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Living in Consciousness ~ Indi(r)a’s Food and Garden Weblog

Mirchi Ka Salan from Hyderabad

Paying Salaam to Salan with Jalapenos:


Mirchi Ka Salan ~ For RCI: Andhra

Recipes with chillies are many. Pickled, stuffed, stewed, sun-dried, consumed raw or added in desserts like cakes or in ice creams – different varieties for different flavors and strengths. All of them are highly cherished by chilli enthusiasts.

One chilli recipe that stands out from the bunch is the famous Mirchi Ka Salan recipe from Hyderabad (capital city of Andhra). Whole green chillies pan-fried and simmered in sesame-peanut spicy sauce. The dish is easy to prepare and has a refreshingly pleasing taste. But if you don’t know what you are doing, the chances that it could blow your head off are high. Whether one call it pushing the limits or perspiration-inducing love affair, Mirchi ka Salan is the culinary expression of an Andhra vasi‘s adventurous spirit and fun-seeking nature. Nutritious, dangerous and deeply satisfying – that is what Mirchi ka Salan is in a nutshell.


Skillet-Frying the Green Chillies

Recipe:

Mirchi (Green Chillies):

12 medium-sized jalapeno peppers
To lessen the heat: Remove the stem and slice each jalapeno lengthwise on one side, use caution not to cut into half and to keep the tail end intact. Pluck the white pitch and seeds like shown in this photo. (Wear gloves for sensitive skin.)

Salan:

½ cup peanuts – roasted and skins removed
¼ cup sesame seeds – toasted
½ cup sauteed pieces of shallots or red onion
4 dried red chillies – toasted
1 teaspoon each – coriander seeds, cumin, cinnamon and cloves, toasted lightly
Take them all in a blender and add about a teaspoon each – ginger, garlic, salt and about 4 tablespoons of tamarind juice. Pour in about a cup of water and grind to smooth paste. I usually add about 2 tablespoon of jaggery/sugar to bring a mild-sweet flavor to the dish.

Making of Mirchi ka Salan:

In a wide skillet, heat about a tablespoon of peanut oil. Bring the oil to smoking point. Add and sear mirchi (jalapenos) to sand color. Take care not to black/burn.

Add the prepared Salan paste to the seared chillies. Add about a cup of water and mix. Have a taste, adjust salt, sour(tamarind), sweet(jaggery) levels to your liking. Cover the pot and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring in-between. The color of the sesame-peanut sauce darkens and sauce thickens. Mirchi ka Salan will be ready.

Serve warm with rice/chapati/parathas. A cup of soothing saaru(chaaru/rasam), salad or yogurt on the side helps a lot. Best place to have this meal is balcony/patio’s shady spot or with windows open/fan whirring at a low speed. Cool breeze enhances the chilli experience.


Mirchi Ka Salan with Rice and Green Papaya Salad ~ Our Meal Today

More salaam to Salan:
Mirchi ka Salan – from Past, Present and Me
Mirchi ka Salan – from Elaichi et Cetera…
Mirchi ka Salan – from Hyderabadi Kitchen
Mirchi ka Salan – from Vindu

Posted by Indira©Copyrighted in Amma & Authentic Andhra,Green Chillies,Peanuts,Peppers (Thursday May 10, 2007 at 4:23 pm- permalink)
Comments (58)

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58 comments for Mirchi Ka Salan from Hyderabad »

  1. hey! I needed a special recipe for the weekend, and I knew Mahanandi was the right place to look!

    You make it so sound so easy, and you make it look so easy. I particularly like your sign off line – “salaam to salan” 🙂

    Anu

    Comment by Anupama — May 10, 2007 @ 5:00 pm

  2. Wow.. Is this telepathy.. Every time i feel like visiting yr blog u have just posted a new recipe :). I have never heard of this dish. Being a spice lover, am sure i vl try this.

    Comment by Suganya — May 10, 2007 @ 5:01 pm

  3. OMG I cannot beleive you are adding red chillies to the Chilli salan.. OMG I bet Ravi would relish this dish..

    Comment by Revathi — May 10, 2007 @ 5:19 pm

  4. Hi Anupama, I was reading about the recipe origin of mirchi ka salan, Hyderabadi Nawab’s kitchens etc, then salaam word popped into my head.
    Small wordplay.:)

    Hi Suganya, that must be telepathy then.:) You have a nice blog. Keep up the good work.

