Clumpy Masala - help!

I’ve just recently started cooking (6 months) so I’m no expert.

My cooking is quite basic nothing fancy but I have an issue with my dishes. The masala in my salan always seems to look clumpy. It doesn’t look like salan. it just looks like small clumps of masala. I’ve tried grinding the onions and tomatoes to a paste but it still ends up clumpy. I’ve tried grinding the ginger and garlic too and I’ve also tried with and without yogurt and still get the same issue.

I use really less oil in my cooking, could this be the reason? Also I always freeze, remove the skin and then grind my tomatoes or chop them up really small (maybe that has something to do with it?)

the dishes taste allright but they just look so clumpy it’s difficult to tell what kinda salan it is!

Has anyone experienced this? or can anyone tell me what I’m doing wrong?

Re: Clumpy Masala - help!

Are you adding enough water as you're making the masala? I always find if you add small amounts of water consistently that helps with a smooth masala. Also, ground onions make for a thicker masala, but if you're using enough water that shouldn't be a problem.

Re: Clumpy Masala - help!

Slice the onions really thin (that also takes practice)

Pressure cooker the onions after (somewhat browned) + chopped tomatoes along with 1 cup water

Add a teaspoon of whipped room temperature yogurt in the 'bhooning' process

If still lumpy or clumpy definitely add a 1/4 or 1/2 cup of water only after bhooning

Also you can always use
enough oil but drain it afterwards

Re: Clumpy Masala - help!

Thank you for your suggestions, I'll be giving them a go tonight!

Re: Clumpy Masala - help!

Make onion slices very thing and make sure you bhonoo it VERY WELL.

You can also use onion paste but you have to bhoonofy it very well (and for long time)

Re: Clumpy Masala - help!

And remove the pot from stove and letting it cool so its not at boiling point when adding yogurt.

Re: Clumpy Masala - help!

You are using large amount of onions I think hence its getting clumpy. Try & use less amount of onions as compared to tomatoes.