Mirchi ka salan is a Hyderabadi curry of long, mildly hot green chillies cooked in a nutty, sour gravy. It is the traditional accompaniment to biryani, and no Hyderabadi wedding feast serves biryani without it. The gravy, made of roasted peanuts, sesame and dry coconut with tamarind, is closely related to the base used for bagara baingan.
The salan is thick, tangy and slightly sweet, with a deep nutty flavour from the roasted seeds. The chillies are slit, fried and then simmered so they turn soft and absorb the gravy without losing their shape. It cuts through the richness of biryani, and many people also eat it with plain rice or roti.
At a glance
| Region | Telangana |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | Hyderabadi |
| Diet | Vegan |
| Course | Side dish |
| Prep time | 20 minutes |
| Cook time | 30 minutes |
| Total time | 50 minutes |
| Serves | 4 |
| Spice level | Medium |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Gluten-free | Yes |
| Key ingredients | green chillies / peanuts / sesame seeds / dry coconut / tamarind |
Ingredients
For the chillies
- 250 g long, thick, mild green chillies (bhavnagari or banana peppers)
- 3 tbsp oil
For the paste
- 3 tbsp raw peanuts
- 2 tbsp white sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp dry coconut, grated
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 medium onion, sliced and roasted
For the gravy
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/4 tsp nigella seeds (kalonji)
- 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 3 tbsp thick tamarind pulp
- 1 tsp grated jaggery
- 1 tsp salt
- 1.5 cups water
Method
- Wash and dry the chillies. Slit each lengthwise without cutting through, and scrape out some seeds if you want less heat.
- Heat 3 tbsp oil in a kadai and fry the chillies on medium heat for 3-4 minutes, turning, until blistered in spots. Remove and set aside.
- Dry roast the peanuts for 4-5 minutes until golden, then the sesame seeds until they pop, then the coconut until light brown, and finally the coriander and cumin for a minute. Grind with the roasted onion and a little water to a smooth paste.
- In the same kadai, add 2 tbsp oil and splutter mustard, cumin, nigella and fenugreek seeds. Add curry leaves and ginger-garlic paste and fry for 1 minute.
- Add the ground paste, turmeric and chilli powder and fry on low heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring often, until the paste darkens slightly and oil begins to separate.
- Add tamarind pulp, jaggery, salt and water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the fried chillies and simmer on low heat for 8-10 minutes until the gravy is thick, oil floats on top, and the chillies are tender.
- Rest for 30 minutes before serving; the flavour improves as it sits.
Tips
- Choose thick, long chillies with low heat; small spicy ones make it too fierce.
- Roast each seed separately as they brown at different rates.
- The salan should be thick and oily on top, not watery.
Serve with
Hyderabadi biryani with burani raita, or with bagara rice.