Hyderabadi Tamatay Ka Salaan

Today I'm sharing the classic Hyderabadi dish, Tamatay Ka Salaan, which is essentially a very simple tomato and beef/veal dish.  It's a dump all the ingredients in the pot and cook recipe.  I actually don't remember having this dish growing up.  The first time I heard of it was when my friend, Sara, told me how it was her favourite dish and she couldn't believe I had never eaten it.  I asked my mom about this dish and she told me that my dad didn't like it so she never made it.

Few years later on after getting married, my husband and I had the Korma at Bamiyan Kebob and loved it.  When my parents were over we had ordered it and my mom said it was basically Tamatay Ka Salaan.  She made it for us and we've been hooked ever since!

I used to make this dish in a pressure cooker, but I find if you cook it low and slow on the stove the flavours develop much better.  Since there are a lot of tomatoes, it takes some time to cook because even after the meat gets tender there is a lot of water left that you have to dry out.  We love to enjoy this with roti or naan, but there is a good amount of sauce so it would go well with rice as well.

Hyderabadi Tamatay Ka Salaan

2 lbs boneless veal, cut in cubes

oil

2 onions, chopped

8 tomatoes, chopped

2 tbsp ginger garlic paste

1 tsp red chilli powder (or to taste)

1/2 tsp turmeric

salt to taste

one handful cilantro, chopped

20 curry leaves (karia path) - mine were small, if yours are big then adjust accordingly

4 whole green chillies

Heat a pan.  Cover bottom with oil.  Add all ingredients.

Mix well.  When it comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover.

Cook until meat is tender, stirring occasionally.

Once meat is tender, there may be a lot of liquid.  Remove lid and increase heat.  Salaan is ready once the water is all gone and oil has separated.  

We like to enjoy this with roti.  There is a good amount of sauce, so you could also have it with rice.