A fragrant and spicy South Indian egg curry with a thin, coconut-based gravy. This popular street-food style salna from Tamil Nadu is the perfect side dish for parottas, chapatis, or dosas.
Flaky, layered, and irresistibly soft, this South Indian flatbread is a street food classic. Known as Kerala Parotta, it's famous for its intricate layers and chewy texture. Perfect for sopping up rich, spicy curries, making it at home is a rewarding culinary experience.
Creamy, perfectly spiced Egg Salna with flaky Parotta – protein-packed comfort food for any time!
This south_indian dish is perfect for lunch or dinner. With 1133.74 calories and 19.85g of protein per serving, it's a nutritious choice for your meal plan.
1 large Bay Leaf
2 medium Onion (Finely chopped)
2 whole Green Chili (Slit lengthwise)
1.5 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
2 medium Tomato (Pureed)
0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder
1.5 tsp Red Chili Powder (Adjust to your spice preference)
2 tsp Coriander Powder
0.75 tsp Garam Masala
1.25 tsp Salt (Or to taste)
3.25 cup Water (About 1/4 cup for grinding and 3 cups for the gravy)
2 tbsp Coriander Leaves (Freshly chopped, for garnish)
Instructions
1
Prepare Eggs and Masala Paste
Hard-boil the eggs for 10-12 minutes. Once cooked, cool them in cold water, peel, and make a few shallow slits on each egg with a knife. Set aside.
In a blender jar, combine the fresh grated coconut, fennel seeds, poppy seeds, roasted gram dal, and cashew nuts.
Add about 1/4 cup of water and grind to a very smooth, fine paste. Scrape down the sides as needed to ensure there are no coarse bits. Set the masala paste aside.
2
Sauté Aromatics and Build Gravy Base
Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan or kadai over medium heat.
Add the whole spices: cinnamon stick, cloves, green cardamom, and bay leaf. Sauté for 30-40 seconds until they release their aroma.
Add the finely chopped onions and slit green chilies. Sauté for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn a deep golden brown.
Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and cook for 1-2 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
Pour in the tomato puree. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens and oil begins to separate from the masala.
3
Cook the Salna
Reduce the heat to low. Add the turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and salt. Stir continuously for 1 minute to cook the spices without burning them.
Add the ground coconut masala paste to the pan. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring well, until it becomes fragrant and well-combined with the onion-tomato base.
Pour in 3 cups of water and mix thoroughly to create a thin, uniform gravy. Scrape the bottom of the pan to release any stuck bits.
Increase the heat to bring the gravy to a rolling boil. Then, reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let it simmer gently for 10-15 minutes. This step is crucial for the flavors to meld and the gravy to mature.
4
Add Eggs and Finish
Gently place the slit, boiled eggs into the simmering gravy.
Sprinkle the garam masala over the top and give it a gentle stir to incorporate.
Continue to simmer for another 2-3 minutes, allowing the eggs to absorb the flavors of the salna.
Turn off the heat and garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving hot.
Servings
4
Serving size: 2 pieces
842cal
10gprotein
75gcarbs
56gfat
Ingredients
3 cup Maida (Approx 375g)
1 tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt
1 cup Sunflower Oil (Divided for dough, soaking, and cooking)
1 cup Lukewarm Water (Adjust as needed)
Instructions
1
Prepare and Rest the Dough
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the maida, sugar, and salt.
Add 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil and mix it into the flour with your fingertips until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Gradually add lukewarm water while mixing to form a soft, pliable dough. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky.
Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and knead for 10-12 minutes until it becomes very smooth and elastic.
Apply a little oil over the dough, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rest for 30 minutes.
2
Divide and Soak the Dough
After the initial rest, divide the dough into 8 equal-sized balls.
Place the dough balls in a deep bowl or tray. Pour the remaining sunflower oil over them, ensuring they are fully coated.
Cover the bowl and let the dough balls soak in the oil for a minimum of 2 hours, or up to 4 hours at room temperature. This step is crucial for making the dough elastic.
3
Stretch, Pleat, and Coil
Generously oil your work surface. Take one dough ball (leave the others in the oil) and flatten it with your palm.
Using your fingers, gently stretch and pull the dough outwards from the center to form a large, paper-thin circle or rectangle. It should be translucent. Don't worry about small tears.
Starting from one edge, lift and fold the dough over to create thin, accordion-like pleats until you have a long, pleated rope.
Gently stretch this pleated rope to make it longer. Then, starting from one end, coil it into a tight spiral, tucking the tail end underneath.
Let the prepared coil rest for 10-15 minutes while you repeat the process for the remaining dough balls.
4
Cook the Parotta
Take a rested coil and gently flatten it with your palm or a rolling pin into a circle about 5-6 inches in diameter. Do not press too hard, as this will cause the layers to merge.
Heat a tawa or flat skillet over medium heat.
Place the parotta on the hot tawa and cook for about 1 minute until small bubbles appear.
Flip the parotta, drizzle a teaspoon of oil or ghee around the edges, and cook for another 2-3 minutes, pressing gently with a spatula, until golden brown spots appear.
Flip again, add a little more oil if needed, and cook the other side until it's crisp and golden brown. Repeat for all the parottas.
5
Fluff and Serve
Once cooked, remove the parotta from the tawa. While it's still hot, place it on a clean surface or hold it between your hands (using a cloth if too hot).
Gently clap or scrunch the parotta from the sides. This action is key to separating the layers and making it flaky.
Serve the hot, flaky parottas immediately with your favorite curry, such as vegetable kurma or chicken salna.
