Shorba | Biryani Gravy |

How to make Shorba

Make Masala Paste

1. In a grinder or blender jar, take the following ingredients:

• 1 cup roughly chopped tomatoes
• ⅓ cup chopped onions
• 1 teaspoon chopped green chili
• 1 teaspoon roughly chopped ginger
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh or desiccated coconut
• 1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves or chopped coriander leaves or half-half of both.

2. Blend to a smooth and fine paste, without adding any water. If unable to blend to a smooth paste, then add 1 to 1.5 tablespoons water.

Sauté Spices and Masala Paste

3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan.

Add the whole spices:

• 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf)
• 1 black cardamom
• 2 to 3 green cardamoms
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 3 to 4 cloves
• 2 to 3 all-spice/kababchini, optional
• 1 or 2 single mace strands
• 4 to 5 black peppercorns

If you want, you can even skip the black cardamom. Though, adding black cardamom does give a smoky flavor and aroma to the curry.

4. Sauté till the spices are fragrant.

5. Now, add the prepared paste. Be careful as the mixture splutters.

6. Stir and mix very well.

7. Then, add ground spices listed below:

• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon red chili powder (reduce to ¼ teaspoon for a less spicy gravy)
• ½ teaspoon cumin powder
• ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder

8. Stir the ground spice powders with the rest of the masala paste.

9. Stir and sauté the masala on low to medium-low heat till you see oil releasing from the sides of the paste.

The mixture will also gather together and leave the sides of the pan.

Make Biryani Gravy

10. Then, add 1 to 1.25 cups of Vegetable Stock.

It’s preferable to add vegetable stock. If you do not have veg stock, then add water.

If making for vegetable biryani, you can also parboil/boil the vegetables that will be added to the biryani and then add this vegetable stock to the gravy.

Adjust the quantity of stock according to the consistency you prefer. For a thin gravy, add more stock or water and vice versa.

11. Here we have added the entire vegetable stock.

12. Stir and mix very well.

13. Season with salt.

14. Stir and simmer the Shorba gravy on low to medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes or till you see specks of oil on top. Switch off the heat.

15. Garnish with chopped mint leaves or chopped coriander leaves, and serve Shorba with Vegetable Biryani or vegetable pulao.