Empty Salna / Plain Salna (Sidedish for idly, dosa, parotta)

This empty Salna is a popular sidedish for parotta made without vegetables or meat. When I prepared this recipe I had it with uthappam that tasted awesome. Check out myI INSTANTPOT CHICKEN SALNA

Cooking time : 25 mins

Serving: 4

Ingredients:

Onion - 1 (medium size, chopped)
Tomato - 2 (medium, sliced)
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tspn
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tspn
Kuzhambhu chilli powder - 1 tbsn
Garam masala - 1/4 tspn
Bayleaf - 3
Cinnamon - 2 inch
Cloves - 4
Cardamom - 1
Fennel seeds - 1/4 tspn
Mint leaves - 10
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves - few (chopped)
Oil - 2 tbsn
Salt to taste

To grind:

Coconut - 1/2 cup (grated)
Almond - 4
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tbsn
Green chilli - 3
Cinnamon - 2 inch
Cloves - 2
Cardamom - 1
Stone flower - 1 big piece

Method:

1. Heat a kadaai. Add oil, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, bay leaf, fennel seeds.

2. Add onions, mint leaves, Curry leaves. Saute till becomes slightly brown..

3. Add Ginger garlic paste. Saute till the raw smell goes.

4. Add tomatoes and saute till it gets mushy.

5. Add turmeric powder, salt, kuzhambhu chilli powder. Saute for few minutes till the raw smell of powder goes.

6. Add the ingredients to grind in a mixer jar and grind it to a smooth paste by adding little water.

7. Add the above paste to the kadaai. Saute well until the oil oozes out. Saute continuously otherwise it gets burnt.

8. Add 2 1/2 cups of water. Add garam masala.

9. Close it with a lid. Cook it in a medium or slow flame for about 15-20 mins until the oil comes out.

10. Switch off. Add coriander leaves.

11. Empty Salna is ready to serve.

Notes:

If you don't have kuzhambhu chilli powder add 3 tspns of coriander powder and 2 tspn of red chilli powder.