    . 🙂 The sesame-peanut sauce will fall flat without the red chilli touch, Revathi. Definitely a recipe for chilli lovers, that’s for sure. I am still feeling the heat from the meal. Thank God we have a cool breeze today here in Seattle.

    Comment by Indira — May 10, 2007 @ 5:28 pm

  5. Perfect, I just figured out what’s for dinner tonight! I have chillies coming out my ears now that’s the right season in my garden. Thanks.

    Comment by Evil J — May 10, 2007 @ 6:00 pm

  6. Hi Indira,

    Looks and sounds delicious! How about trying this with a milder mirch, like the yellow peppers, or the delightful new mexico hatch? The Hatch Chillies are delightful when roasted…not quite as hot, and just immensely flavourful.

    I liked your chana dal-greens recipe too…must try that soon!

    Comment by AA — May 10, 2007 @ 6:01 pm

  7. Hi Indira, Spicy and tempting Mirchi ka Salan!! I haven’t had this in some time. That is a pretty bowl.

    Comment by Reena — May 10, 2007 @ 6:18 pm

  8. Lip smacking hot 🙂 i still remember the first time i had Mirchi ka Salan, in peak summer time 😀 Your tips on the yogurt, fan and cool spot are helpful indeed. and may be some mithai too in the end 🙂

    Comment by musical — May 10, 2007 @ 6:57 pm

  9. wow i love this dish! Delicious hard to find mirchi here still!

    Comment by Roopa — May 10, 2007 @ 7:45 pm

  10. that sure is mouth watering
    i use mango too 😉

    Comment by anusharaji — May 10, 2007 @ 8:07 pm

  11. The pan-roasting of the chillies, the peanuts, the sesame and the spices… this dish has me drooling. And the heat from the chillies, I almost forgot! 🙂

    Comment by Cynthia — May 10, 2007 @ 8:28 pm

  12. Hey Indira we planned to make the typical hyderabadi mirchi ka salan with biryani for lunch on sat. Great to see it!

    Comment by Deepika Saripalli — May 10, 2007 @ 8:58 pm

  13. Ok, the dish sounds way too spicy for me even with the vein removed but I love your photos as usual and the first shiny metalic bowl is just gorgeous. Is it Brass? The sauce sounds tempting though and I might make that with another veggie?

    Comment by archana — May 10, 2007 @ 9:08 pm

  14. http://tastytraditions.blogspot.com/

    Mirch ka salan looks yummy.. yummm yummmm
    this is a good website. do have a look

    Comment by mylapore mami — May 10, 2007 @ 10:23 pm

  15. Indira I had heard so much about the mirch ka salan. I don’t have a stomach for chillies but your true nawabi style presentation tempts. I guess a glass of lassi after the meal will help :).

    Comment by Anjali — May 11, 2007 @ 1:03 am

  16. If people can’t stomach the chillies, then they can use the same ingredients to make baghare baigan which uses small Asian eggplants instead. My mother-in-law also does it with small tomatoes instead.

    Comment by Raihanah — May 11, 2007 @ 4:24 am

  17. Indira, the salan looks like I have to try it out soon, have procrastinated enough. Is there a substitute for sesame seeds or could that be omitted?

    Comment by indosungod — May 11, 2007 @ 5:06 am

  18. What!??!!! You hadn’t posted the Mirchi Ka Salan recipe yet?? You, pucca Andhrite and all and two years of blogging.. tch..tch…Bahut Na-insaafi hai! 😀

    Salan looks good. I like the addition of jaggery. I tried it after you mentioned it on my post and it brings out the peanut-sesame taste in the sauce. Good Eats!

    Comment by Vee — May 11, 2007 @ 6:09 am

  19. Wow That’s just Wow…love that handi

    Comment by sandeepa — May 11, 2007 @ 6:15 am

  20. Oh! I am hooked!!

    Comment by Gini — May 11, 2007 @ 10:44 am

  21. Hello Indira,

    Thanks for bringing back memories of Hyderabad and the fiery Mirchi Ka Salan. I wanted to let you know that I tried your rice noodle recipes (with tofu and pad thai), they were extraordinary. Thanks ‘twice’ again.

