MIRCHI KA SALAN

Mirchi Ka Salan is a hyderabadi spicy chilli curry made with long, thick and big green chillies with some masala paste. One of the most exotic accompaniment that is served with any type of Biryani be it the vegetable, chicken, mutton or a yummy pulao. The spicy taste that comes out in the dish is only because of the long thick chillies which are fried and added to the salan. ‘Salan’ is just a hindi term as ‘curry’ is in english. The masala that goes into making curry is a paste of roasted coconut, peanuts, sesame seeds, cumin seeds and mustard seeds. The tangy taste to the dish comes out only by adding tamarind pulp to the salan. The recipe is made during eid and served with biryani along with desserts such as hyderabadi double ka meetha or sheer khurma during lunch or dinners. When weddings are attended, this is the most common side dish we come across on the muslim wedding platter.

This is a traditional Hyderabad salan (gravy) made in a shallow wide flat bottomed handi. The salan is a sealed in this handi and kept on low fire to cook with all the flavors trapped inside to give that authentic rich taste.  Whole green chillies (along with stems) are simmered in sesame-peanut and coconut spicy sauce. The dish is easy to prepare and has a refreshingly pleasing taste. This dish is the culinary expression of an Andhraite adventurous spirit and fun-seeking nature. Nutritious and deeply satisfying - that is what Mirchi ka Salan is in a nutshell.

Curry was adopted from the Tamil word kari meaning "sauce", which is usually understood to mean vegetables and/or meat cooked with spices with or without a gravy. It is a dish originating in the cuisine of the Indian subcontinent. The common feature is the use of complex combinations of spices or herbs, usually including fresh or dried hot chillies. The use of the term is generally limited to dishes prepared in a sauce. Dishes called 'curry' may contain fish, meat, poultry, or shellfish, either alone or in combination with vegetables. Curries may be either 'dry' or 'wet'. Dry curries are cooked with very little liquid which is allowed to evaporate, leaving the other ingredients coated with the spice mixture. Wet curries contain significant amounts of sauce or gravy based on yoghurt, cream, coconut milk, coconut cream, legume purée, or broth. Some of the dry and wet curries are Butter Chicken, Aloo Gobi, Chicken Curry, Egg Curry, Palak Moong Dal Fry, Grated Beetroot curry, Cabbage Kofta curry, Goan Shrimp curry, Stuffed Karela Fry, Tindora Fry and many more…..

Chilli peppers are a small, fiery variety of capsicum. They can be green, yellow, orange, red or black. There are more than 200 known varieties and they differ greatly in size, colour and level of hotness. In general, the smaller the chilli, the more potent. The hottest part of a chilli is not the seeds, as many people think, but the white flesh that houses the seeds, known as the placenta. You can try many dishes with chilies, few of them are: Chilli Paneer, Chilli Chicken Indo Chinese, Green Chilli Chutney, Hot Red Chilly Hot Coconut Chutney, Chilli crab with sauce..

Cooking Tips:

• When masala is cooking make sure it does not stick to the bottom or keep stirring as the masala is getting cooked.
• The green chillies can also be shallow fried in oil to make mirchi ka salan.

Health Tips:

• Green chillies are loaded with antioxidants, that protect the body against free radicals by acting as natural scavengers.
• Chilies carry a good amount of minerals like potassium, manganese, iron, and magnesium.

Mirchi Ka Salan adds an extra zing and is a wonderful flavor as a side dish to Vegetable Biryani, Egg Biryani, Chicken Biryani, and even Vegetable Pulao.. The process is slightly time-consuming since the dish is based on the traditional slow cooking method. It’s definitely worth it though! A treat to all highly cherished chilli enthusiasts! So, next time you make the biryani do not forget to make this dish.