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Mushroom tikka

Mushroom tikka is a newer member of the Punjabi tikka family, popular in Delhi restaurants and at North Indian weddings, where it sits next to the paneer tikka on the starter counter. Whole button mushrooms soak up a smoky, tangy yogurt marinade and turn juicy and meaty in a hot oven, with charred onion and pepper on the same skewer. The mistake is rinsing the mushrooms under the tap: they absorb water, the marinade slides off and they stew rather than char. Wipe them clean with a damp cloth instead. Chef's tip: roast them hot and fast; too long in the oven and they shrink and leak all their juice.

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