Bold, spicy, and full of Hyderabadi flair! Mirchi Ka Salan isn’t just a side dish—it’s the perfect companion to a big pot of biryani or bagara rice. Creamy, nutty, tangy, and loaded with flavor. Have you tried it yet?
About This Salan
Mirchi Ka Salan is a traditional Hyderabadi curry made with green chilies cooked in a rich, tangy, and nutty gravy. The word salan simply means curry, and mirchi refers to green chilies—but don’t let the name scare you. This dish isn’t all about heat. The chilies used are typically mild and become soft and flavorful as they simmer in the slow-cooked gravy.
The base of the salan is what makes it truly special. It’s made with roasted peanuts, sesame seeds, coconut, and spices. These ingredients are all ground into a smooth paste along with fried onion and cooked down until it releases its oil. Tamarind adds a lovely sour note that balances the richness of the masala beautifully. The result is a velvety, flavorful curry that hits all the right notes—spicy, tangy, nutty, and aromatic.
Mirchi Ka Salan is an iconic part of Hyderabadi cuisine, especially served alongside biryani. It’s often found on festive menus, weddings, and daawats, where it’s considered essential to complete a traditional spread.
What makes this dish truly delightful is its balance. Each element—spice, tang, texture—comes together in perfect harmony. Even those who usually avoid chilies are surprised by how mellow and enjoyable the dish is once the mirchis are cooked through.
While it’s most commonly paired with biryani, Mirchi Ka Salan also tastes amazing with flavored rice, plain steamed rice or rotis. It’s a great way to turn a simple meal into something truly delicious.
Mirchi ka Salan Ingredients
- Green Chilies: The star ingredient! These chilies add a mild heat to the dish. Choose medium-thick, long chilies for the best balance of texture and spice.
- Onions: Form the base of the gravy, lending sweetness and depth to the salan. They’re sautéed until golden brown to enhance their flavor.
- Garlic: Adds a savory, aromatic richness to the curry. It pairs beautifully with the spices and gives the salan a lovely depth.
- Peanuts: Roasted peanuts contribute a nutty, earthy flavor and help thicken the gravy. They add texture and a rich, smooth finish to the curry.
- White Sesame Seeds: Sesame seeds bring a subtle nutty flavor and a slight crunch to the dish. When ground, they also help create a smooth, creamy gravy.
- Dry Coconut Powder | Khopra: Adds a tropical, slightly sweet undertone that balances the heat of the chilies. It also helps create a rich, creamy consistency in the curry.
- Coriander Powder: Roasted coriander powder has a warm, slightly citrusy flavor. It enhances the depth of the curry and complements the peanuts and sesame seeds.
- Tamarind: Tamarind adds tanginess and a subtle sweetness to the salan, balancing the richness of the peanuts and the heat from the chilies.
- Roasted Cumin Powder: Warm, smoky, and aromatic—roasted cumin powder adds depth and a subtle earthiness to the curry. It enhances the overall flavor profile without overpowering the dish.
- Kashmiri Red Chili Powder: Used mainly for its vibrant red color and mild heat, Kashmiri chili powder gives the salan a beautiful hue and a gentle warmth. It’s perfect for balancing flavor without making the dish too spicy.
Hyderabadi Mirchi Ka Salan
Mirchi Ka Salan is a beautiful balance of flavors. At first bite, it’s mildly spicy, but the heat is mellowed by the creamy nuttiness of the roasted peanuts and sesame seeds. The tamarind adds a gentle tang, while the hint of jaggery rounds everything off with a subtle sweetness. The spices are warm and well-blended, making each spoonful complex yet comforting. It’s the kind of curry that lingers on your palate—in the best way possible.
The texture of this dish is rich and velvety. The gravy is thick, smooth, and slightly grainy from the ground nuts and seeds, which give it body and depth. The green chilies soften as they simmer, becoming tender but still holding their shape. Each chili is coated in the luscious masala, soaking in all the flavor while offering a soft bite.
Mirchi Ka Salan is as beautiful as it is delicious. The deep golden-brown curry glistens with oil, a hallmark of traditional Hyderabadi gravies. The green chilies peek through the rich masala, adding a pop of color and making the dish instantly recognizable.
A Hyderabadi Classic – My Tried & Tested Recipe
There’s a remarkable difference between Hyderabadi wedding food and Andhra wedding food. In Andhra, biryani is often served with dalcha and ambade ki bhaji. But in Hyderabad, the biryani spread includes mirchi ka salan, tomato kut, dahi ki chutney, and more.
