A Hyderabadi special, Mirchi Ka Salan is a lightly spiced, creamy and slightly tangy curry made with green chillies in a gravy base of nuts, seeds and aromatics. This dish is a must-have with a Biryani in Hyderabad.
Add sliced onions. Stirring often sauté onions until lightly browned.
Next add the desiccated coconut. Mix and sauté until the coconut turns light golden.
Later, add roasted peanuts and sesame seeds to this mixture and roast for 1 to 2 minutes on low heat
Make a smooth paste of the above roasted mixture with garlic cloves, ginger and all the ground spice powders with ½ cup water.
Make tamarind water
In a small bowl, soak tamarind with ⅓ cup hot water for 20 to 30 minutes.
When the tamarind has softened, squeeze the tamarind pulp in the water in the bowl. Keep the tamarind water aside.
Preparing green chillies
Remove the green chilli crowns or you can also keep them intact.
Rinse and wipe dry the green chillies.
Slit the chillies vertically, but do not break them. You can opt to remove the seeds from the chillies if you prefer.
Heat about 2 tablespoons oil in a pan. Fry the chillies lightly until you see some blisters on them.
Remove and drain on kitchen paper towels.
Making mirchi ka salan
Now, in the same pan add 2 tablespoons oil. Fry the mustard seeds on low heat till they crackle.
Then, add nigella seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves. Fry for a minute.
Add the ground masala paste. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes on low to medium-low heat or till the oil floats on the top and sides of the masala.
Now, add tamarind pulp and 1.5 or 2 cups water. Stir to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes on low to medium-low heat.
Add fried green chilies, salt and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes more.
Garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve Mirchi Ka Salan hot with veg biryani, plain steamed rice or any Indian flatbread.
Notes
To make a less spicy dish, use milder variety of chilies. You could also use a mix of hot chillies and the mild ones to make a slightly spicy curry.
If make the curry with the hotter variety of chilies, it will become very spicy. So, avoid making this recipe with extra fiery and hot green chilies.
Opt to remove and discard the seeds from the chilies if you prefer.
Do give a slit or cut to the chillies before lightly frying them.
Use only fresh peanuts for the masala paste in the salan recipe. Rancid peanuts will spoil the taste. Remember to use roasted peanuts. You can roast peanuts in a frying pan or in the oven until crunchy.
Skip nigella seeds, if you do not have them.
You could also make the curry with vegetables of your choice instead of green chillies.
Any leftover Mirchi ka Salan can be stored for about 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator.