My version of Mirch and Baigan Salan (Pepper and Eggplant Curry from Hyderabad with a Twist)

Salan is a popular curry with sesame seed and peanut base with hint of tamarind and Jaggary. This is original dish from Hyderabad, India. The curry can be made with Eggplant or variety of Chili peppers. You can use Hungarian peppers. You may want to remove the veins and seeds from the peppers to reduce heat, or you may use variety of peppers that are not very spicy.  I had posted the recipe earlier of just Mirch ka Salan, this time I made this with Eggplants and Peppers. You can only make it with eggplants or just peppers or even Okras.  It is the blend of these spices that gives its name and flavor.  

Salan recipe usually  calls for coconut as well, but neither I or my family members are crazy about coconut so I omitted that, and added Hemp instead for extra body in the gravy. However if you like coconut, you can add unsweetened coconut dried flakes.

The gravy is full of flavor and nuttiness. It tastes very good with Naan and Basmati rice. You can adjust the color by adding less or more Turmeric powder, as you can see mine looks little toward less yellow side as I did not put too much turmeric.  You don't want to add too too much turmeric as it can give bitter taste to the gravy.

Ingredients:

• 8 Hungarian peppers (slitted and you can take the vein and seeds out if you don't want it very spicy, but I left the vein and seeds in.)
• 8 Baby eggplants
• 1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
• 1/3 cup sesame seeds 
• 1/2 cup roasted unsalted cashews
• 1/4 cup poppy seeds ( I was out of poppy seed so omitted)
• 1/4 cup whole coriander seeds
• 3-4 pods of dried red chili (can adjust based of desired heat)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1-2 two twigs of curry leaves
• 4-5 cloves on garlic peeled
• 2 medium size yellow onions peeled and sliced
• 1 green pepper sliced (capsicum) (optional)

• 2 table spoon of Tamarind concentrate
• 1 teaspoon of coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of Kashmiri Cayenne pepper powder (optional)
• 2 tablespoon of cumin seeds (divided in two parts)
• 1/4 cup of cooking vegetable oil 
• 1/4 cup of extra cooking oil for tempering
• 1/4 teaspoon of asafetida
• 3 cups of water
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Wash and dry the Hungarian peppers and eggplants.
• Cut a slit in each Hungarian pepper keeping the stem intact.
• Cut two slits on eggplant keeping the stem intact.
• For both don't cut the slit all the way.
• Cook the eggplant in Microwave with water for about 10-15 min so the are soft but not mushy.
• Take 1/3 cup of oil in a frying pan and shallow fry the peppers as shown in picture so they are brown and soft.
• Add curry leaves and set sauté some more and take it out in a another tray and  set aside.
• In the same pan add some more oil if needed and add 1/2 of cumin seeds and sauté garlic, onions and green pepper until golden brown (green pepper is optional).
• take it out  in a separate tray and set aside.
• In the same pan now sauté the partially cooked eggplant until fully cooked and aside. 

• In another shallow pan roast the coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds,  dried chili pods and black peppercorn on low heat until the spices emit aroma.
• Let them cool and grind them in food processor and add sesame seeds, peanuts, cashew and hemp (and poppy seeds if you have them).
• Grind it in the food processor until paste.
• Add sautéed onions, garlic and green pepper, grind it to paste again.
• Mix tamarind concentrate and water in a cup and mix well. 
• Heat the frying pan on medium heat,  that you sautéed the peppers, eggplants and onions and garlic,   add rest of oil when the oil is hot add cumin seeds, when these seeds crackle, add asafetida, then add sauteed eggplant. 
• Then add the peanuts, cashews, sesame seeds, and spice paste to the Hungarian pepper and eggplant and tamarind concentrate mixed  in water.

Add the rest of the dry spice and salt.

Rinse the food processor with remaining paste with water and add that water to peppers and eggplants Salan.

Simmer on low heat to desired consistency.

Garnish with cilantro.

Serve hot with Naan and rice. 

Enjoy !!

The above picture is of when I had just made Hungarian peppers Salan without eggplants.

Photographs and Recipe by Surekha.

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