Toasted Mushrooms, Preserved Red Chilies and Cheese Sliders

Winter is in its last leg which means red chilli peppers are soon going to go out of season. This led me to buy them in bulk and look for ways to preserve them. Having made chili garlic chutney a couple of times, I wanted to try something new and found this really easy way to preserve red chillies on It’s Not Complicated. The method is mentioned in detail with clear instructions and explaining the use of each ingredient. I liked it so much that I ended up making two big jars of it. 😀

The chilies taste tangy with a hint of spice. Combine them with mushrooms and you’ll discover nothing but goodness. The way I’ve prepared these sliders makes them light on the tummy yet worth the binge.

This is what you’ll need:-

Toasted Mushroom, Preserved Red Chilies and Cheese Sliders

• Servings: 6
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins
• Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

• 2 cups roughly chopped button mushrooms
• 1 medium-sized red onion cut in julienne
• 2-3 tbsp preserved red chilies (method in the notes below)
• 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
• Salt/ Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 6 slider buns

Directions

Prepare the Filling
1. Add in the preserved red chilies to a shallow pan and sauté on a medium-high flame.
2. Add in the onions and toss till they turn translucent.
3. Next, add in the mushrooms. Give it a good mix and let them cook for 4-5 minutes or until they soften up and shrink.
4. Add in salt and freshly ground black pepper as required. I added only a pinch as the preserved chilies and cheese are well seasoned.
5. Turn up the heat to dry out the remaining moisture in the pan and turn off the flame.

To Assemble the sliders
1. Cut the buns in half and drizzle some oil from the preserved chilies on both sides. I’m using it in place of butter.
2. Place a bit of cheese, followed by the filling, some more cheese and the top.

3. Brush some seasoned oil on top of the buns and place them on a non-stick pan. Keep the flame low.
4. Press them down with the help of a spatula toasting them on all sides.
5. Enjoy as soon as you take them off the pan.

To Prepare Preserved Chillies – Slice your red chillies, soak them in salt and vinegar for 24 hours and drain the liquid. I stored the liquid to use them in gravies, noodles, etc. It gives a nice tang to the dish. Place the chilies in an air tight glass jar and pour sesame/olive oil. With time the oil will get infused with all the vinegar soaked chillies.

Happy Eating 🙂