Mirchi ka Salan

I haven't posted in a long time--too long.  In August, I left my home of 28 years in Champaign, Illinois, leaving behind my soul sisters and brothers, my dearest friends, to move to Portland, Oregon, to spend the last chapter of my father's life with him.  For the past five months, we shopped, ate, listened to classical music, went to the Portland farmers'  market, watched tv, talked, and most of all, we cooked.  On Wednesday, January 14, 2015, after a fall, my father died.  He went on his own terms, refusing treatment, with my sister and me by his side.

Just days before his death, my father set about preparing a feast.  I was not sure why he would embark on a meal that took days to make in his frail condition, but sharing this meal with my family on Thursday night after my father passed, I understood.  Making Mirchi ka Salan is a task.  A task he took on with love.  Though not a difficult dish to make, Mirchi ka Salan has many steps and takes time.  For us, it was additionally daunting, as we would have to remove each and every seed from the chilies for fear of one lodging in my father's gut and causing an attack of diverticulitis.

This is a special dish.  Much like a Mexican mole, it is complex and layered in flavor.  Depending on what chilies you use, it can be fiery hot, or quite mild.  When I first had this dish, at a wedding feast for a few thousand people in India in 2005, it was made with Hyderabadi chiles, which are akin to serrano chiles in their level of heat. I fell in love with this dish the first time I had it. I loved its rich texture, the hot chiles, and the complex aroma.

Whenever I have had this dish, it has been paired with rice. On this day, we had it with Quabooli, another Hyderabadi speciality, which is a carefully prepared biryani style dish of rice and lentils.  I have also posted this recipe.

I hope you will try this dish.  If you do, I know you will love it, and in making it, you will show your love, just as my father did for us.

Mirchi ka Saalan

(Hot Pepper Curry: Hyderabadi Style)

(Recipe adaptation of P. Karan: Hyderabadi Cuisine, Madhur Jaffrey: Taste of India, Shameem and Mohammed Rakha)

Serves 6-8

4 Medium-sized Red Peppers

6-10 long green chillies (such as Anaheim)

10 serrano chilies (or more mild chiles)

2 onions, medium (10-12 oz), cut into 4-6 pieces each (about 1 inch square)

1” piece of ginger, peeled

5-6 garlic cloves, skinned removed

1 T. coriander seeds

1 t. cumin seeds

3 T. sesame seeds

¼ cup peanuts

1½ t. poppy seeds (white, if possible)

2 T. dried unsweetened coconut

¼ t. fenugreek seeds (methi)

¼ t. turmeric powder (haldi)

1 t. red chile powder

1 t. jaggery (gur--raw sugarcane)

3 tbs of Concentrated Tamarind paste (or about 3/4 cup tamarind pulp, mixed with 1/2 cup hot water and put through a sieve)

8-10 kari leaves

oil to fill your pot 2 inches

Salt to taste

Directions

Wash and core red and green peppers, removing the stem end and the seeds. Cut into 1 inch pieces.

Wash and wipe serrano chillies, leaving the stem end intact, make a slit on one side.  If desired, you can remove the seeds from the serrano chiles.

Heat a cast iron or other heavy pan without any oil to medium.  Roast the onions on a griddle until they soften and turn a pale golden brown.  Remove the onions and set them aside. In the same pan, dry roast each of the following in separate batches until they darken slightly and become aromatic (you can combine items that are similar in size such as the coriander and cumin seeds):  coriander seeds, cumin seeds, sesame seeds, peanuts, poppy seeds, coconut and fenugreek.  Remove each and place all together in the same bowl.

 

Using a blender or food processor, grind the roasted onions and spices along with ginger, garlic, salt, turmeric, red chilli powder, and jaggery into a fine paste. Mix with tamarind water.

  

Heat oil in a deep, heavy bottomed pot (such as a Dutch Oven). Fry all of the chiles and peppers in small batches until they are slightly softened and have a few brown spots.  Remove to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.  

Once all of the chiles and peppers have been fried, carefully remove some of the oil, leaving behind enough to amply cover the bottom of your pot.  Reheat to medium high.  Add the curry leaves to the oil (they will sputter, so have a oil shield handy) and after they begin to brown, add the ground spice mixture. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the fried chilies and pepper pieces. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add little water while cooking, if desired. The consistency of this dish is slightly on the thick side.

Proudly enjoy.