Plain Salna (Parotta Salna)
Salna is one of the best side-dishes in the South, traditionally served with parotta at roadside hotels across Tamil Nadu. Plain (or 'Empty') Salna is a completely vegetarian, tomato-based masala gravy made without any vegetables — it also gets used for kothu parotta.
Ingredients
- Dry spices: fennel – 1 tablespoon
- Cumin – 1 tablespoon
- Dalchini – 1/2 tablespoon
- Cardamom – 1
- Cloves – 2
- Star anise – 1
- Turmeric powder – 1/4 tablespoon
- Chilli powder – 1 tablespoon
- Coriander powder
- Salt – as per taste
- Other ingredients: vegetable oil – 2 tablespoon
- Onion (2 medium), diced – 1 cup
- Cashews – 5 to 6
- Ginger, peeled and chopped – 1/2 inch
- Desiccated coconut – 3 tablespoon
- Coriander leaves – 1 bunch, chopped
- Curry leaves – 1 bunch
- Tomato (3 medium), diced – 1.5 cups
- Garlic, peeled – 2 cloves
- 1 cup of water
Method
- 1
Heat a pan with 1 tbsp oil on low-medium heat. Add the fennel, cumin, dalchini, cloves, and cardamom; stir until aromatic.
- 2
Add onion, ginger, garlic, and cashews. Stir for 5 minutes till the onion turns translucent.
- 3
Add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes till soft and mushy — don't overcook since it will be blended.
- 4
Turn off the stove, add the desiccated coconut, and cool to room temperature.
- 5
Transfer to a blender and grind until smooth, adding a little water if needed.
- 6
Heat a pan on medium-low with the remaining 1 tbsp oil. Add curry leaves and stir a few seconds.
- 7
Add the ground paste, then turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder, and salt; mix well.
- 8
Add water and mix again. Lower the heat, cover, and cook for 10-12 minutes until the gravy reaches the right consistency and releases oil at the surface.
- 9
Mix in fresh coriander leaves. Serve hot with parotta, dosa, or idli.
