Vegetable Salna

Name: Vegetable Salna
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: south_indian
Ingredients: 2 tbsp oil; 1 inch cinnamon; 2 pcs cloves; 1 tsp fennel seeds; 1 tsp poppy seeds; 1 tbsp coriander seeds; 3 pcs dry red chili; 0.5 cup coconut (fresh, grated); 8 pcs cashews; 2 pcs onion (medium, thinly sliced); 2 pcs tomato (medium, chopped); 1 inch ginger (chopped); 5 pcs garlic (cloves); 2 pcs green chili (slit); 1 pcs carrot (small, cubed); 1 pcs potato (small, peeled and cubed); 8 pcs beans (chopped); 0.25 cup green peas; 1 pinch turmeric powder; 0.5 tsp red chili powder; 1 pinch garam masala; 0.5 tsp salt; 3 cup water; 2 tbsp coriander leaves (chopped); 8 pcs curry leaves

RATING

4.3/5(28)

TASTE SCORE

8/10

A thin, fragrant Tamil-style curry made with mixed vegetables, roasted coconut, and warming spices. It is especially good with parotta, dosa, or idiyappam, with a light gravy that soaks in beautifully.

PREP

20m

COOK

30m

SERVES

1 KATORI

223 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 9 STEPS

prep · ~10 min
Chop the vegetables and aromatics.
1.Peel and cube the potato and carrot into small pieces.
2.Chop the beans, slice the onions, and chop the tomatoes.
3.Chop the ginger and garlic, then slit the green chilies.
roast · ~4 min
Roast the masala ingredients.
1.Heat 1 tsp oil in a small pan over low heat.
2.Add fennel seeds, poppy seeds, coriander seeds, dry red chili, coconut, and cashews.
3.Roast gently until the coconut turns lightly golden and smells nutty.
TIPKeep the heat low so the coconut browns evenly without turning bitter.
mix · ~3 min
Grind the roasted masala.
Cool the roasted ingredients slightly, then grind with 0.5 cup water to a smooth paste.
temper · ~7 min
Make the base.
1.Heat the remaining oil in a cooker or deep pan.
2.Add cinnamon, cloves, and curry leaves and cook for 20 seconds.
3.Add onions, green chili, ginger, and garlic, then cook until the onions soften and turn light golden.
saute · ~5 min
Cook the tomatoes and spices.
1.Add chopped tomatoes and cook until soft and pulpy.
2.Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala, and salt.
3.Mix well and cook for 1 minute.
pressure cook · ~12 min
Cook the vegetables with the masala.
Add carrot, potato, beans, green peas, the ground masala paste, and the remaining water. Mix well, cover, and pressure cook for 2 whistles until the vegetables are tender.
simmer · ~6 min
Adjust the gravy.
Open the cooker once the pressure drops. Simmer the salna for 5 to 7 minutes until the gravy turns smooth, lightly thickened, and pourable.
TIPSalna should stay thinner than regular kurma so it can soak into parotta well.
garnish
Finish with coriander leaves.
serve
Serve hot with parotta, dosa, or idiyappam.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

7 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.

1
Roast the coconut on low heat only; dark coconut will make the salna bitter.
2
Grind the roasted masala very smooth so the gravy turns silky instead of grainy.
3
Cut the carrot, potato, and beans small and even so they finish in 2 whistles together.
4
After pressure cooking, simmer uncovered until the oil just begins to dot the surface.
5
Keep the final gravy thin and pourable; salna should soak into parotta, not sit like kurma.
6
This tastes even better after 30 minutes of resting, when the fennel-coconut masala settles in.
7
Reheat with a splash of hot water, since the coconut-cashew paste thickens as it cools.