#114 Mirchi Ka Salan- Royal Hyderabadi Cooking

I'm going from the heart of Tex-Mex Nachos and smack-dab to the middle of Southern India to Hyderabad. When I talk about Hyderabadi cuisine many classic recipes from that region come to mind-- be it Dum Murgh Ki Biryani or Doube Ka Meetha/Shahi Tukde all of which are culinary delights. Today I am posting a Hyderabadi dish called Mirchi Ka Salan generally served with Biryani along with Dahi chutney or Raita. As flavorful as it is delicious, the gravy is made from tamarind extract, Poppy seeds, sesame seeds, coconut and peanuts and the Peppers are finger hots cooked in the sweet-tart gravy. Doesn't that sound absolutely tempting and mouth watering? I am embracing a variety of flavors in the making of this curry, one that does not use "Curry Powder"(I talked about that in one of my earlier posts) but fluctuating from peanuts to almonds. Now, being a versatile cook I love to introduce my favorite twists to an original recipe. I love the adaptability of this dish and with the abundance of peppers available in the market I can use Anaheim, poblano, banana, serrano or jalapeno peppers in this dish. It all depends on the intensity of heat suitable to your individual tastes. I prefer Anaheim peppers since they are moderately hot and we are not great fans of extra spicy foods. The flavors are well appreciated but not enough to burn our tongues or stomachs for that matter sometimes I choose to use cherry tomatoes instead of peppers in the same gravy. Oooh that does make me very hungry!!

INGREDIENTS

Anaheim green peppers 10 large

Oil 2 tablespoons

Sesame seeds (til) 1 tablespoons

Coriander seeds 1/2 tablespoon

Cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon

Roasted almonds 1/4 cup

Dried red chillies, broken 2

Chilli powder- 1 tspn

Tomato paste- 1Tblspn

Ginger, chopped 1/2 inch piece

Garlic 6 cloves

Mustard seeds 1/2 teaspoon

Curry leaves 8

Onion , grated 1/2 medium

Turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon

Tamarind concentrate 1 tablespoon

Salt to taste

                                       

METHOD

1. Wash, wipe and slice green chillies into crosssections about 2 inches in length. Heat sufficient oil in a pan and saute until soft and set aside. (I added the onions at the same time)

2. Dry roast sesame seeds, coriander seeds and cumin seeds. Cool and grind them to a paste along with roasted almonds, dry red chillies, ginger and garlic, chilli powder and tomato paste.

3. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a pan, add mustard seeds. Once they splutter add curry leaves. Sauté for half a minute and add onion. Sauté until light golden brown.

4. Add turmeric powder and mix well. Add masala paste, half cup water and cook for three minutes, stirring well. Reduce the heat and cook for ten minutes. Add tamarind pulp or concentrate.

5. Toss in the peppers and salt and cook on low heat for eight to ten minutes. Serve hot.