Mirchi Ka Salan has become a much-loved recipe in my house. While it’s traditionally served with biryani, I also love pairing it with ghee rice, qubooli, veg pulao, or even plain bagara chawal. The gravy is rich, tangy, and nutty—and honestly, it tastes even better the next day!
This curry keeps well in the fridge for 2–3 days, and I especially enjoy reheating it and dipping soft, buttery naan or kulcha into it the following day. It’s comfort food at its best.
There are many ways to prepare mirchi ka salan, each with its own twist. But the version I’m sharing with you today is my tried and tested recipe—one that I’ve perfected in my kitchen over the years.
Yield: 300g
Hyderabadi Mirchi ka Salan Recipe
A classic Hyderabadi curry made with green chilies simmered in a rich, tangy gravy of peanuts, sesame seeds, coconut, and tamarind. Traditionally served with biryani, this flavorful salan adds the perfect spicy, nutty twist to any meal.
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Total Time
40 minutes
Ingredients
- 10 long, straight and medium thick Green chilies
- 3 medium Onions, sliced
- 4 cloves Garlic, peeled
- 5 tbsp. Peanuts
- 3 tbsp. white Sesame seeds
- 1 tsp. dry Coconut powder, optional
- ½ tsp. Coriander powder (powder from roasted coriander seeds)
- ½ tsp. Cumin powder (powder from roasted cumin seeds)
- 50 g. Tamarind, washed and soaked in 1 cup of water for 30 minutes
- 1 ½ tbsp. Red chili powder
- ½ tbsp. Turmeric powder
- ½ tbsp. Kashmiri red chili powder
- Salt as per taste
- ½ tbsp. Jaggery, optional
- ½ cup Oil
Instructions
How To Make Mirchi ka Salan
Step-by-Step Recipe
Making Masala for Salan
- Wash green chilies and using a clean kitchen towel wipe them dry. Using a knife make a small slit in the middle of the chilies. Set them aside.
- Squeeze tamarind in water for 4-5 minutes. Run this water through sieve, collect the water and set aside.
- In a skillet or kadai, dry roast peanuts on low flame for 10-15 minutes by stirring continuously until the skin of peanuts turn brown and fragrant. Remove on a kitchen plate and leave to cool.
- In the same skillet, dry roast sesame seeds. (As the skillet is hot, the sesame will get roasted in 2-3 minutes, so be careful, otherwise sesame seeds will get burnt). Remove into a mixer jar.
- If using dry coconut powder or slices, then dry roast until it turns light brown. Add this also to the mixer jar with sesame seeds.
- Remove the skin from the peanuts by gently rubbing between your palms and fingers. Now add these peanuts to the mixer jar along with garlic cloves.
- Add oil and fry sliced onions until they turn nice golden. Using a slotted spoon, drain the excess oil, and remove in to a kitchen plate.
- Make a coarse paste of roasted peanuts, roasted sesame seeds, roasted dry coconut and cloves of garlic. Now add fried onions and make a fine paste by adding6-8 tbsp. of water if required.
Preparing Mirchi ka Salan
- In the remaining oil (oil remaining after frying sliced onions) fry green chilies by stirring continuously until they start to change color. Drain and set aside.
- Now add the above ground masala along with red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt.
- On medium flame, by stirring in between fry the masala until it starts to leave the sides of the cooking vessel. It will take 15-20 minutes. Be patient and stir to avoid burning of the masala.
- Add green chilies and gently coat them with masala using spoon. To this add tamarind water (refer step 2 above) along with two cups of water.
- Bring this to boil and cook covered on low flame for 15-20 minutes. Check for salt and add jaggery (if using).
- Turn off the flame when the desired consistency is reached (mirchi ka salan is semi thick gravy based recipe). Let this sit on kitchen counter for 20-30 minutes before serving.
- Serve with rice or naan. I served this Mirchi ka Salan with chicken fry and ghee rice.
- Add love to make this mirchi ka salan taste ‘Yummy’.
Notes
- Select chili’s which are not too hot and spicy, otherwise the recipe will be extra spicy.
- The color of the recipe depends on the red chili powder you use. I used homemade red chili powder, which gave nice bright red color to my recipe.
- Some people add more turmeric powder, which makes the recipe look pale in color, but the spice quotient will be the same.
- You can even try adding roasted poppy seeds (khus khus) | Cashew nuts while grinding the masala. I somehow feel poppy seeds/cashew nuts impart sweet taste to the recipe and cuts off the spiciness. So I skip using it. You can try if you like.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 294Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 213mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 4gSugar: 7gProtein: 4g
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.