    Comment by Sapna — May 11, 2007 @ 1:28 pm

  22. hi this is a grt recipe…i do the same with egg plant…

    Comment by shanti — May 11, 2007 @ 1:51 pm

  23. Hey just occurred to me Say Salaaaaaaaaaaaam to Salan like the way Vidya balan says in Salaaaaaaaaaam Namaste !!! that would be sooo apt….

    Comment by Revathi — May 11, 2007 @ 4:35 pm

  24. oops Not vidhya balan Preity Zinta 🙂

    Comment by Revathi — May 11, 2007 @ 4:35 pm

  25. Evil J: I know you are going to like it.:)
    I wish I had a beautiful garden like yours.

    Hi AA: Hatch chillies look similar to what we get in Andhra. The size and the thickness. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen that variety here in Seattle.
    How are you doing? Did you finish school? Hope you are doing great.

    Hi Reena. Yep, me too. I rarely prepare this curry.

    Hi Roopa: No mirchis, sorry to hear that.

    Anusha: Mango? how do you use it in this recipe? Is it amchoor instead of tamarind?

    Cynthia: Very enticing recipe, I know.:) Perfect to cool off during hot summer months.:)

    Deepika: With biryani? Yum!:) I look forward to reading your post on weekend then. Happy cooking and eating!

    Archana: Thanks. yes, it is a small brass vessel.
    You can replace chillies with green bell peppers and small round brinjals. (You can find other versions in category section.) Vee of PPand Me food blog prepared chicken ka salan. All good.

    Hi Mylapore Mammy, nice blog you have there. Great recipes.

    Anjali: glass of cold lassi definitely helps.:)

    Raihanah: That is a great tip, brinjal and tomato versions are definitely milder compared to chilli version.

    Hi ISG: Another version is peanuts, sesame and dried coconut. You can omit sesame but sesame adds little bit of depth to the sauce.

    Vee: Vijay had the same reaction. 🙂 I don’t why I haven’t blogged about it until now. Too busy salivating and sweating, I guess. 🙂
    Glad you liked that jaggery tip.

    Sandeepa and Gini: out of words.:) Have a great weekend.

    Sapna: Happy to hear that you liked those two recipes. Thanks for letting me know. So which method you followed to cook rice noodles?

    Revathi: that’s funny.:)

    Comment by Indira — May 11, 2007 @ 8:03 pm

  26. Hello Indira,

    Thanks for your reply. For cooking the rice noodles, I boiled water in large vessel and immersed the noodles (with the heat turned off) and covered the vessel. I kept checking the noodles for doneness and then drained them.

    Comment by Sapna — May 13, 2007 @ 10:04 am

  27. Hi Indira,

    Thanks for your kind words 🙂 Since I live in Arizona, Hatch chillies (which are from New Mexico) make an appearance in season even at chain grocery stores like albertsons…where you can buy a whole big bag (10 pounds or more) and have them roasted for you. Most people freeze these roasted chillies, and thaw them to use for the rest of the year.
    I once made a raita/curd-pachadi with the thawed roasted chillies, and it was absolutely delicious…not bland like green bell peppers, and yet not so hot that you couldnt use it in a large quantity to be the mainstay of the raita.
    I do believe that you can have these mailed to you in season. I know someone that moved out of NM who has them mailed to her each year. I’ll let you know more, when I find out.
    As for school..no, I’m still not done :(…slogging the thesis!! I’m looking forward to finishing and coming back to blogging more regularly…
    Meanwhile, your blog stays delightful as ever..best to you!!
    AA

    Comment by AA — May 13, 2007 @ 4:44 pm

  28. Awesome Indira gaaru. I tried this once with the big mexican mirchi (I dont remember the name) and it was absolutely delightful. Will try again with Jalapeno peppers.

    Comment by vamc — May 14, 2007 @ 1:05 pm

  29. I cooked rice noodles like pasta in first recipe, but in second recipe followed the method you described. You have picked the right method.:) Glad to hear that and thanks for your reply Sapna.

    Hi AA, your description of hatch chillies tempts me. Let me see, if I can find them here. I will keep an eye out for them.
    All the best to you!

