Shorba recipe (Biryani gravy)
Updated: August 10, 2022, By Swasthi
Shorba recipe made with onions, tomatoes, spices & herbs. One of the best veg side gravy for biryani, pulao or any flavored rice dishes. It is also known as sherva or biryani shorba & is a very common dish served in South Indian restaurant restaurants. This can be served with a fish biryani, hyderabadi biryani, chicken dum biryani, Vegetable biryani, simple egg biryani or even with a simple veg pulao.
There is a non-vegetarian version of this shorba too which I will share sometime later. I got this recipe from a chef in India who had come home to cook for my elder son’s first birthday.
He gave me both non-veg and veg versions. There is no substitute for any ingredients and to get it right we need all the ingredients in the mentioned quantities.
This biryani shorba gravy tastes light and is spicy and flavorful and tastes entirely different from the other veg side gravy dishes like potato kurma, simla mirch ka salan, mirchi ka salan and egg masala which i shared earlier.
To make shorba or sherva, we need vegetable stock that brings in real taste to the gravy. If you are not in the habit of making your stock at home, I insist you make it, instead of using store bought vegetable stock or cubes. I have personally never used the packed stocks and do not know if that tastes good for this shorba.
But making your stock is super easy and you could make it one day earlier and refrigerate it for further use. If you have only boiled potatoes water that works fine too that is how I end up making most of the times.
The vegetables that could be used to prepare the stock are peas, potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, onions, celery and I have no idea about using rest of the veggies.
Photo Guide
Preparation for biryani gravy
1. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan, add onions and chilies , fry till onions turn slightly golden.
2. Add ginger garlic paste and sauté till you get an aroma.
3. Add tomatoes and salt, fry till they turn completely mushy.
4. Add grated coconut. Fry for 3 to 5 mins without burning the mix. Set this aside to cool. Grind this to a smooth puree with 1 ½ to 2 cups of vegetable stock. You could use ice cold stock to grind the hot mix if you want to cut down the cooling time. Pour the ice cold stock in the jar first and then add the hot mix.
How to make shorba
5. Heat the same pan with some more oil, add the dry spices and fry till you get a nice smell for a min.Do not burn the spices.
6. Add pudina / mint, sauté for a min.
7. Pour the ground mix, add red chili powder, masala powder, turmeric. Mix well. Adjust the quantity of water to bring it to the consistency you desire.
8. When the mix begins to boil, add yogurt and simmer for at least 8 to 10 mins. If your gravy becomes too watery, you can increase the heat to high and evaporate the water, so it comes to the desired consistency.
If you wish to refrigerate it, for best taste, refrigerate it immediately after it cools down and before 2 hours of cooking.
Serve biryani shorba or sherva with hot biryani or pulao.
Related Recipes
Recipe card
Shorba (Biryani gravy)
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
- 2 medium tomatoes cubed
- 2 green chilies slit
- ¾ tsp ginger garlic paste
- ½ tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- 4 tbsp coconut (fresh grated)
- 3 tbsps mint finely chopped (pudina)
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp biryani masala powder
- 1½ to 2 cups water or stock
- 1½ tbsp curd (yogurt) (avoid sour tasting one)
Whole spices
- 1 small bay leaf (tej patta)
- 1 strand mace (javithri)
- 3 green cardamoms (elaichi)
- 2 petals star anise (biryani flower)
- 3 cloves (laung)
- 1 inch cinnamon (dalchini)
- ½ tsp shahi jeera (caraway seeds)
Instructions
Preparation
- Add half the oil to a hot pan, fry onions and chilies till the onions turn golden.
- Add grated ginger garlic or paste and fry till the raw smell goes off.
- Add chopped tomatoes, sprinkle salt, fry till the mixture turns mushy.
- Add coconut and fry for 3 to 5 mins or until you get a good aroma. Cool this and blend with vegetable stock or water to a smooth puree.
Making biryani shorba
- Heat the pan again, add remaining oil. Fry the dry spices until they sizzle. Add mint and fry for a minute.
- Add the blended onion tomato mix to the pan, add red chili powder, turmeric, masala powder, and more salt if needed. Stir until everything blends well. Add more water to bring it to the desired consistency.
- Bring this to a boil, add yogurt and stir well. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or until the gravy reaches the consistency.
- Serve shorba or sherva with biryani, pulao.
