Looking for a delicious, mildly spiced curry? Try this Mirchi Ka Salan with Shishito Peppers, a rich and aromatic Hyderabadi-style curry made with a creamy peanut and sesame seed paste. Despite the name, this dish isn’t overly spicy, thanks to the naturally mild shishito peppers.
What is salan?
Salan refers to a curry or stew that is widely enjoyed across the Indian subcontinent, especially in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Mirchi Ka Salan is a famous Hyderabadi dish, often served as a flavorful side for biryani. However, it pairs just as well with plain steamed rice or roti.
Why shishito peppers?
For this mirchi ka salan, I’ve used shishito peppers, which are a mild variety of green chilies. In traditional Indian cooking, salan is often made with non-spicy green chilies used for bajjis or smaller chili varieties. Shishito peppers—a Japanese green pepper available in summer and early fall—are a perfect substitute, as they are mostly mild, with the occasional pepper having a slight kick. You can find them at Safeway, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and other grocery stores. I usually make roasted shishito peppers and thought of trying the same for this salan and it turned out great.
Ingredients for Mirchi Ka Salan
Though the ingredient list might seem long, the preparation is quite simple:
- Nut Paste: Peanuts, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dry coconut, and fennel seeds, roasted and ground into a smooth paste.
- Tempering: Neutral oil or peanut oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves.
- Aromatics: Onions and ginger-garlic paste.
- Mirchi (Peppers): The star ingredient is shishito peppers.
- Spices: Coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, garam masala—Indian pantry staples.
- Tangy Element: Tamarind paste (no tomatoes in this curry).
- Balancing Flavors: Jaggery and salt, with fresh cilantro for garnish.
- Liquid: Water to adjust consistency.
For precise measurements, refer to the recipe card.
Dietary Information & Storage
- This mirchi ka salan is vegan and gluten-free, but it contains nuts and seeds.
- It stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to two days.
- I haven’t tested nut-free alternatives for this recipe.
Enjoy this Hyderabadi-style Mirchi Ka Salan with your favorite biryani or a simple bowl of rice for a comforting meal!
How to make mirch ka salan
- Heat a pan or kadai and dry roast the peanuts, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, two tablespoons of coconut, and fennel seeds until the coconut turns golden brown.
- Let the mixture cool, then grind it into a smooth paste.
- In a wide pan or Dutch oven, heat two tablespoons of oil and temper the mustard seeds and cumin seeds once the oil is hot. Add the chopped onion, curry leaves, and ginger-garlic paste, then sauté until the onions turn translucent.
- Stir in the chopped shishito peppers and sauté for a couple of minutes before adding the tamarind paste mixed with water.
- Next, mix in all the spices—cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, garam masala, and salt—ensuring everything is well combined. Pour in an additional ¼ cup of water and cook until the shishito peppers become soft and tender, which takes about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Once the peppers are cooked, add the jaggery and mix well. Now, incorporate the ground paste, mix thoroughly, and add another ½ cup of water, allowing the salan to cook until it thickens.
- Finally, garnish with cilantro and turn off the heat. Serve hot with rice or your choice of bread.
Recipe Notes
- This salan has a rich blend of spices, but the nut paste and jaggery create a beautifully balanced flavor, which is the highlight of this dish. Feel free to adjust the spice levels to your preference.
- Shishito peppers don’t need to be deseeded, but you can if desired.
- While shishito peppers bring a unique taste to this recipe, you can also substitute them with eggplants, potatoes, or bell peppers.
More Hyderabadi special recipes
PS: If you try this mirch ka salan, please don’t forget to comment and rate this recipe. If you have any questions, please leave a comment, and I will get to it ASAP. Make sure to follow me on my Pinterest for more healthy and delicious ideas! Follow me on Instagram or join my Facebook Group for more recipe updates! You can also sign-up for my newsletter for weekly updates.
📖 Recipe
Mirchi Ka Salan with Shishito Peppers – A Flavorful Hyderabadi Curry
Ingredients
Measurement Details: 1 cup=240ml; 1 tbsp= 15ml; 1 tsp= 5ml;
To roast and grind
- 2 tbsp of peanuts
- 2 tbsp poppy seeds
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 2 tbsps dry coconut unsweetened
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
For the curry
- 2 tbsps oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 170 grams shishito peppers 6 oz
- 1 onion approx 180 grams finely chopped
- 5 to 10 curry leaves
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 2 tsps tamarind paste mixed with ½ cup of water
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1.5 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1.75 tsp salt or taste
- 2 tsps jaggery
Instructions
- Heat a pan or kadai and dry roast the peanuts, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, two tablespoons of coconut, and fennel seeds until the coconut turns golden brown.
- Let the mixture cool, then grind it into a smooth paste.
- In a wide pan or Dutch oven, heat two tablespoons of oil and temper the mustard seeds and cumin seeds once the oil is hot. Add the chopped onion, curry leaves, and ginger-garlic paste, then sauté until the onions turn translucent.
- Stir in the chopped shishito peppers and sauté for a couple of minutes before adding the tamarind paste mixed with water.
- Next, mix in all the spices—cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, garam masala, and salt—ensuring everything is well combined. Pour in an additional ¼ cup of water and cook until the shishito peppers become soft and tender, which takes about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Once the peppers are cooked, add the jaggery and mix well. Now, incorporate the ground paste, mix thoroughly, and add another ½ cup of water, allowing the salan to cook until it thickens.
- Finally, garnish with cilantro and turn off the heat. Serve hot with rice or your choice of bread.
Video
Notes
- This salan has a rich blend of spices, but the nut paste and jaggery create a beautifully balanced flavor, which is the highlight of this dish. Feel free to adjust the spice levels to your preference.
- Shishito peppers don’t need to be deseeded, but you can if desired.
- While shishito peppers bring a unique taste to this recipe, you can also substitute them with eggplants, potatoes, or bell peppers.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.
Mirchi ka salan was on my to-do list for long. this version with the local bajji Molaga and poppy seeds turned out so well , vidhya. Loved it with hot phulkas..
Thanks Kalyani. Glad you all liked it.
I’m so excited to make this salan using shishito peppers. I know my family will love it.
Thank you :-)
I never considered using shishito peppers for salan. Even I roast these peppers. To my surprise shishito peppers were good even in salan. Nice idea. I normally do not had poppy seeds and it was a nice addition. Loved the base of the curry too.
I never considered using shishito peppers for salan. Even I roast these peppers. To my surprise shishito peppers were good even in salan. Nice idea.
Thanks Usha