by Sarah Mir · Updated January 22, 2023
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Anday Aloo ka Salan is a comforting vegetarian Pakistani curry that relies on simple ingredients for beautiful flavours. Those fried eggs? They're a bonus you cannot resist!
My friend Shayma from over @spicespoon said a thing in an Instagram reel recently that struck me. She said that while we glorify the power of comfort food we often gloss over the discomfort it came from.
Anday Aloo ka Salan is one of the first things I learnt how to "recook" in Canada. I learnt it over very many phone calls with a beloved relative whose been a big part of my life and support system ever since. This salan reminds me of those frantic lonely times, in that tiny apartment with it's glass walls, looking out onto a big city where I felt brutally alone.
It also reminds me of so many happier times - like the bustle of the kitchen table at home in my mothers green tiled kitchen. It was always my personal mission to get one egg, two potatoes and the perfect amount of raita.
Ingredients
I often make this salan when I am low on groceries because it is such a lovely change from the usual fare and I always have the ingredients for it!
A Little Step By Step
Like many curries Anday Aloo ka Salan relies on an onion based gravy. It get's it's lovely aroma from the unusual (for Pakistani cooking) addition of methi dana or fenugreek seeds early in the cooking process.
Tip: Make sure your oil is not too hot when you add your fenugreek seeds or they will become bitter tasting
Smooth Salans
Okay here is the plain truth folks. If you want your salan to be super smooth, here are your options.
1.) Add about a cup and a half of hot water to the masala after sauteing the tomatoes and then leave it covered and on a brisk simmer for 20 minutes. Reduce it, saute it, and the onion will break down.
2.) Add the water to the pot after tomatoes and use an immersion blender to smoothen out your curry. Don't overdo it, we want to keep some of that classic salan texture.
Anday Aaloo ka Salan: Tips for Managing Oil
Before we get started, I think it is pretty evident that curries are oil heavy. That unfortunately is the nature of the beast. If you want to understand why check out this post on Mastering Pakistani Cooking.
If you need to get cooking soon then let's just say this: DO NOT skimp on the oil at the beginning of the recipe. Instead drain excess oil off the top when you are done cooking. As your dish cools it will rise to the top and then you can gently tip it out or blot it with paper towels.
Must we fry the eggs?
The frying of the boiled egg – as funny as that sounds – makes this Anday Aaloo ka Salan a little extra special, but feel free to skip it if you want. If you do fry them then just place the eggs on a paper towel or a rack to drain excess oil.
How thick should the salan be?
That my friend is upto you. I prefer a thicker shorba with chapati, but my husband likes it best with rice and a thinner curry.
Whatever thickness of shorba you like be sure not to adjust seasoning until you've adjusted the thickness first!
Want more curry inspiration? Here are some other favourites!
Made this recipe? Leave a rating below! Want to share your recreation? Tag me on instagram @flourandspiceblog - Look forward to seeing your yummy food!
Print Recipe
5 from 9 votes
Anday Aaloo ka Salan
Author: Sarah Mir
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- Pinch of Methi/Fenugreek Seeds
- Two small-medium sized Onions
- 1 tbsp Ginger Paste
- 1 tbsp Garlic Paste
- 1 ½ tsp Salt
- 1 ½ tsp Red Chilli Powder
- 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 Tomato
- 2 Medium Potatoes
- 1 sprig Curry Leaves
- 4-5 Green Chillies
- ½ cup Cilantro chopped
- Juice of ½ a Lemon
- 6 boiled eggs
- Additional oil for frying the eggs
Instructions
Take a medium sized stock pot and put it on the stove at medium-high heat. Pour in your oil; it should coat the base of the pot. If it does not then add more, remember we can get rid of it later.
When the oil is hot toss in your fenugreek seeds, let them sizzle for a minute and then add your finely chopped onions.
When the onions become lightly golden at the edges then add your garlic and ginger pastes and let it cook for another 30 seconds
Add the dry spices and cook for another 30 seconds
Now it is tomato time, add it in, and cook until it becomes part of the onion paste until – you guessed it – the oil rises to the top.
If you want a curry with a smooth consistency then blitz the mix in a blender now along with a little water. Or use an immersion blender, traditional method in notes.
Add your potatoes, give it a quick stir and then add two cups of hot water, the curry leaves, and the green chillies.
Bring it to a boil, then drop the heat and leave it to simmer for 15-20 minutes depending on how quickly your potatoes cook.
