Yes it’s a curry, but only soupier. Sounds a little silly but that’s what it is, very much similar to the traditional sherwa, a little more thinned out as it’s made with tomatoes without the huge quantity of onions that go into the sherwa.
I haven’t seen many hyderabadi households prepare this. This recipe is a specialty of my mother in law. Not sure if she just spinned off her own version or learnt it from her mother. Nevertheless, it’s amazing, a favourite of my husband and quite the lazy recipe. As it makes for a really thin type of ‘patla salan’ (a thin consitency curry), it’s best served with rice or roti and a robust, wholesome side like shaami kababs or aloo ke cutlets.

Prep Time | 40 minutes |
Cook Time | 30 minutes |
Passive Time | 30 minutes |
Servings |
people
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Ingredients
- 500 g fresh plump red tomatoes
- 1 stick dried tamarind (optional)
- 3 tbsp sunflower oil
- 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- 250 g lamb or mutton cubed
- 8-10 curry leaves
- 2 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 handful coriander and mint leaves
Ingredients
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Instructions
- Place the tomatoes and tamarind in about 4-5 cups of water and either cook on a low flame for about an hour or pressure cook for 15 minutes. The tomatoes should be totally mushy. Mash or grind the pulp and pass it through a sieve to extract the juice, set aside.
- In a pressure cooker, heat the oil and fry the ginger garlic paste for a few seconds. Add in the meat, spice powders and salt. Add a cup of water and pressure cook for about 15-20 minutes until the meat is tender.
- Add in the tomato juice into the meat mixture. Adjust the consistency with water and season to taste. Add in a green chili or two if desired. Put in the handful of chopped herbs and simmer covered for a few minutes until the oil floats on top.
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