This authentic Hyderabadi salan is best served with biryani (e.g. veg biryani, paneer biryani, baby potato biryani, kuska rice). This combo makes the perfect easy dinner!

What is Mirchi ka Salan?

Mirchi ka salan is the traditional and one of the most popular Hyderabadi recipes. Here mirchi=chili peppers and salan=curry (which is mostly eaten with rice dish) in the Urdu language. This dish is prepared in weddings and special occasions as a side dish with aromatic biryani (mostly mutton biryani). But it pairs well with veg versions and even with pulao too. Eating salan with roti, paratha is very rare but can be eaten. The authentic salan gravy is mostly made with peanuts, sesame seeds, coconut, onion, and few spices. To get the tangy taste, tamarind paste is used.

Controlling the heat (spice) level in Mirchi ka sala

Choose the chilies which are mild (not hot/spicy). E.g. poblano, anaheim peppers, ancho peppers, shishito peppers, wine mini sweet peppers. Or simply use the bell pepper cut into big strips. I have used shishito peppers. Always remove the seeds and veins of the chilies from inside. To do that slit the chilies in half and pull out all the seeds and veins. High recommend wearing gloves for doing this job.Once done with the above step, soak chilies in salted water for 20 minutes to reduce the spice level even little more.If you want to make a mild gravy then skip the dried red chilies in the gravy masala. Also, skip or reduce the addition of Kashmiri red chili powder in the salan gravy.

How to make Mirchi ka Salan?

  1. Make a slit in the chili pepper, remove the seeds and veins. Then soak into the salted water for 20 minutes. After that drain the water.
  2. Now to make salan paste, add onion, ginger, and garlic in a pan on medium heat.
  3. Keep stirring occasionally and keep cooking till onions become soft and translucent.
  4. Then add rest of the paste ingredients (peanuts, sesame seeds, coconut, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and dried red chili). 
  5. Keep stirring constantly and roast till you get nice aroma of the spices and peanuts will have a slight color change. Remove it to a bowl and let it cool down.
  6. Then take into the grinder jar.
  7. And make a smooth paste by adding ½ cup of water.
  8. Now heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add green chilies and fry till chilies till they get blisters from all the sides. Remove and keep it aside. It’s ok if they are not soft and tender yet. Remaining cooking will be done into the gravy.
  9. Now add remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the same pan on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then add curry leaves and fry for 30 seconds.
  10. Add prepared paste and mix.
  11. Add 2 cups of water to make a thin gravy.
  12. Add salt, red chili powder and turmeric powder. Mix well.
  13. Add tamarind paste and mix.
  14. Let the gravy simmer for 10 minutes on low heat. Do stir in between to make sure that it is not sticking to the pan. Also, add water id gravy becomes thick.
  15. Then add sauteed peppers and again simmer for 5-6 minutes or till the peppers becomes soft and tender. Then turn off the stove. Check out other Hyderabadi recipesPaneer 65 (a starter/appetizer) Bagara baingan (it has something similar gravy to salan)

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