Drain and rinse the beans, then let them sit in a strainer for at least five minutes to drain well. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and preheat the oven to 415° F (212° C). Once the beans are drained, add them on the parchment-lined baking sheet.

In a small bowl, mix the black pepper, Kashmiri chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and cornstarch, mixing really well. For extra flavor, you can mix in ½ teaspoon of garam masala, as well. Sprinkle this mixture over the beans, tossing them to coat evenly. Drizzle with oil, toss again to coat, and spread the beans in a single layer on the baking sheet.

Bake for about 20 minutes. At the 18- or 20-minute mark, move the beans around so the beans in the center get as crunchy as the ones on the edges. Continue baking, checking every 5 minutes, until they are evenly crispy. If some beans are still not crispy in the middle of the pan, bake for a few more minutes. (10 to 20 minutes depending on beans and oven) Once most of them are somewhat crunchy, turn off the oven and let them sit in the residual heat of the oven for 10 minutes to finish crisping up. Remove from the oven. They’ll be nicely crispy and crunchy, and they’ll be great for snacking. Set aside.

In a blender, add all the Balchao paste ingredients, along with ¾ cup of the water. Blend for one minute, then let the mixture sit for 2 to 3 mins before blending again. If the Kashmiri chilies were not soaked, let the mixture sit for at least five minutes before blending again. Blend for another 30 seconds, let it sit for two more minutes, and then blend again until smooth. You want all of the spices and the Kashmiri chilis to be blended into the mixture to make a nice, pasty mixture. If it’s too thick, add more water and blend again, so it’s more saucy than it is a thick paste. Set this aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, and once hot, add the curry leaves, onions, ¼ teaspoon salt, and sugar. Mix and cook until the onions turn golden, adding splashes of water to help them cook evenly.

Once the onions are golden, mix in the mushrooms and a splash of water. Cover with a lid, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then open the lid to check if the mushrooms are drying out too much. Mushrooms generally leak a lot of moisture, so they might be fine as-is, but if they’re drying out, add a splash of water, and cover with the lid and cook until they are just about done.(4 to 8 mins depending on the mushroom) Once we add the sauce to it, the mushrooms won’t cook that easily because of the vinegar , so you want them al dente at this point.

Reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the blended Balchao paste and remaining salt. Mix well, cover, and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. If the mixture is boiling too hard around the 5 to 6 minutes mark, reduce the heat to low and stir to prevent scorching on the bottom. You want to cook this sauce low and slow to allow the flavors to meld.

Taste and adjust seasoning and consistency. You can add more water to make it saucier, add some non-dairy yogurt to make it creamier, or add a splash of lemon juice for more tang. Serve balchao mushrooms over with sourdough, naan, rice, flatbread, or over quinoa, a baked potato, or roasted vegetables. Top with the crispy beans and more toppings of choice.