Description:
Most restaurants serve a free side gravy as accompaniment for biryani which taste ridiculously amazing.. We usually get these in small portions packed in tiny cartons and enjoy licking every last bit of it. I was trying to replicate something similar and ended up with this recipe which I can guarantee restaurant quality. This gravied curry shared here is all -purpose, can be made with or without meat, goes very well with any kind of biryani / pulao / paratha / idli / dosai or even with plain basmati rice. My version shared here is very very spicy, you can literally feel your tastebuds jerking!!
Restaurant Style Gravy / Chalna / Salna / Side Gravy / Biryani Side / Saagu / chaaru / Gravied curry
| Ingredients- 1 | |
|---|---|
| 2 nos | Dry red chili |
| 1 tbsp | Corainder seeds |
| 1/2 tsp | Cumin seeds |
| 1 tsp | Black peppercorns |
| 1/2 tsp | Fennel seeds |
| 1/2 ” inch | Cinnamon stick |
| 2 nos | Cloves |
| 1 no | Green cardamom |
| 1 petal | Star anise |
| Ingredients-2 | |
|---|---|
| 15 nos | Small onion |
| 2 nos | Green Chili |
| 5 cloves | Garlic |
| 1 inch | Ginger |
| Ingredients-3 | |
|---|---|
| 2 nos | Bay leaves |
| 1/2 tsp | kasuri methi (Dry fenugreek leaves) |
| 1 tsp | Kashmiri Chili powder |
| 1 tsp | Coriander powder |
| 1/4 tsp | Turmeric powder |
| 5 nos | Curry leaves |
| 2 tbsp | Coriander leaves (chopped) |
| 3 tbsp | Oil |
| 2 nos | Tomato |
| 1 tsp | Fresh ground coconut paste |
| 1 1/2 tsp | salt |
| 1/2 cup | Water (only if necessary) |
Instruction:
First step is to make a spice powder. Combine all ingredients in table-1 and dry grind to fine powder. (Dry roasting is not required)
Second step is to finely mince all the wet ingredients. This is really the key…. make sure you mince the onion, green chili ginger and garlic. If that’s a hard task then put them in the mixie along with ground spice powder and just use the pulse setting twice. (Do not add water, just run the mixie to mince them)
Heat oil in a pan and add bay leaves, dry fenugreek and curry leaves. Let them sizzle, then add the ground paste and keep frying over medium flame for about 1o minutes. You have fry till the onion mixture gets rid of the raw smell. Now add the chopped tomatoes, red chili powder, coriander, turmeric powder and salt. Cook for another 10 minutes. The gravy will look slightly watery at this stage.
Keep sauteing until the oil separates. Once the gravy looks dark brown as shown, you are ready to add any kind of meat or veggie.
Veggie options: Mushroom / Potato or Long Green Peppers suits well for this gravy.
Non- Veg options: Bony parts of Chicken or Mutton, Prawn/Shrimp, Boiled Eggs.
After adding any one of the options above make sure you include little water to cook them thoroughly.
Last part is to add the teaspoon of ground coconut paste which gives good consistency. Simmer for few minutes and garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.
Gravy consistency can be either adjusted with water or coconut paste.
1. For thick dark brown gravy – No coconut paste. Just add 1/4 cup water and simmer.
2. For light brown gravy – 1 tsp of coconut paste + 1/2 cup water.
3. For thin yellowish gravy – 4 tbsp coconut paste + 1 cup of water.
Serve with biryani, boiled eggs and raita. Bookmark this for your Special Sunday Meals.
Notes:
This recipe will yield just enough gravy to feed 3 adults. You may adjust with water or coconut milk if you have few unexpected guests.
This version is very very spicy, so please cut down on the chilies if you are feeding the kids.
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Hiii Mullai, it’s been a long time. Tried this again today, as usual yummy !! Thanks great Chef !
Hi Mullai,
Are the 15 “small onions” mentioned in the Ingredients-2 chinna vengayam/sambar onions or shallots that you get in american/chinese grocery stores. It looks shallots in the second photo. Please clarify. Also, I don’t have kasuri methi leaves. Will not using it make any difference to the taste?
