Bhindi Ka Salan @ Ladies Fingers (Okra) Salan

Bhindi Ka Salan || Ladies Fingers (Okra) Salan

What is Salan.  It is a Hyderabadi dish that is typically served with briyanis.  It is a peanut based curry/gravy.  Can be served with rotis, chapatis and nans  Mirchi ka salan or chilly curry is another great salan that you can pair with briyani and breads.

Groundnuts, sesame seeds and coconut gives the rich taste to the salan and balance it with some spicy and tangy from the chillies and tamarind.

Let's look Bhindi ka Salan and how to prepare:

Bhindi Ka Salan

Masala Paste
4tbs of groudnuts
2 tbs of white sesame seed
3 tbs of coconut (fresh or dried ones)
1tbs of kas kas (optional)

10 medium sized okra - washed and halved into
1 big onion - slice finely
1 tsp of ginger garlic paste
2 green chilly- chopped finely
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
a few pieces of fenugreek seeds
1 tsp of red chilly powder
1/2 tsp of coriander powder
1/4 tsp of turmeric powder
4 tbs of oil.
1/2 cup of tamarind juice (from a lime sized tamarind soaked into half cup water)
1 sprig of curry leaves.
1 tsp jaggery
some coriander leaves finely chopped


Method

1.  Dry roast groundnuts on medium fire first as they take a little longer to roast.  If using coconut pieces then add them together. Finally the sesame seeds and kas kas if using. Make sure it is not burned.  Set aside and let it cool before grinding into smooth paste.  You may add a little water to grind smooth.

2. Wash and pat dry the lady fingers, cut into half.

3.  Next in a pot heat some oil. Fry the lady fingers to about brown. Set aside.

4.  In the same pot, add in mustard seeds, cumin and fenugreek seeds. Once they start to splutter, saute onions with some salt till soft and brown.

5.  Add in curry leaves and green chillies, fry for a few minutes.

6.  Add in ginger garlic paste, tumeric, coriander and chilly powders - mix till the raw smell is gone and in the grinded masala mix with  a cup of water and saute well into the mixture.

7.  Stir on medium fire and keep stirring to avoid burning or sticking to the bottom of the pan till the oil starts to split.

8.   Once the oil starts to split, add in chopped coriander leaves, tamarind juice, jaggery and salt to taste.

9.  When it starts to boil, add in the lady fingers, stir well and cook for another 5 minutes on slow fire.

Bhindi ka salan ready for action!

Enjoy

Kushka

Kushka ||குஸ்கா

Kushka is a simple yet flavourful rice dish. It's briyani dish without using any meat. and a South Indian speciality.  Within this they are a few variants of cooking, some one with water only, some a combo of coconut milk or milk with water and some with chicken/meat stock.

This is a lunch meal that goes well together with kurma and raita.  For this kushka I paired it with bhindi ka salan and pomegranate raita.

I used basmathi. I also used the rice cooker to the rice instead of a pressure cooker. Lets look at the ingredients.

Note : 1 cup of basmathi rice liquid to be at 1.5 cups.


Kushka

Ingredients

3 cups of basmathi - washed and soaked for 20mins. and drain
4.5 cups of water
2 red onion - slice finely
5-6 green chilly - slit into 2
1 big tomato - chopped finely
2 medium sized bay leave
2 small stick of cinnamon
2 star anise
3 cardamon
3 cloves
1 tsp fennel seeds
1tsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 cup of yogurt - whisked
4 tbs of ghee
1/4 tsp of turmeric powder
1/2 tsp of chilly powder
1/2 tsp of garam masala
a handful of mint leaves
a handful coriander leaves - chopped coarsely

Garnishing - Mint leaves and fried onion.

Method

1.  In a pot heat ghee. Add in bay leave, cinnamon stick, star anise, cardamon, cloves and fennel seeds.  Fry for a few minutes till aromatic.

2.  Add in sliced onions.  Saute with a little salt till soft and brown.  Add in the ginger garlic paste, fry till raw smell is gone.

3.  Add in chilly and all the powders and cook till mix well, stir for a few more minutes.  Add half of the mint and coriander leaves. Mix well and add in tomato.  Cook till the tomato is homogeneous and well mix into a combined paste.

4.  Add in yogurt and mixed well.  Stir in rice, stir well add in water and salt to taste, top up with the balance of coriander leaves and mint leaves and cook till it is done.

Serve with some home made fried onion and mint leaves.  Serve hot.