Hyderabadi mirchi ka salan

– March 11, 2011Posted in: > Vegetarian Sides, Recipes

Hyderabadi mirchi ka salan is a very well-known classic dish from the treasure of Hyderabad cuisines and is definitely not for the faint hearted :) . It needs lots of time, patience and passion for cooking. This single dish alone defines the criterion for a passionate cook.

It was in the paradise circle where I have heard it first, Paradise circle – a place for shoppers and foodies alike, it houses restaurants that serve good Hyderabadi biryani (though not best) and Irani chai cafe, then there was Dadoo’s who used to sell best Bengali sweets and the nearby General market for shopping, all in one place.

mirchi salan

wonderful Hyderabadi mirchi ka salan

We ordered a Hyderabadi biryani and was looking for some accompaniments, when the waiter suggested this unusual dish called “mirchi ka salan“.  Salan is Hyderabadi lingo for curry or gravy based dishes. I was new then, gradually soaking the taste of Hyderabadi cuisine, pushing my limits to absorb the spiciness of Andhra chillies, but mirchi ka salan, no way. We had it with raita or dahi chutney as they use to call it, and later treat ourselves with khubani ka meetha.

Few months later one of my colleague, brought this mirchi ka salan in her lunch box, and persuaded me to taste it. With much reluctant I had it with dosa and I … loved it !  Popular notion is that it will be too spicy and hot, but no..it was mildly spiced (yes mild and not hot). By that time I have developed a taste for Hyderabadi cuisine and if you ask me about the hottest dish I ever had – it was the Nellore fish curry from Fishland in Ameerpet (my tear glands become hyperactive after having this) .

hyderabadi mirchi salan

hyderabadi mirchi salan

Coming to mirchi ka salan, I have tried it at home some three years back, I know it closely resemble to another signature dish of Hyderabad called bagahra baingan (tempered eggplant), but was not able to recreate the taste. The dish seems to lack something, which I couldn’t figure out, and since it takes enormous time, I dare not repeat it again.

But a week before, when I again spotted this chillies in local market, I tempt to create it again, and this time I searched the web well, and it leads me to Zaiqa.net Instantly I like the recipe, and the entire process of preparing it, which she described it so well, I decided to go for it..

Except the type of chilli I havent changed anything, rest of the recipe is in total sync with the original.

mirchi_hydrabadi

 

Recipe: Hyderabadi mirchi ka salan

Summary: Hyderabadi mirchi ka salan or curried Hyderabadi peppers / chillies

Ingredients

  • Green chillies : 250 g
  • For tempering:
  • Cumin seeds: 2 1/2 tsp
  • Curry leaves : few
  • Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
  • Nigella seeds: 1/3 tsp
  • Fenugreek seeds: 1/8 tsp
  • For dry paste:
  • Poppy seeds : 1 tbsp
  • White Sesame Seeds :2 tbsp
  • Groundnuts / peanuts : 1/2 cup
  • Freshly scraped Coconut : 3/4 cup
  • Dry roasted Coriander seed : 1 tsp
  • Cumin seeds: 1 1/2 tsp
  • For gravy:
  • Vegetable oil : 2-3 tbsp
  • Onions – 2, large,
  • Ginger garlic paste:2 tsp
  • Turmeric powder– 1/2 tsp
  • Cilantro / coriander leaves – 3 tbsp, finely chopped
  • Thick tamarind pulp – 3 tbsp
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Wash the green chillies (not sure this is jalapeno or Korean chilli, but you will easily spot it in local market in South India), leave the stalk intact and pat them dry.
  2. Slit down the middle to top and discard the seeds with the help of a spoon. These tiny seeds of chillies are real cause of the spiciness.
  3. Since this recipe consumes lots of time, so try to do some time management. Heat a tawa or griddle and dry roast the scraped coconut, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, peanuts, coriander seeds and cumin seeds, all separately.
  4. While this is going on, heat another pan and roast the sliced onions till they turn brown. Add a pinch of salt to quicken the process of browning.
  5. Grind the roasted coconut, sesame, poppy seeds, peanuts, coriander seeds and cumin seeds all separately in a small masala grinder / mixer. Keep it aside.
  6. Grind the roasted onions (remember to cool it before putting in a mixer) to a fine and smooth puree.
  7. Now heat some oil in a pan up to smoking hot and add the chillies carefully. As soon as the chillies comes in contact with hot oil, blister will form on its surface.
  8. Lightly toss the chillies in hot oil and with the help of a slotted spoon, take them out and drain on a tissue paper.
  9. To the same oil add the spices meant for tempering and let them splutter for few seconds.
  10. Add the pureed onion and mix it well, so that the roasted onion can absorb the flavour of spices.
  11. Fry for some time on a low heat and add next the ginger garlic paste. Let it fry for couple of minute.
  12. Next add the coconut paste, freshly ground sesame powder, poppy-seed powder, peanut and stir fry for few more minutes until the oil separates out.
  13. Add the red chilli powder, turmeric powder and a pinch of salt. Stir fry it for few more minute until the rawness of peanut and coconut disappear.
  14. Add the cumin and coriander powder and mix well.
  15. Add around 3 cups of water and the diluted tamarind pulp. Mix thoroughly, gently add the tossed green chillies to it , stir it and cover, simmer it for 20 minutes till done.
  16. At the end chillies should be soft, intact and well absorbed in the creamy masala gravy.
  17. Serve the hot mirchi ka salan with Hyderabadi biryani, the best accompaniment it can get.
  18. Nevertheless it taste good with steamed rice or plain roti / paratha.

Preparation time: 45 minute(s)

Cooking time: 45 minute(s)

Diet type: Vegetarian

Number of servings (yield): 4

Culinary tradition: Indian (Southern)

My rating 5 stars: ★★★★★ 1 review(s)

Verdict: It was simply fabulous. The soft and luxuriant textured chillies soaked in the creamy and mildly spiced sesame-coconut-peanut gravy with a hint of sweet and tangy tamarind will definitely entice you.

 

Enjoy the weekend

If you like this recipe then please consider sharing it and do not forget to send me your feedbacks.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,