Mushroom

The West and other parts of the world have long used mushrooms as a compliment to and in place of meat. That is because of their umami flavor found in meat that is rare in vegetables. Mushrooms also provide more chew, as meat does. Given the prevalence of vegetarian food, mushrooms have not historically been found in Indian cuisine. The one exception is morel mushrooms, which are highly prized in Kashmir. I've been using mushrooms in masalas and biryani for many years, so it has been fun to watch as mushrooms have gained much popularity in India.