Mirchi ka salan

Ingredients

• 250 g long, mild green chillies (bhavnagri type)
• 3 tbsp peanuts
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp desiccated coconut
• 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• Tamarind the size of a lemon, soaked in 1 cup warm water
• ½ tsp turmeric, 1 tsp red chilli powder
• ½ tsp mustard seeds, ½ tsp nigella seeds, a sprig of curry leaves
• 1 tsp jaggery, salt to taste, 5 tbsp oil

Method

1. Slit the chillies lengthwise, keeping the stems, and remove some seeds. Fry them in hot oil until blistered; set aside.
2. Dry-roast the peanuts, sesame, coconut, cumin and coriander seeds separately until fragrant. Grind with a little water to a smooth paste.
3. In the same oil, splutter mustard and nigella seeds with curry leaves. Add the onion and ginger-garlic paste and fry until golden.
4. Add turmeric, chilli powder and the ground paste. Fry on low heat for 5–6 minutes until the oil separates.
5. Pour in the tamarind water, jaggery, salt and about 1 cup water. Simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Add the fried chillies and simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve warm with biryani or bagara khana.