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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Ragi Vermicelli Upma

Ragi Flour is a primarily a powder food, made out of Ragi grain. It is finger millet powder. It has high protein and mineral content. It is an ideal source of protein for vegetarians. Ragi flour has a low-fat content along with the rich amount of fibers adds to the already long list of ragi flour benefits. Upma, uppumavu, or uppittu is a breakfast  dish originating from the Indian subcontinent most common in Kerala, Andrapradesh, Tamilnadu  Maharastra and Sri Lanka cooked with vermicelli, or Cream of wheat (Rava or Sooji) with desired vegetables.

A dear  friend of mind told me about Ragi vermicelli made out of ragi flour and that there was recipe of back of the package to make upma. She had made this and she liked it. I bought this and experimented per instructions on the back of package, however I found out that if you follow the instructions on back of the box, the upma become too lumpy and you loose the texture of vermicelli.  I modified the recipe and did not soak the vermicelli in water as instructed on the box and just placed it in the strainer of the steamer (I sprayed the strainer with cooking oil spray) Only sprinkled little water on the vermicelli, vs soaking it.

I only steamed the vermicelli for  3 min vs 5-6 min on the box, also I opened the steamer every 1 min and lightly tossed it with  wooden spoon dipped in oil so it does not become sticky and does not loose it texture.  Then set aside to cool, while I prepared the other ingredients for upma.  Vermicelli prepared in this manner does not loose its thin noodle like texture. 

Ingredients: 

• 3 cups of  Ragi Vermicelli steamed and cooled separated so does not become sticky
• 1 small yellow onion finely chopped
• 1/2 red onion finely chopped
• 1/4 cup of kernel of corn
• 1/4 cup of sprouted moong (optional)
• 3/4 cup of green peas
• 2 green chilies
• 1/2 cup boiled/peeled and chopped potato

For tempering:

• 1/3 cup olive oil or any cooking vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
• 3/4 teaspoon of black mustard seeds
• One tables spoon of dry urad dal
• 1/4 teaspoon of Asafetida
• 2 pods of dried red chilies cut in halves
• One to two sprigs of fresh curry leaves
• Salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of coarse ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper powder
• 1 teaspoon of cumin powder

For Garnish:

• One bunch of cilantro finely chopped
• 1/3 cup of Pepita seeds
• 1/3 cup of pistachios
• 1/2 cup of cashews
• You can garnish with freshly chopped tomatoes and onions if desired. 

Method:

• Heat oil in a frying pan or wok.
• When heated add cumin seeds and mustard seeds.
• When these crackle add urad dal and asafetida
• Sauté for few seconds then add  dried chili pods and curry leaves.
• Sauté for few seconds then add chopped onions.
• Cook onions until light golden brown.
• Add all the veggies, salt, chopped chilies and spices and vermicelli and turmeric powder.
• Gently toss everything until well incorporated.
• Turn the heat off.
• Add lime juice.
• On another stove you can roast all the garnishing nuts in a frying pan. 
• Turn the heat off.

• Garnish the vermicelli with cilantro and chopped nuts. 
• Serve with plain yogurt or any desired soft drink or Indian chai.

Enjoy !!

Source of Ragi flour info https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragi_flour

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Photographs by Surekha

Recipe modified by Surekha from the recipe on the box of Ragi Vermicelli for better outcome and to her taste.

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