    Good luck with jalapenos. Let me know how you like it if you try. Thanks Vamc.

    Comment by Indira — May 16, 2007 @ 6:09 pm

  30. I just made it. The saalan is delicious. In the other recipes that u linked, there is coconut in most of them. Does this recipe vary from region to region? And is the color of the saalan more ‘reddish’ than ‘brownish’? Mine was more reddish. Thanks for the recipe, Indira.

    Comment by Gini — May 18, 2007 @ 4:38 pm

  31. Hello!
    I have absolutely LOVED your blog!!!
    SO beautifully done, so tidily and marvellously laid out; and with , oh, SUCH TASTE!!!
    I am a lover of Indian cuisine and was lucky enough to spend three weeks in Kerala 2 and a half years ago: I fell in love with it!
    I am going through different blogs to get some inspiration. I have just opened my own, but haven’t as yet written anything on it. I feel SO uninspired!…
    I write about food and wine, and give lessons; bur I don’t know what the matter is with me lately; I just cannot feel inspired… Anyway; CONGRATULATIONS! You truly are awe-inspiring!

    Comment by Constance Hamilton — May 29, 2007 @ 1:52 pm

  32. After this meal, your blog is tattooed into my computer.

    Merci!

    Comment by sukhminder — July 3, 2007 @ 3:16 pm

  33. Loved your mirchi ka salan recipe!! Hot and just the best!! thanks…

    Comment by Shilpa — July 5, 2007 @ 8:56 pm

  34. Its really amazing Recipe..

    Comment by Raakhii G. — July 9, 2007 @ 12:20 am

  35. Hi Indira,

    I just prepared mirchi ka salan using your recipe and it was heavenly. I usually broil the onion (entire bulb as a whole) directly on the stove-top and then add it other ingredients while grinding. But your recipe is easier and surely tasted great too. Thanks.

    Comment by Sapna — August 9, 2007 @ 11:21 am

  36. Hi Indira,

    I love your website. I stumbled upon it this morning when I looking for mirchi ka salan recipes ! I bought Jalapenos and was hoping I find a receipe that used Jalapenos….it was you…and you put up pictures too. You are the best!!!

    Annu

    Comment by Annu — November 18, 2007 @ 12:17 am

  37. Oh mi god…the curry was so spicy. I want to kick myself for not reading the comment abt peanut oil….does it really lessen the spice???? I used extra virgin oilve oil

    Annu

    Comment by Annu — November 22, 2007 @ 2:21 pm

  38. […] Vegetable Handi Biryani is a heavily spiced Punjabi rice dish. Often served with salan, a spicy thick chutney/gravy like sauce, and raita, a cooling yogurt sauce, often with cucumber or other fruits and vegetables. Apparently “A traditional Hyderabadi salan is 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 flavours trapped inside to give that authentic rich taste.”(source: tarladalal.com) tomato salan recipe. Various raita recipes. […]

    Pingback by Book of Yum - Blog — December 5, 2007 @ 4:01 am

  39. hmmmm….
    quiet good but a little tough for first timmers
    like me :p

    Comment by vidhata — December 23, 2007 @ 3:20 am

  40. Hi indira .. try this with bajji mirapakayalu .. mirapakaya pachadi. wash mirchis cut into pieces. Add little oil in a pan, fry mirchis not forgetting to keep the pan covered. Now to it, add til seeds, tamarind juice, jaggery and salt. Grind into a paste when cool. B’cos its bajji mirchi they lose their kaaram by now .. so take this chutney into a bowl. Add some red chilli powder on the top. Season with urad dal, rayi and hing and curry leaves. And pour it over the chutney and mix it well. Believe me this chutney tastes excellent with rice. Try it and post if u think the taste is worth the effort. If u have no probs i can share few more recipes which u didnt. But i am no good in giving the exact quantities of the ingredients cos’ i cook with my instincts. Will keep in touch .. sirisha

    Hi Sirisha,
    Thanks for sharing your recipes. I will definitely try.
    -Indira

    Comment by sirisha — February 4, 2008 @ 11:44 pm

  41. Hi Indira,
    Love your recipes. You should think about publishing someday. I tried this last week, and could not stop licking my fingers!

