Side Gravy for Biryani is a side dish/ chalna kind of gravy that is usually served along with biryani. 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 (Long) Dry red chili
- 1 tablespoon Coriander seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon Black peppercorns
- 1/2 teaspoon Fennel seeds
- 1/2 inch Cinnamon stick
- 2 Cloves
- 1 Green cardamom
- 1 Star anise (just one petal)
Ingredients – 2
- 15 (about 1 cup) Small onion (pearl onions, shallots, sambar onions)
- 2 Green Chilies
- 5 cloves Garlic
- 1 inch Ginger
Ingredients- 3
- 2 Bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon Kasuri methi (Dry fenugreek leaves)
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri Chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 5 Curry leaves
- 2 tablespoons Coriander leaves (chopped)
- 3 tablespoons Oil
- 2 small Tomato (1/2 cup)
- 1 teaspoon Fresh ground coconut paste
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 cup Water (only if necessary)
Lets see how to make this Side gravy for biryani…
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.
- Use small sambar onions for grinding. Big raw onions are very strong in taste and needs to be finely minced and sautied. Do not grind them, your gravy will be tasting bitter.
- Please make sure your ground masala is sauteid well to remove all the raw smell before you add in the coconut paste.
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