Notes
- Mirchi bajji variety can be used for a special flavor.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
About Swasthi
I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me
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Comments
This is a good recipe
I am trying to find a recipe for a carrot gravy that I had at a restaurant. We ordered veg pulao and inside the pulao, they put the carrot gravy, it tasted so good. It almost had a consistency like paneer gravy. Is there any reference for this kind of gravy? it was spicy and didn’t taste like any ginger was in it. the carrots were nice and softened
Use the same recipe and add a few cashews or more coconut. Some restaurants throw in some veggies like carrots, peas and bell peppers. Hope this helps
Beautiful
I have only used the sauces in jars and never made a proper curry before. Last week I made a Biryani and have just made it for a second time because my family raved about it. Once you have made the Shorba nothing else will do. The recipes are so straightforward and delicious.
Thank you Fiona. So glad you like this
How to make the stock with potatoes, peas etc mentioned in this Shorba recipe?
Hi,
I have shared that in this clear soup recipe (from steps 1 to 9). You can use any veggies you have. Hope you enjoy the shorba.
Hi Swasthi,
You recipes are great and really authentic!
I lived in your lovely country for many years and have been cooking Indian food for some years … but using your recipes now have really made me feel the taste I had there … Thanks for sharing!
Excellent Recipe! I have been trying your recipes since very long. Specially non veg ones.Whenever I tried it, it had always turned out super tasty. Thank you so much Swasthi. Your measurements are very accurate. Swasthi, regarding this Shorba recipe, can we substitute coconut with cashew?
You are welcome Shini. You can use 8 to 10 whole cashews. If you use a lot it may taste more like a north indian curry.
To clarify on my first message: I made the Chicken Briyani and paired it with the shorba ?
Beautiful combination!
This is an excellent recipe! I’m cooking an Indian meal for the first time and this is a hit with the family. My dad had two helpings, and my kids loved it. The shorba was the jewel in the crown. Simply divine.
So glad to know Alvin. Thank you
I paired this with your chicken biryani recipe and it was perfect! Thank you
Glad you like it Lisa. Thank you!
Hello, I am very happy to have found your recipes. I am starting to like this food, and your recipes are easy to follow. Today I did the Vegan Biryani with the Shorba, but the Shorba was a bit sour. I wonder if it was because I did’nt use mace or maybe because I used cumin instead of shaji jeera I don’t know. What do you think?
Wow, I cooked this with your mirch ka salan and dum veg biryani. I am so grateful for your wonderful talent that you so generously share with us.
Excellent
Thank u very much Madam.
I tried it out?
It came out nice?
Thanks for d receipe
Hi Shruthi
Glad to know! Thank you!
Hello Swasthi, I just cooked your Shorba to go with a biriyani for my mums birthday and it was perfect. A perfect balance and depth of flavours, we enjoyed it a lot! Thank you for your blog and for sharing your recipes and, I look forward to trying more of them!
Hello John
You are most welcome! So glad to know it turned out good. Thank you so much!
Basically if a recipe presented by you, I feel confident the dish will come out well this did. Thank you
Welcome!
Thank you! Glad to know the recipes are helping
🙂
Hello!
Thanks for the recipe! Defenitily going to try it out! Quick question; does it matter much when I use dried coconut instead of fresh grated? Kinda hard to get here.
Thanks!
Hi,
Welcome! It should be okay to use dried coconut.
Hi Swasthi ji… this is my first time, writing comments to any blog site.. I have to tell you that whenever I wanted to cook anything Special and score credits from my family and guests.. I just search recipe from your site? thanks a lot for the awesome recipes. I tried this one today and it was super hit.. everyone liked it. Just couldn’t stop myself from letting you know that I m addicted towards your cooking and your recipe has made me a better cook. Whenever I search for any recipe I just look for site which has SWASTHI’s.. I realised my whole family likes it when I follow your way of cooking.
Thanks for sharing?!
Best wishes for your continuous efforts.
Hello Gaayathri ji,
Very glad to know you! You are most welcome. So happy to know this.Thank you so much. Hope you enjoy more recipes from here.
You have explained in such a simple way that it is easily understood. The photos added step by step are very helpful to get explained. Your sincerity and honesty revels in your explanation. Thank You Very Much for taking such efforts to share your knowledge that is really very helpful.
Hello Hemant Kulkarni,
You are welcome. I do not want anyone to fail in making good food following my recipes so I do my best while I post them. Thank you so much!
I was a bit confused about how much veg stock to use, but used about 1/4 pint and then added a few more drops of water as required. This was very (very) tasty and I will definitely be trying some more of your recipes. Thank you.
Hi Ange,
You are welcome! Thanks for the mention somehow I forgot to mention it in the recipe card. But I did in the step by step photos. I will update it.Glad it turned out good.
🙂