Now put about an inch of oil in a frying pan – preferably one for which you can locate a similarly sized lid. Heat the oil and when it is nice and hot then gingerly and from a distance put in your eggs. Spluttering will ensue.
Cover it up and let it do its thing for two minutes, then lift the lid, use tongs to rotate the eggs, cover it up and cook for another two minutes. Keep doing this until most of the surface area of the egg is golden brown. Then remove from the pan and keep aside.
Check potatoes for doneness. If you want to really intensify the flavours then turn the heat up and cook till the infamous oil rises again, add the cilantro, lemon juice, and any additional water to thin the curry out.
Add the eggs, adjust seasoning.
Video
Notes
Traditionally to get a curry to be smooth onions are broken down by adding hot water to the masala, simmering it for 20-25 minutes, then turning up the heat and drying out the masala and sauteeing (aka bhunn). This process helps the onions break down into a smooth paste.
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Reader Interactions
Comments
pozycjonowanie radom saysThis post presents clear idea in favor of the new visitors of blogging, that actually
how to do blogging and site-building.Reply
- Mim says
Good recipe! thanks 🙂
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- sarahjmir says
Thank you!
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- Mr. Atheist says
Yum-ville.
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- sarahjmir says
why thank you 🙂
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- Doctor Pragati says
I will be making this recipe this week! It looks and sounds delicious!
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- sarahjmir says
thank you!!! hope it turns out well for you - it is a family favorite 🙂
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- Asiya @ Chocolate & Chillies says
I made this today (cut the recipe in half) and we LOVED it!!! I used a lot less oil to fry the egg which resulted in it sticking so I wasn't able to get the amazing colour you got. Can't wait to make it again!
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- sarahjmir says
dude - how did I miss this!?!?!??!? and WOOHOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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- nazm says
thank you
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- nazim says
thank you sar
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- Mariam says
Aoa! I made this dish all by myself and it turned out perfect. I was surprised because I usually try new recipes with my mum. Thanks a lot.
I was thinking that if I add plain boiled eggs at the end and don't fry them, than it won't make a lot of difference or will it? What do you say?Reply
- sarahjmir@gmail.com says
Mariam that is absolutely awesome to hear! Thanks so so much for letting me know. To fry the or not to fry the egg huh - you can certainly skip it if you don't have the time or the urge to fry lol but it will feel like it is missing that little something
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- Asim says
I followed this recipe but my shorba stayed red and tasted heavily of tomato! How did you get your shorba to darken and all the ingredients to break down and integrate into a salan?
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- sarahjmir@gmail.com says
Hi Asim! First of all thanks so much for trying the recipe out and I am so sorry to hear it didn't work out the way you hoped. I am so surprised to hear that it tasted heavily like tomatoes because it only has the one, but perhaps you prefer a tomato free salan? Second of all this isn't a dark looking salan at all - for example I have a Kalya recipe on the blog where you caramelize the onions and add coriander powder and both those things will darken a salan. This one has a yellow-orange hue because it has more haldi than most and the onions are cooked just until they are translucent. It sounds to me like you may like it more if you perhaps let your onions get a little darker (think golden brown edges) and add 1/2 tsp of coriander powder and use half a tomato or no tomato. In terms of consistency your best bet is to chop the onions ultrafine which would help them break down faster. In general with any salan though you bhunnofy the masala and then simmer it (with meat or without) in just enough water for it to cook and break down. If you want a silky smooth salan then you can cook a masala paste for longer, blitz it in a blender or pressure cook it which helps the onions dissolve. I know this has been a long response, but I hope it helps! Thanks for taking the time to share your comments!
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- Sumaira Zafar says
That's exactly how my mom makes it! Your most recipes reminds me of home! Keep going sis! Xxx
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- sarahjmir@gmail.com says
Sumaira! Thank you! I am so glad this recipe resonated 🙂
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- Samana says
Absolutely loveeee thisss reciepe!! So simple yet so full of flavour! It’s become a regular in our house 🙂
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- sarahjmir@gmail.com says
Yay! Samana I am so so happy to hear this!
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- Amna says
This was delicious!! It’s super easy, doesn’t take very long, and full of delicious flavor!! Definitely something I’ll be making very frequently because I love this dish and it reminds me of home❤️
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- sarahjmir@gmail.com says
I am so so very happy to hear that! thank you Amna!
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5 from 9 votes (9 ratings without comment)
