Biryani Gravy Recipe - Side dish for Biryani / Parotta

South Indian prefers plain gravy as side dish for biryani than raita or brinjal curry. This an easy restaurant style gravy      for biryani which is often prepared at our home. This plain curry goes well with parotta, idli, dosa too.

Side Gravy for Biryani

Ingredients
Onion large sized (chopped)- 1 no
Tomato large sized (chopped)- 1 no
Coriander leaves and curry leaves (chopped)- few tbsp
Mint leaves (chopped)- few tbsp
Ginger and garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Whole black pepper - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
Fennel seeds / Sombu - 2 tsp
Whole dry red chilli - 5 nos
Cinnamon stick - 2" piece
Colves - 4 nos
Cardamom - 2 nos
Grated fresh coconut - 1/4 cup
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil- 3 tbsp

Plain Gravy for Biryani

Method
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan. Reduce heat to medium and add fennel seeds, cumin seeds, black pepper, dry red chilli and saute for few secs. Next add chopped onions, ginger-garlic paste and chopped tomatoes to the pan and saute until tomatoes are cooked. Now add cinnamon, cloves and cardamom, stir everything well for few secs. Remove pan from heat and allow onion mixture to cool.
Grind sauted onion mixture along with chopped mint leaves and grated coconut to a smooth and fine paste.
Add 1 tbsp oil to same pan and return pan to heat. Add the ground masala to the pan and saute for few mins. Add turmeric powder, required salt and 2 cups water to the pan and stir well.
Cover pan with lid and boil the gravy for 5 mins.
Finally garnish gravy with coriander and curry leaves.
Serve hot gravy with parotta, biryani, Idli or dosa.

Biryani Salna