These salan recipes are a must-try at home
A spicy, nutty, tangy, and aromatic Hyderabadi side dish, salan is usually served along with biryani as an accompaniment. Usually made with peanuts, sesame seeds, and coconut, it adds a zing and warmth to lots of bread and rice dishes. According to legend, salan was invented by the Mughal emperor Akbar and his royal subjects. Here are five salan recipes to try at home.
Mirchi ka salan
Deep fry slit green chilies and keep aside. For the salan paste, roast and grind sesame seeds, peanuts, cumin seeds, peppercorns, red chilies, coconut, and coriander seeds. Saute mustard seeds, cloves, and curry leaves in oil. Add sauteed onion paste, salan paste, water, and tamarind pulp and stir well. Add salt and fried chilies and boil well. Garnish with coriander.
Bhindi ka salan
Whisk white pepper, turmeric powder, cumin powder, and coriander powder with yogurt. Boil water with salt. Add onions and boil for five minutes. Grind the onions into a smooth paste. Saute ginger-garlic paste in a kadhai. Add onion paste, yogurt mixture, water, fennel seeds, salt, cardamom powder, and mace powder, and cook well. Add fried bhindis (okra) and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve hot.
Eggplant salan
Dry roast peanuts, sesame seeds, and coconut. Blend this mixture into a paste. Saute mustard seeds in oil. Add red chilies, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, kalonji, sliced onions, curry leaves, ginger-garlic paste, and salt, and cook well. Add chili powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, peanut-sesame paste, water, and green chili and cook. Add mint, coriander, yogurt, and eggplant, and cook.
Onion salan
Dry roast peanuts, chopped onion, whole chili, coriander, cumin seeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and curry leaves. Grind this mixture into a paste. Stir-fry mustard seeds, ginger-garlic paste, cumin, and curry leaves in oil. Add coriander powder, salt, ground paste, turmeric, and chili powder, and cook well. Add fried onions, green chilies, water, and tamarind paste, and cook well. Garnish with coriander and serve.
Fish salan
Marinate kingfish pieces with dry ginger, turmeric powder, refined oil, fennel powder, and salt for 10-15 minutes. Blend blanched ripe tomatoes into a thick puree. Saute ginger-garlic paste in desi ghee. Add chopped onions, turmeric powder, tomato puree, and red chili powder, and saute again. Add marinated fish pieces, garam masala, water, black pepper, and salt, and cook well. Serve hot with steamed rice.