    Comment by Gowri — February 16, 2008 @ 2:14 pm

  42. I simply love ur blog…. The salan u have posted is so simple and nice…:)i heard that they also put coconut in it…will adding cocnut add to the taste??…
    any idea? do visit my blog and give me ur comments and vies:D

    Comment by Shubha — March 25, 2008 @ 12:45 pm

  43. Thanks for the recipe, I loved it. I love the internet, some superb recipes here!!

    Comment by Rashmi — March 26, 2008 @ 2:51 pm

  44. I remember my first experience w/mirchi ka salan, and have been trying to recreate it ever since- finally suceeded on sunday by making up my own recipie-but yours looks excellent too- I wanted to say you can also substitute potato or even hard boiled eggs (instead of baby eggplant or tomatos) for a delicious curry that is less spicy.

    Comment by Deepa — April 8, 2008 @ 10:44 am

  45. Hi Indira,

    Can we make mirchi ka salan with capsicum also? Love this version and have had this from many outlets, would love to make at home 🙂

    Comment by Christina Machado — November 21, 2008 @ 10:51 am

  46. Hi Indira,

    I loved the pics so much that I had to try this out and it came out so well.Thanks for sharing a tasty recipe.

    Comment by N33ma — September 8, 2009 @ 11:31 am

  47. Very yummy..thanks for sharing such a nice recipe..

    Comment by Michelle — July 2, 2010 @ 3:20 am

  48. Hi Indira,

    I tried it today and it came out so well.. Thank u so much!!!

    Comment by Gayathri — September 29, 2010 @ 4:01 pm

  49. Love your photos…..so beautiful and also love the mirch ka salan. I am a new food blogger and I am so glad to have found this blog.I am bookmarking this recipe.Thanks. Do you have any post on how to take good food photos for amateurs like me?
    I would also like to add your blog to mine ( my blogging terminology is very bad !!! )
    Renuka

    Comment by Renuka — September 30, 2010 @ 5:07 pm

  50. hi Indira,
    today i search for marchi ka salan ,i found in ur blog .it very nice,i’m also frm kurnool dist. (peapully).
    i like ur recipes and ur presentation is very nice.

    Comment by devi — October 12, 2010 @ 11:30 am

  51. Hi,
    I like the dishes on the site, my only request would be if the dishes can also say how many persons would the dish serve as per the ingredient quantities mentioned in the receipe.

    Thank you

    Comment by Shravanthi — November 8, 2010 @ 2:20 pm

  52. Prepared this as a spicy accompaniment to dum biryani (yeah! we love to suffer).

    Went down a treat.

    Tears everywhere – not sure if it was joy/pain/spice 🙂

    Comment by Bali — December 23, 2010 @ 6:34 am

  53. Hi!!! Indira,

    Loved ur recipe. I didn’t knew what recipe goes well with biryani , but now this is perfect recipe.
    Thanks.

    Comment by Richa — July 21, 2011 @ 2:24 pm

  54. […] ka Salan Posted on August 5, 2011 by rahman adin Even though I have seen several versions of Mirchi ka Salan around inthe blog world, I haven’t really tasted it myself. I only knew it was really spicy because of the jalapenos or peppers present in the curry. We happened to taste this in an Indian restaurant one weekend and got hooked to its taste. I knew, i had to make it at home and got a bunch of jalapeno peppers just to make this curry. I adapted this recipe according to our tastes and it turned out to be truly delicious. this recipe is a keeper. […]

    Pingback by Mirchi ka Salan | KIDS RECIPES — August 4, 2011 @ 7:25 pm

  55. Indira : this is easy to make and very tasty recipe!! Thanks for sharing 🙂

    Comment by Megh — December 4, 2011 @ 5:25 pm

  56. I have tried with grilled tri color peppers and the flavor was amazing. Thanks Indira.

    Comment by Deena Pereira — April 11, 2012 @ 3:01 am

  57. This is exactly what I was looking for to make – the flavors tickle my tongue even as I read it 🙂 totally making it today… ty 🙂

    Comment by Priya — September 28, 2012 @ 8:19 am

  58. Hi indira, thanks for the recipe.. Came out really good. Friends also enjoyed it. Thanks a lott!!!

    Comment by Archana — December 28, 2012 @ 4:10 pm

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