Mirch Ka Salan

Prep Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 15 min
Serves: 3 to 4

Ingredients

1. Long green chilly peppers / Bhajji chillies - 8 to 10
2. Water - 2 cups
3. Vegetable Oil - 1 tbsp

To grind to a smooth paste

1. Onion (roughly chopped & sauteed) - 1 medium sized
2. Vegetable oil - 1 tsp
3. Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
4. Cumin powder - 1 tsp
5. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
6. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
7. Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
8. Garlic pods - 8
9. Ginger - 1 inch piece
10. Roasted peeled peanuts - 1/2 cup
11. Dry roasted white sesame seeds - 1/4 cup
12. Fresh grated coconut - 2 tbsp
    
13. Thick tamarind extract - 1/4 cup
14. Salt - to taste

Method

1. Wash; pat dry chillies; slit them vertically; de seed; cut them in to two halves; set aside.
2. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a wok, add roughly chopped onions & saute until golden brown.
3. Dry roast sesame seeds until golden brown; set aside to cool.
4. Grind sauteed onion along with rest of the above mentioned ingredients to a smooth paste.
5. Heat a tablespoon of oil in the same wok, add the halved peppers & saute for 3 to 5 min.
6. Add the ground masala paste, two cups of water, salt; cover & cook for about 10 to 12 min in medium flame until fairly thick.
7. Transfer contents to a serving bowl.
8. Serve hot along with any type of variety rice, chapathis, phulkas, rotis, parathas, pooris, idlies and dosas.

NOTE

• Among the bhajji chillies there are two varieties available here at my place; one is short & stout; the other is long & thin.
• The latter is mildly hot when compared to the former; hence I used long green chilly peppers for the recipe; if you prefer a very hot dish then can use the shorter variety.