Mirchi Ka Salan is a traditional Andhra dish made with pan fried mild chillies and simmered in a sesame, peanut and coconut curry.
If you happen to be true fan of Biryani, you cannot enjoy the delicacy in its full glory unless you have its equally brilliant accompaniment – Mirchi Ka Salan. The seemingly humble dish is an explosion of flavours – spicy, sweet, salty, and a tad bitter all at the same time. For the rich curry, the chilli is cooked in spices, and the nuts not only adds to the grainy texture of the curry but also tempers the taste of the hot flavours.
I recently watched an Indian program that talked about the origins of Mirchi ka Salan. The historical books and legend depict that the salan was a brainchild of one of Akbar’s khansama (chef). It is said that the king was thrilled with Mirchi ka Salan being one of the highlights of the royal menu, at the time of his coronation. The idea behind this dish was to use the spices, condiments and souring agents from all regions to make something altogether unique which sings in harmony thereby giving a message of peace and harmony to the public.
There are many variations of making mirchi ka salan and like most recipes I do feel there is no right or wrong. I have been researching and cooking mirchi ka salan for years and shared my recipe with friends and family and it has always come out perfect! A Hyderabadi would always say that an indication of good salan is when the oil leaves the sides of the gravy but also the balance of flavours.
This is not one of those recipes you can make in a hurry, so give yourself enough time to roast, grind, fry, spice and simmer. Your time will be worth the effort when you taste the finished dish! The first bite of this salan will tell you what all the fuss is about and keep you coming back for more.
