Mirchi ka salan

Mirchi ka salan

This is one of the famous Mughalai recipes. Mughalai food is characterized by rich and creamy curry. Mughlai recipes are rich in fat, carbohydrates and proteins. As I am not as rich as the Mughals, I have used less oil and added no cream.

Mirchi Ka Salan is a traditional Hyderabadi salan made in a shallow wide flat bottomed copper or brass pot called ‘handi’. The pot is sealed with dough, and kept on low fire to trap all the rich flavours inside. This is served as a condiment with biryani. Salan means curry spiced with all the ingredients. The mirchi are seeded and fried for a rich, smoky flavour. You can use any milder varieties like bhavnagri chillies, Anaheim chilies, bell pepper or jalapenos. Interesting part of this recipe is adding chilli powder to the chillies which gives the extra kick.

Ingredients:

Green chilli with thick skin - 8

Cumin – 1 tsp

Coriander seeds – 2 tsp

Chilli powder – 2 tsp

Chopped coriander – 2 tsp

Bay leaf

Cloves - 4-6

Cinnamon - 1 inch

Roasted Peanuts – 2 tblsp

Roasted sesame seeds – 2 tblsp

Dry cocount grated - 2 tblsp

Garlic pods – 2 large

Onion – 1 large chopped into big chunks

Tomato – 1 chopped into big chunks

Tamarind – 1 lemon size

Anaheim chilli

Roasted peanuts, dry coconut, cloves, cinnamon,

Corriander seeds, garlic and sesame seeds

Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup of hot water for about 15-20 minutes. Squeeze and remove the pulp and keep the tamarind juice aside.

Skin and grind the roasted peanuts, sesame seeds, dry coconut and keep aside.

For garam masala -

Roast cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf. Allow them to cool and grind them into powder.

Chop onions and tomatoes finely and keep it aside.

Heat the oil and fry chillies with pinch of salt until black spots appear, drain and keep it aside. In the same oil saute chopped onions for 7-8 minutes and then add tomatoes. Allow them to cool and grind them into paste. Grind garlic also into smooth paste. 

Add 2 more tblsp of oil to the same pan and add garlic paste, tomato & onion paste, add garam masala powder, salt and fry well until the oil appears on the sides of the pan.

Add fried chillies to the above and add roasted peanut and sesame powder and fry for 10 minutes. Pour tamarind juice and allow to cook for another 5 minutes. Sprinkle chopped coriander, close the lid and turn off the heat.

 

Serve it with hot rotis or biryani or with simple plain rice.