This step by step recipe guides you on how to make Mirchi ka Salan at home- just like the one from your favorite Biryani spot!

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 25 minutes
  • Cook time: 20 minutes
  • Total time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 5
  • Category: Sides
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

For the masala paste

  • 3 tablespoons peanuts ([adjustable] 50 grams [/adjustable], use raw peanuts)
  • ¼ cup desiccated coconut ([adjustable] 25 grams [/adjustable], I used frozen coconut)
  • 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds ([adjustable] 25 grams [/adjustable], raw)
  • 1 tablepoon coriander seeds ([adjustable] 5 grams [/adjustable])
  • 2 tablespoons oil (I used avocado oil)
  • ½ medium red onion (sliced)
  • ½ inch ginger (roughly chopped)
  • 4-5 garlic cloves (roughly chopped)
  • ¾ cup water (to blend the paste)

For the salan

  • 8-9 large green chilies (I used bhavnagri chilies)
  • ¼-⅓ cup oil (I used avocado oil)
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon kalonji
  • ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 10-12 curry leaves
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon cumin powder
  • ¾ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • 2 & ½ teaspoon tamarind concentrate
  • 2 cups water

Method

Make the masala paste

  1. Start by the roasting the peanuts. To a pan on medium heat, add 3 tablespoons of raw peanuts. Dry roast them for around 4 minutes on medium heat, stirring constantly. Make sure they are lightly roasted and do not burn. Transfer them to a blender.
  2. To the same pan, now add ¼ of desiccated coconut, 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, and 1 tablespoon coriander seeds. Roast them for around the same time, 4 to 5 minutes on medium heat until lightly toasted and then transfer them to the blender.
  3. Now, to the same pan on medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil. Add ½ of a medium onion (sliced), ½-inch roughly chopped ginger and 4-5 roughly chopped garlic cloves. Cook on medium heat for 8 to 9 minutes until the ginger, garlic and the onions are browned. Be careful not to burn them. Transfer to the same blender and blend along with the peanuts, sesame seeds, coconut using around ¾ cup water to a smooth paste. Set this paste aside.

Cook the salan

  1. Wash and then pat dry 8 to 9 chilies. Make a slit in the chilies from the top to bottom, making sure they are not sliced in half and remain intact. To the same pan in which you had fried the onions (there will still be oil left), now add these slit green chilies. Cook them for 2 minutes on medium heat until they get blisters on both sides. Make sure to turn them in between. Remove on a plate.
  2. Now, to the same pan, add ¼ to ⅓ cup of oil. Add ½ teaspoon of mustard seeds and ¼ teaspoon each of kalonji and fennel seeds. Let the mustard seeds pop and the other seeds sizzle. Then add, 8-10 curry leaves and let them splutter. At this point, if you prefer spicier salan, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of Thai green chili paste and cook for 1 minute.
  3. Then add the prepared masala paste. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Then add the ground spices: ½ teaspoon each of turmeric, Kashmiri red chili powder, and cumin powder. Also, add ¾ teaspoon of salt. Cook the spices along with the masala for 1 to 2 minutes.
  4. Add 2 & ½ teaspoon of tamarind concentrate and cook for 1 more minute. Tamarind concentrate is super concentrate and so we need very little of it (refer note 1).
  5. Then, add the chilies, stir and then add 2 cups of water. Mix everything and set the heat to low. Let the salan slow cook (dum) for 8-10 minutes. The flavors will come together and you will see oil floating on top. At this point, turn off the heat and serve salan with your favorite biryani!

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.