or chapati. You can also serve them with bread.
Few more Mushroom recipes for you!
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Dhingri Dolma
Ingredients
- 250 grams Paneer crumbled or grated
- 200 to 250 grams button mushrooms sliced or chopped
- 1 medium onion chopped or ⅓ cup chopped onion
- 1 large tomato cut in 1 cm cubes or ¾ cup tomato cubes
- 1 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste or 1 inch ginger ginger + 3 to 4 garlic cloves, crushed in mortar-pestle
- ½ teaspoon caraway seeds (shahi jeera)
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper powder or white pepper powder
- 2 tablespoons Butter or ghee or oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
- ¼ teaspoon Garam Masala
- 1 inch ginger julienne
- salt as required
Instructions
Preparation
- Rinse or wipe dry the button mushrooms. Slice or chop the mushrooms.
- Also chop the onions and cut the tomatoes in cubes.
- Crush the ginger and garlic to a paste in a mortar-pestle.
- Grate the paneer or you can crumble it also.
Making Dhingri Dolma
- Melt butter or ghee in a pan. You can also use oil instead of butter.
- Add the caraway seeds (shahi jeera) and sauté till they splutter.
- Then add onions and saute them stirring often till they turn light brown on medium-low to medium heat.
- Next add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a few seconds or till the raw aroma of the ginger garlic paste goes away.
- Now add the tomatoes.
- Then add the spice powders – red chili powder and black pepper or white pepper powder.
- Stir very well and saute till the tomatoes soften on medium-low heat.
- Now add the chopped mushrooms. Stir them well and begin to saute them.
- The mushrooms would first begin to release water. Sauté on a medium-low to medium heat stirring occasionally, till the all the water dries up.
- A light browning of the mushrooms along the edges is alright.
- Now add the grated or crumbled paneer.
- Sprinkle garam masala powder and salt as required.
- Stir and mix the paneer with the rest of the ingredients. On a low heat cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute and then switch off the heat.
- Lastly add the chopped coriander leaves and ginger julienne. Mix well.
- Serve dhingri dolma hot or warm with roti, naan or chapati. You can also serve them with whole wheat bread.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Dhingri Dolma post from the archives (August 2010) has been republished and updated on 14 September 2021.
The pictures described the cooking extreme well. I cooked it following the recipe and it turned out very good. This is my first Awadhi cooking. I did not know anything about this cooking before. One change I made: I used kalonji whole spice as I thought Sachi Kira is that. I never used karaway seeds. Thanks for sharing it.
thank you debu. glad to know. awadhi food takes usually longer time to cook, but the results are too good and worth the effort and time spend. awadhi cuisine comes from lucknow. caraway seeds are shahi jeera. but with kalonji also the recipe will taste good.
Hi… Paneer butter masala recipe & mushroom curry very amazing dish.
Hi, xlnt, for a Tamil person, name is very different but dish was amazing. Felt it would be very nice for a Kathi roll too. Thanks a lot. Love and prayerful wishes. DK
thank you durga ji. good to know you liked the recipe.
I don’t eat mushrooms…so plz tell me d replacement
neha, use any other veggie like cauliflower, peas, potatoes etc.
Thanku mam really gud understanding explanation.
thankyou pavithra 🙂
what e use instead of mushroom becoz elergy of mushroom
palak, instead of mushroom add some other veggie like cauliflower or potatoes.
Nice
Caraway is often called Black Cumin, as is Kalonji, but they are different from another Black Cumin (Kala Jeera) – and although caraway is similar they are quite distinct.
i know. but the thing is both are called as kala jeera 🙂
tried out this yesterday… superb 🙂 my son said mom it tasted like restaurant .. thanks.. one addition i added a bit of kasuri methi and little cream too
thanks for the feedback shipra. yes it is restaurant kind ones and your son was right. kasuri methi and cream is a nice addition.
Just what is Garam Masala Powder Can not find it.
lenny, garam masala is a spice blend of many spices which are warming in nature. you should get it in a good super store selling indian food stuff and spices.
Tried it today……..it turned out awesome…..I thought dingri dolma is mushrooms and peas…..anyways it tasted good…..
thanks anitha for the positive feedback.
hi
i want to try dhingri dolma but I am allergic to mushroom.
What can i use instead of mushroom?
you can try using veggies like potatoes, peas, cauliflower. but then the recipe won’t be called dhingri dolma 🙂
Hi
I tried it today and liked it.
Did not take much time and needs very little preparation….. Although I had to use regular jira but it did taste good. Next time will try it with shaha jira…
Thanks a lot for sharing it….,,
-shri
welcome shri and thanks for sharing your positive feedback.
I tried this recipe today for my hubby as he was coming home from a long tour….n wanted to cook something special….
He loved it!!!!…..
thanks garima.
I like the dhingri dolma recipe.
This was super yummy.Thanks for the recipe
welcome vini
I tried this.this was too good.thanks for the recipe.
Vini
thanks for the feedback vini.
Awesome recipe….totally loved it 🙂
Thanks for sharing !!!
welcome MSK
This is a Sanjeev Kapoor recipe
dear viv, this is not a sanjeev kapoor recipe. i have already mentioned the source of this recipe in the post. the recipe has been adapted from jigg’s kalra’s book – prashad: cooking with the indian masters. weird and strange it may sound, but till date on my blog, i have never adapted any sanjeev kapoor’s recipe.
Hello Dassana,
Tried the above recipe & it turned out superb! Will post in my blog soon.
thanks supriya. glad to know that the recipe was superb. will wait for your post.
Lovely recipe will surely try them
the combination of mushroom and paneer in this delectable lightly spiced recipe is awesome. do try this one….
This is one of my favourite dishes, although I prefer large cubes of paneer rather than grated. Having more liquid in it also makes it go fantastically with steamed white rice.
thanks for your comment aj…..