Mirchi ka Salan

Preparation Time: 20 mins.
Cooking Time: 20 mins.
Serves 6.
Ingredients

• 2 cups long green chillies (bhavanagari chillies) or capsicum , cut into thick strips
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
• 1/4 tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds
• 1/4 tsp nigella seeds (kalonji)
• 6 curry leaves (kadi patta)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
• 2 tbsp coriander-cumin seeds (dhania-jeera) powder
• 2 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tbsp tamarind (imli) pulp
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania)
• 5 tbsp oil
• salt to taste

To be ground into a dry peanut-sesame powder

• 2 tbsp roasted peanuts
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds (til) , roasted
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds (jeera), roasted

To be ground into a paste

• 6 cloves of garlic (lehsun)
• 12 mm. (½") piece of ginger (adrak)
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 3 tbsp grated coconut

Method

1. Wash and slit the green chillies. Remove the seeds and fry in hot oil until they turn whitish in colour. Remove and keep aside.
2. In the same oil, add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, nigella seeds and curry leaves.
3. When the seeds crackle, add the paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the turmeric powder, coriander-cumin seed powder, chilli powder and powdered peanut-sesame mixture. Cook over a medium flame, stirring continuously until the oil separates.
4. Add 2 cups of water and tamarind pulp and bring it to a boil.
5. Add the fried green chillies, coriander and salt and simmer until the gravy thickens.
6. Serve hot.