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Mirchi ka salan is a tangy, flavorful long green chilies curry with peanut sesame spice mix. It is a popular side dish for Hyderabad biryani.
Theme for this week is easy side dishes for rice and roti. First recipe for the theme was North Indian paneer masala and today it is a South Indian mirchi ka salan (green chilies curry) from Hyderabad cuisine. Though the curry is with green chilies, it is not a spicy curry as the chilies are seeded before cooking. Hence making it a great side for spicy biryani.
Though green chilies curry pairs well with biryani, tangy nutty flavor of the curry goes well even with plain rice. When serving with rice, leave in some of the seeds for heat or increase the chili powder as per heat tolerance level.
Base for the curry is roasted onion paste or chopped roasted onion, peanut sesame spice mix and tamarind extract. Stocking up on peanut sesame spice mix or roasted peanuts and sesame in the pantry comes in very handy. Also, preparing onion paste ahead of time makes the preparation of salan a breeze.
Check out other mirchi (long green chilies) recipes already on the blog; long green chilies curry and stuffed green chilies curry.
Long Green Chilies Curry
- 2 tbsp Peanuts
- 2 tbsp Sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp Dry Coconut Slices
- 3 tbsp Oil
- ¾ medium - large Onion sliced or chopped
- 6 Green Long Chilies slit and seeds removed (check notes)
- 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
- 1 ½ tsp Chili Powder adjust to taste and can add more
- 1 tsp Coriander Powder can add more check when you prepare nextime
- ¾ - 1 tsp Salt adjust to taste and can add more
- Turmeric
- 1 ¾ - 2 cups Water
- 2 tbsp Tamarind Paste, homemade
- Chopped cilantro.
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Dry roast peanuts, sesame seeds and coconut separately and keep aside. Cool and make a powder. Check note below.
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Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and fry onions until light golden brown.
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Remove from oil, let cool and keep aside. Grind to paste. This paste stays good in the refrigerator for 2-3 days and with addition of salt and turmeric, up to a week.
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In the same pan roast long green chilies. Chilies should change color and have some blisters on it. Remove and keep aside.
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Add remaining tbsp of oil. Add ginger and fry until raw smell is gone.
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Add ground onion paste and saute until oil separates.
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Add ground powders, coriander powder, chili powder, salt, turmeric and let the powders roast in oil along with the onion paste.
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Add water, tamarind paste and bring to a boil.
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Let the salan simmer on medium flame for 4-5 minutes or until the oil begins to separate.
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Add green chilies and continue to simmer for addition 5 minutes or until salan is done.
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Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice or biryani.
- Spice Mix - I usually stock up on roasted peanuts and sesame seeds in my pantry. When I have these handy, I use do not roast coconut. If I am roasting peanuts and sesame specifically for the curry, I roast coconut as well.
- Roasted Onion Paste - I prefer a smooth gravy hence make paste of roasted onions. If pressed for time, saute finely chop onions until light brown. Skip grinding the onions.
- Green Chilies - Slit green chilies and remove the seeds using hand or with a fork. Use gloves if sensitive to chili heat. Cut each chili into 2 pieces. You can leave whole chili as is but I prefer cutting it in half. This those who can not eat full chili can serve themselves a smaller piece of chili.
- Tamarind Paste - i used homemade tamarind paste. Adjust to taste.
- Variation - Substitute green chilies with cherry tomatoes or cut tomatoes. Don't roast tomatoes, add directly to salan. Green bell peppers is also a good substitute for green chilies.
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One of my favourite dishes Usha, love it as a side with pulav and biryani. You nailed it, it’s so tempting.
Thank you Amara.
Biriyani and mirchi is salan is a wonderful combination. I don’t make the salan as much as I should. Yours look really delicious!
Thanks Rajani
I LOVE mirchi ka salan but my version is probably the mildest ever. Your pics are tempting me to make this salan and biryani right away ☺️
Thanks Pavani
This is my husband’s all time favorite and I have made 2-3 variations. You nailed it. This combination of spices cannot go wrong. Wonderful pictures too.
Thank you Harini. Sometimes I add tomato, I roast it along with onions and make a paste. Some people add yogurt but we don’t.
This is awesome. I will try with shishito peppers. The coconut slices you used, are they dry coconut slices or can I use fresh ones? Thanks
It is dry coconut Srividhya. Updated the post. Thanks.
Mirchi ka salan looks perfectly made, Usha. The gravy sounds yummy and will work for any vegetables.
Thanks Suma. Yes it works for any vegetable. Tomatoes are the second popular vegetable for this curry.
I love Mirchi ka salan, but have never tasted it with Biriyani. I am just drooling looking at your pictures.
Mirchi ka salan or just plain salan is a must with biryani in Hyderabad restaurants and also at parties, specially catered ones Sandhya. Try it next time with biryani.
Mirchi ka salan have turned out very well Usha, just loving it. I make it often to go with biryani’s.
I remember your version of salan. If my memory is right, you made it when we met at your place few years ago, Sushma.
Your bowl of salan looks so sinful Usha, I am still trying to make this version, must surely try sometime.
Thanks Valli.