There are some salans, like Koftay/Chicken Curry where you need a smooth & constant gravy. When I make masala, (fry the onion/garlic add masala/tomatos) the onions are still seen, its not smooth, but I have seen at some places that the gravy looks like a sauce and not like a soup with pieces of onions and tomatos to be seen
So my question is, what is the trick? Do you use a stabmixture after the masala is done or do you beat the whole thing till its smooth. Maybe I should not add tomatos?
What am I doing wrong? the recipe books dont tell much about this.
My ami grinds everything for kofta gravy, it gives a smooth gravy, if cooked for enough time. She always says that it has to look like honey when done. Khair, I cut onions in slightly bigger pieces, add some water and oil, let it simmer till they're totally soft. Add masala and fry for some time, and keep mashing the onions and garlic. I use fresh garlic so by the time, garlic is soft enough to be mashed in one go, onions are all done. Then add tomatoes and keep frying on medium heat till the oil separates.
Now add whatever you want to.
When you add water for shorba at the end, most ppl don't let it cook for enough time, which results in very yucky looking shorba, where everything has it's on life. If you added potatoes along with water in last stage, by the time you turn off the heat, potatoes should be done, that is how long you should let it simmer, ideally anyway.
Tomatoes have got nothing to do with uneven gravy. Cooking time and heat is important.
i have also been taught to grind the fried onions and garlic and then add tomato puree. As saba said, the onion-garlic-tomato puree should come out really thick and smooth with the minimal amout of water added and then bhoonified. After the masala is bhoonified, then add water to make shorba and hear until the oil separates.
ok, this is still a bit confusing .. sabah does your ammi grinds raw onions/garlic and then she does the mixture in oil and then masala ? So your way is to put some water/oil in the onions right away and let it simmer and then you add garlic/masala and tomatos? Shouldnt you let the onions get brown first and then add water? OR is this the wrong way? Sorry I am still not sure which is the right way
I love gravy which will stick to the roti, if you dip in and not that you have to make a small spoon shape to get the shorba.
To answer the question you asked saba, we sautee the onions and then grind. Sounds like saba might does it different. I think my chachi does too. Not sure how that turns out .
Also, I am a modern girl: I use one of them fancy lil choppers to grind. No more grinding by hand :D
Saadia, I just do this and it works for me when making Chicken ka shorba:
Chop onions finely and saute until golden but not crisp
Add pissa huwa garlic and ginger and the masalay
Fry the raw chicken on high heat, stirring constantly until its water has dried up
Take the chicken out
Then chuck tomato paste in there and ground green chilli and water
bhoon the masala
Put the chicken back in with some water
Cover and cook on medium heat
Haven't had the problem of onions and tomatos floating around.
My khala grinds everything up (the ginger and garlic, onions, tomatos, and green chillies) together. Her way is good too if you don't want to stand there for a long time bhooning everything till it becomes like a smooth masala.
The trick is to cook the onions slowly untill they soften and disintegrate. But I do know that in some restaurants they make the sauce smooth by using a hand blender in the saucepan to save time.
for smooth gravy DO NOT USE ANY ONIONS. Just, garlic paste and tomatoes. Tomato paste if you don't mind the taste of canned tomatoes. You can also blend tomatoes in a chopper.
Actually if you want a smooth masala, all you have to do is throw the onions into the blender, and once they’re done, use them in whatever it is you’re cooking.Goodness I never thought I would be giving cooking advice.
now I know fg knows nothing about cooking.I mean cook without onions?
Saadia, u could either blend the garlic, onion and tomatoes in one go or as Shahreen said, let the onions cook for a bit.. and get soft. Dont have to brown or fried them...
b/w doesnt frying the onions make them go even harder?