Ravi,
Sambar onions/chinna vengayam which is also called as pearl onions can be used, shallots (typically in American grocery stores are slightly big in size) are fine too… if they are really big then cut down to 7-8 count. You can even use regular onions (1 count) but you have to fry for longer time to get the raw smell off it,if you mess/ under cook then it spoils the whole dish. Kasuri methi is for added flavor, skip if you don’t have. Hope this helps. Thanks.
simply super
a BIGGGGG Thanks ….Looking for this recipe for a long time ….
Mullai IS THE BEST !!!
Mullai
You are the reason why I became a member here I hv tried sm of ur recipes They are awesome dear… I will try this too
Is it really 15 small onions in table 2 or do you mean shallots?
Excellent gravy!
Dear Mullai,
I tried the gravy. It was so tasty. Please, can you teach me how to make same masala taste channa which they serve in Chennai. Thanks for sharing your talent with us.
viji.
very very tasty… i only added paneer its was mind blowing the whole house is aromatic …. thanks a lot
Hi Mullai , Today i tried this recipe , came out good, but the gravy was dark brown in colour. may be you know why ?
I did this gravy it was awesome.but I did not get the thickness,can i know why?
Its one serious Chalna recipe.. Loved it. Although toned it down to suit kids..Thanks much.
Hi Mullai,
I tried out this recipe today.. It came out great! Thank you so much ..
Hi Mullai, this gravy is spicy n delicious..prepared it with egg n enjoyed it with Roti’s n white rice..thanks for the recipe!
Can I use big red onions instead of small? If so, how many should I use?
Glitter, you can make with regular onions too but then you have fry little longer to get rid of the raw smell. I would say about 1 cup of chopped onions should be good for this recipe. Thanks.
This is a super dupper hit recipe. I tried with potato and peas and got a 5 star from everyone who ate it. Thank you very much !
Dear Mullai Akka, Your like my god mother for cooking.. wishing to see u one day:)
Hi Mullai,
Tried this with mushroom and had with Roti and also rice..came really awesome.much appreciated at home.
Measurements ellam pakka…Adhu eppadi ippadi kalakureenga..?
I have always tried ur recipes with the measurements u specify and it has never gone wrong..always hit only…thanks for ur great work.,..
can we use this gravey for paneer sabji as well…
Khushi,
Paneer doesn’t have any taste of its own so its advisable to add some kind of a vegetable stock to the gravy and then add paneer. Thanks.
Hai Mullai
I am Nirupama , Your site is very useful for the beginners and also aragurai samayal like me..Weekly Once or twice i am trying ur dishes, came out very well.. that too your dishes looks very tempting and delicious to cook and eat… Thats shows ur passion in cooking. i cant find more spicy fish curries. if u can kindly upload.
Thanks a lot Mullai
Keep going
hi mullai,
Today i made paneer paratha, vegetable biryani and the side gravy of the biryani, chana masala and pakoda for dinner party. Everything came out superb. I little bit scary to invite friends for lunch, now i thought i am good in cook because of u. I am specially thanking u for ur wonderful work.
Now a days if i tried anything new means my hubby isn’t scary because i told him this is mullai special.
Thanks a lot
Anitha
Mullai, tried and cameout superb. Had with rice and dosas sema taste. Perfect for biryani’s…Thanx again for posting it for me dear.
Made the side dish yesterday. It was amazing Mullai. We had it for Idlis. Added milk and water to adjust the gravy consistency.
Thanks Mullai, always wanted to make this gravy and mine was never close to the restaurant taste. Sure to include this next time I make Biriyani. Going to add some cooked Mutton elumbu
Pictures look pretty good. But, gravy has way too much of oil.
Thank you. I’ve been looking for this recipe for years! I will try it for sure.
This site is useful for the beginners just like me. thanks a lot………………..
yummm…
Mullai Ma’am,
I hosted a party on sunday for 10 guests and most of the recipes were yours. Did Palak Paneer, Zunka, Veg Biryani from your version and the accolades that I got were great. I shared your site as the source. Oops…a bit late on this kurma but never mind…will do this during the next party as a side for biryani…..Thanks a lot for your hard work and passion…
thanks a lot Mullai,it looks tempting,will try tomorrow
Mullai i’m really glad that you posted this recipe especially for me…Thanx a loooooooooot. Will try sooooon. Thanx again dear.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAmazing will definitely try and psot the results.
Cap, Ithu ungalukkaga!! Neenga keta all -purpose kara saramaana kuzhambu. I know that you are vegetarian, but if you are by any chance an eggetarian then boiled eggs pair well with this gravy. Try and let me know. Thanks.