Salna is my most favorite side dish for parotta or chapati and it comes a close second only to Kurma. Both Salna and Kurma are similar in the ingredients used, both are served as side dishes to flat breads and are native to Tamilnadu. Salna is runny gravy made with a base of onions and tomatoes, in addition to the coconut-based masala paste. Kurma, though has a coconut based masala paste is thicker and creamier than a Salna. Salna is traditionally served with parotta and kurma is served as a side dish for chapati or roti. Although I love both Salna and Kurma, when it comes to parotta – my first choice will always be making a Salna. Recently I made Egg Salna or Muttai Salna as a side dish for Zaffrani Pulao and we really loved it.
I have shared a couple of Salna recipes on my blog – Vegetable Salna and Mushroom Salna. Today’s Egg Salna recipe is not made in a pressure cooker, but can easily be made in a single pan. If you have boiled eggs, making this Salna is very simple. We will first make a spice paste with onions, green chillies, garlic cloves and tomatoes along with coconut, poppy seeds, fried gram, coriander and fennel seeds. This spice paste makes the base gravy which usually is called Empty Salna. Even without any vegetables, this runny gravy with oil floating on top is just very tasty. All it needs is boiled eggs to make it Muttai Salna.
I am a huge fan of Egg Salna and Parotta with a side of Thayir Pachadi – Onion Raita. In my opinion, there is no point in having parotta without the raita. And this is not just any kind of onion Raita. The onion are sliced neither too thick nor thin and the ratio to onions and curd just should equal. At times, when onion raita is made as a side for Biriyani, the onions are finely chopped but the flavor of the raita comes through only with sliced onions. This Salna recipe though being the best side dish for Indian flat bread, also goes really well with Pulao or even Dosa. To prepare the salna masala – In a pan, heat oil. Add fennel seeds, coriander seeds, cut green chillies and garlic cloves. Fry for a few seconds.
Next add roughly chopped onions and tomatoes. Fry for a couple of minutes.
Keep it covered and cook on low flame for 6-7 mins. Remove from heat once the onions & tomatoes are soft. Add fried gram, poppy seeds, chopped coconut.
Once cooled down, grind into a smooth paste by adding water as needed. Set aside.
To make Egg Salna – In the same pan, heat oil. Add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamom and cloves. Fry for a few secs and then add curry leaves.
Add finely chopped onions and fry until translucent.
Now add the prepared masala paste. Add 1 to 1.5 cups of water as needed. Cook for 4-5 mins on low flame.
Next add spice powders – red chilli powder, garam masala powders powder and turmeric powder. Cook for a couple of minutes.
Add salt as needed and chopped mint & coriander leaves.
Let the gravy come to a slow boil for about 10-12 mins. If needed, add more water to make it runny.
As oil floats on top, add sliced hard-boiled eggs. Cook for 2-3 mins on low flame and remove from heat.
Serve hot with Parotta or any Indian bread or Idli or Dosa or Appam or Pulao.
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