Seyal Maani is a warming dish, with heating, healing spices, including turmeric, garlic, chilis and tomatoes. It takes around 10 minutes to cook, and so can be made on a day where you are craving such warmth. My grandma used to make this for me when I popped in for a surprise visit and needed warming from the rain or cold.
There are a number of aspects I love about this dish. It’s ability to be prepared in a short time but have such layers of depth that it tastes like it has been cooked for hours. The way it hits all of your senses. The aroma of Seyal Maani is an invitation to the table. Starting with the smell from the garlic, moving on to the aroma of the spices and tomato.
The colour is just as inviting, with the red from the tomatoes, the yellow from the turmeric stained chapati and the greens from the coriander. The mouth feel is silky, like soft layers of pasta. I also love the sustainability aspect, using leftover chapati, in addition to the grating of the tomato to include the skin.
From an Ayurvedic perspective it is a grounding and heating dish, so a great Vata dish. Kapha will also benefit from the heating spices but may want to substitute a lighter chapati made of ancient grains from time to time. This dish will heat Pitta, so reserve it for an Autumn, Winter and don’t eat in excess.
Ingredients
- 4 leftover chapati, torn into pieces
- 1 green chilli, chopped (de-seed if you need to decrease the spice level)
- 2 medium tomatoes, grated
- 6 curry leaves, dried or fresh
- 1 tsp. black mustard seeds
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- ½ tsp. turmeric powder
- 1 tsp. fresh coriander leaves
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 tsp coconut oil (or ghee – optional)
- 2 cups of water
Method
- In a heavy-set pan on a medium-low heat, add the oil, chopped garlic – sauté for 30 seconds and then add the curry leaves and mustard seeds until they start to splutter, c. 20 seconds.
- Add the grated tomatoes, chilis, salt, turmeric, coriander and cook until raw tomato smell dissipates, 2-3 minutes
- Add 2 cups of water and when simmering, add your cut up chapati
- Cook until the chapati softens and add fresh coriander to garnish
Notes:
Add more water for a thinner gravy.
Cook the chapati less time for an al dente Seyal Maani or more time for a softer consistency
*My preference was more water and al dente which my grandma made perfectly every time
