Friday, August 01, 2008

Grindless Gravy For Curry Mela

As my friend A and I were chatting yesterday, the conversation veered to how sleepy she was feeling. I wasn’t feeling sleepy, probably because my lunch had comprised an omelette made mostly of egg whites. I told her I’d added curry leaves, coriander and red chilli powder to the omelette and she was almost aghast. Almost as if I’d sullied the yellow beauty of the eggs with all that green and red. But if you’re vigilant and don’t let the omelette brown, it’s a pretty combination of yellow and green, I told her. It’s such an omelette that I put into this tomato gravy a few days ago - I’d intended to make the Parsi version where the eggs are broken into the gravy and cooked until set but as an omelette for lunch was on my mind I thought combining the two would make a nice variation. I quickly put together a thick omelette made from four eggs as the gravy was bubbling, tore it up and added it to the gravy and let it cook a while. I’d heard about this from my aunt and made this once earlier, long ago, and it makes for a nice, fulfilling meal either by itself or with rice or bread or chapattis.

Omelette

Eggs, beaten: Four
Coriander: Chopped, as much as you want
Curry leaves: 20
Red chilli powder: 1 tsp
Or Green Chillies: 3, chopped
Garam masala: ½ tsp (optional)
Turmeric: A pinch (optional)
Salt, to taste
Oil: 1 tsp

Oil the griddle, heat it on ‘medium’.

Beat eggs well with the spices. Then add the coriander and curry leaves and green chillies, if using, and mix well. Beat it again a little.

Tip the mixture onto the griddle and let it set. Turn it over and cook on the other side too. Do not let it brown on either side.

Tomato Gravy

Tomatoes: 5-6, chopped
Green chillies: 3-4, slit
Or Red chilli powder: 1- 1-¼ tsp
Onion: 1, chopped
Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tsp
Cumin seed: 1 tsp
Oil: 1 tsp
Garam masala: 1 tsp
Salt, to taste
Turmeric: a pinch
Water: 1-2 cups

In a pan, heat the oil, add the cumin.

Once the cumin pops, add the onion and fry well, till soft and translucent.

Now add the ginger-garlic paste and fry till it mixes well.

Add the green chillies, fry for a minute.

Add the tomatoes and the salt, red chilli powder, turmeric and half of the garam masala. Let it cook till it starts getting pulpy.

Add some water, cover and let it cook well. If the gravy’s consistency and volume is to your liking and if there’s enough to hold the omelette, add the omelette pieces at this stage, otherwise add more water and cook for a little longer.

Once you add the omelette, let it simmer for five or six minutes. Sprinkle with the rest of the garam masala.

This grindless gravy is my submission to Srivalli’s Curry Mela, which, I must say, has almost as many "should nots" as my event did. Eh, Valli?

31 comments:

  1. nice new header! :) and i remember the GG event and how much i broke my head over it :D

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  2. yayyy...i have discovered someone who can cook and i can pinch recipes from. i find the process of camouflaging the same old veggies utterly exhausting

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  3. A very fulfilling and innovative grindless gravy indeed!!!

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  4. An omelette in a gravy! Talk about innovation.
    Curry leaves, coriander and chilli powder in omelettes is more my style. I occasionally make egg bhurji like this.

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  5. Hey Sra, nice new header? Did you do it yourself?

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  6. Nags, Sandeepa did that for me, I just gave her the pix.
    Cynic, no getting away from that most of the time, I'm afraid!
    Rachel, :) thanks.
    Aparna, it's not my innovation - I knew about it long ago.
    Shyam, it's been around for a while, Sandeepa of Bong Mom's Cookbook made it for me.

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  7. That sounds yummy and how do you get by with just an egg white omelet for lunch ?- i would be ravenous.

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  8. All thanks to u, I am feeling damn hungry rite now.;).. wish I has some rotis and this curry.. yummy..:) this is my weekend curry for sure..

    Hugs,
    Siri

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  9. Thats a wonderful way of eating the eggs Sra! I simply love it to have on its own during a cold winter night Yummm!

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  10. thats really something very innovative sra..trust you to come up with something like that..thanks a lot my friend...

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  11. hey hey, I just noticed that last line..I strongly object. Taking a lead from you, I covered everything in one shot...heheheheh..unlike one host who changed the rule a wee bit every day...hehehh...

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  12. weren't u the mastermind behind grindless gravy??? or am i getting confused!
    anyways, i love such recipes when i dont have to use my mixie jar but i dont have to worry too much as its hubby darling's job to do the dishes;)

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  13. 'grindless gravy' strikes again!! i remember the whip cracking adn the post returns....uhhhhh...got a shudder run down my spine ;)

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  14. Thats is so cool! Mixing Omelette and tomato curry together and we get a new combo of flavors.... great entry!

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  15. I make omelette kurma, but without grinding that should be super convinient one ! Love to have with roti :)

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  16. Laavanya, I didn't mention the number of eggs or whites in that omelette, did I? ;)
    Siri, eat, you need that energy for your new job :)
    Nirmala, you're right!
    Valli, it's not really innovative, I heard of it earlier. Now, how do I know you're not going to change the rules, eh?
    Sia, I was, I was!
    Good for you!
    Rajitha, ha ha ha! But you were one of the first to send in an entry!
    Padma, thanks.
    Cham, Very, very convenient indeed!

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  17. Sra, I am back to blogging almost a month ago and also back from my short vacation to India (3.5 months)

    So how r u doing?

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  18. Woman - you just love your grindless gravies don't you? Omelette curry looks delicious. Maybe your friend should try it...

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  19. Very unique and innovative grindless gravy Sra:))

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  20. Sra,
    the curry looks so deliciuos, we also make these and eat with warm cooked rice ..
    hugs and smiles
    jaya

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  21. grindless gravy looks very delicious. This is my first visit to ur blog. You have very nice collection of recipes. Do visit my blog.

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  22. i'm wondering how an omelette will be in rasam. pretty good, i suppose.

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  23. Unique entry for the mela..

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  24. Padma, 3.5 months is short? :) I wish I could take a vacation at least as short as yours. But I guess when you're miles away, it does seem short.
    Mallika, I do love grindless gravies, yes :)
    Sireesha, to tell the truth, I heard about it a long time ago!
    Jaya, really? There is one Bengali egg curry I cooked for RCI Bengal on my blog - it's more like a South Indian curry!!!
    Trupti, welcome, and thanks.
    Bee, oh, that's quite a routine combination. Rasam and rice and omelette, rasam and rice and scrambled eggs, ... with kaima ... Pretty tasty!
    Divya, my aunt told me about it long ago!

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  25. hi sra
    nice grindless gravy..as you have called it ! And addded four egges....well it will be enough for a family , isnt it .

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  26. Got a small something for you at my blog..

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  27. I almost thought you were doing Grindless Gravy part 2... :) hey, now there's an idea...

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  28. A&N, so do I, depite having a grinder and help around the house!
    Anamika, yes, and it's not much when you tear up the omelette, it will be just right.
    Pragyan, coming over ...
    Sig, can you imagine how many more rules and regulations I'll have to make and you'll have to follow ... LOL!

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  29. awesome.. will make this soon, have some eggs lying and I am tired of making the usual omelette...thanks for this grindless gravy!:-)

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  30. I love the new look! wow, I haven't been here in a few weeks and I just love your new home!

    The tomato gravy is really delicious and so versatile! I can see it on a bowl of hot rice for my breakfast soon!

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