Mirchi Ka Salan
Ingredients
- 6 (anaheim) mexican peppers (or any long peppers will do)
- 1 tsp oil
- 2 tsp amchur powder
- For Salan:
- 1/4 cup peanuts
- 3 tbsp cup sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 cup onions, chopped
- 5–6 dried red chillies
- 3–4 tbsp shredded coconut
- 5–6 tbsp tamarind juice
- salt- to taste
- water — as per consistency
- 1/8 tsp turmeric
- 1/4 tsp chilli powder (optional)
- 2 tbsp oil
Instructions
To grill the Jalapenos
1. Grilling the jalapenos is the first step. Slit them and remove the stems and seeds from inside. This will remove the hotness from it.
2. Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the chilies evenly on all sides. Take it off the pan and keep it aside for now.
To prepare the coconut-peanut paste
1. Roast coconut, peanuts, poppy seeds, white sesame seeds, cumin seeds, nigella seeds/kalonji, fenugreek seeds, and curry leaves in oil for 4–5 minutes. Transfer it to a plate and allow it to cool.
2. Grind it to a dry paste without adding any water.
To prepare the tomato-onion paste
1. In the same pan, roast tomatoes, onions, ginger, and garlic one after the other in a teaspoon of oil for 4–5 minutes.
2. Take it off the pan and let it cool down completely before grinding it to a smooth paste.
To prepare the Salan
1. Heat oil in the same pan, temper mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Once they begin to splutter add a cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Fry for 30 seconds and then add the onion tomato paste. Fry for 2–3 minutes or until the raw smell goes and it releases oil from the sides.
2. Then add the dry spice powders like turmeric powder, cardamom powder, sugar, coriander-cumin powder and red chilly powder along with salt. Mix it well and continue to fry the masala for another minute.
3. Then add the coconut-peanut ground paste to the pan. Mix it all together, add water and cook this for 2–3 minutes till it begins to boil. Finally, add the fried green chilies to the pan. Cook this gravy on medium flame till it thickens.
Garnish
1. Garnish with garam masala, chopped cilantro, and lemon juice before taking it off the flame. You can also garnish it with fried onions for more flavor and extra punch. Mirchi Ka Salan is ready.
2. This delicious curry will pair well with any kind of biryani, an Indian flatbread, or plain steamed rice.
Notes
You can make this dish as hot or as mild as you want it to be. Pick the pepper variety of your choice based on your tolerance level. Always slit before grilling jalapenos or any other peppers. Else they will explode in the pan when your grilling it.
Also, deseed them to further reduce the heat. In case the salon becomes very spicy in the end, add coconut milk to reduce the heat. I have not tried this though.
The coconut-peanut paste should be smooth and creamy, not coarse. The final consistency of the sauce should be slightly thick and not very watery.
Add tamarind and jaggery in the sauce to help balance the flavors. Alternatively, you can add yogurt or tomatoes as well. You can prepare the base sauce in advance and store it in the fridge. It stays good for 2–3 days.
You can also freeze it. Just heat it up before serving and add the freshly grilled peppers to it. You can also stuff the chili with mashed potato filling to prepare a stuffed Mirchi ka Salan recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 277.65kcal | Carbohydrates: 23.4g | Protein: 7.65g | Fat: 19.1g | Saturated Fat: 5.53g | Sodium: 81.81mg | Potassium: 483.36mg | Fiber: 6.12g | Sugar: 9.84g | Vitamin A: 1101.35IU | Vitamin C: 61.44mg | Calcium: 149.16mg | Iron: 4.58mg
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