Hotel Kurma

It has been a while since I blogged. Actually its been a while since I cooked much. But I’ve been blog hopping and telling myself ohhh this looks soo good. Or ooo I should definitely try this. And I must say I am amazed at the quality of the photos in many blogs. It makes me feel so amateurish to post the pictures I take. But hey, it’s a learning experience.

I used to live in Chennai and like many others often went to Saravana Bhavan. It’s the place to go when you want a quick, no-nonsense meal. And now every time I visit, I try to make one trip there just to have my favorite “Parotta-kurma”. I make kurma my mom’s way (I will post that recipe some other time), but always wanted to re-create the one they served at SB. This is the closest I could get. Hence the name “Hotel Kurma”

But there is one ingredient that I add just because my husband and I loooove it. And that’s Soya chunks, or mealmaker as we call it. You either love it or hate it, so pls feel free to omit it.



Grind the following to a fine paste:

Grated coconut 1/3 cup
Khus khus 1 tsp
Saunf 1 tsp
Onions 1 chopped coarsely
Diced tomatoes 1 cup
Green chilies 4 (or more)
Cashews 1 tbsp
Ginger 1/2 inch

Other ingredients:

Mixed vegetables - 3 cups (carrots, peas, beans, potato, cauliflower) – boiled or microwaved till half cooked
Mealmaker – handful.
Onion – 1 large - chopped fine
Tomato – 1 - chopped fine
Garlic – 3 cloves – chopped
Garam masala – ½ tsp
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Bay leaves, Jeera, cinnamon, cloves, elaichi
Coriander leaves, curry leaves

Fry onions, garlic, bay leaves, jeera, cinnamon, cloves, elaichi and curry leaves.
Add tomato, turmeric pwd and cook for a while.
Add ground paste, salt and garam masala. Cook for about 15 min or till smell of onion goes.Add vegetables, simmer for 5 min.
(Meanwhile boil some water with salt. Add the soya chunks, cook for 3-4 min. Drain and squeeze out the water. Add to kurma.)
Add chopped coriander leaves. Serve with rice or roti.