Brinjal Salan & Mirchi ka Salan - Side dish for Biryani

   Bagara Baingan (Brinjal Salan) and Mirchi ka Salan are popular side dishes for Biryani, Roti varieties and Naan Varieties. Both these dishes are very famous in Hyderabad. These gravies have Peanuts as the main Ingredient. These gravies have Spicy, Tangy and sweet taste.  In both these recipes, base gravy is the same. In Bagara Baingan (Brinjal Salan), Brinjals are cooked in the base gravy. In Mirchi ka Salan, green chillies are cooked in the base gravy. Let us get into the recipe

Ingredients:

The below Ingredients serve 3 to 4 people.

Things to be roasted for base Masala:

1. Cumin Seeds - 1/2 Tbsp

2. Corainder Seeds - 1/2 Tbsp 

3. Fennel Seeds - 1/2 Tbsp
4. Fenugreek Seeds - 1/4 Tsp
5. Peanuts - 2 Tbsp
6. Sesame Seeds - 2 Tbsp

For Gravy:

1. Onion - 1/2 

2. Tomato - 1/2

3. Turmeric Powder - as needed

4. Red Chilli Powder - as needed

5. Jaggery - as needed

6. Salt - as needed

7. Water - as needed

To Temper:

1. Cumin Seeds

2. Broken Red Chilli 

3. Curry Leaves

4. Oil

The above Ingredients are the same for both the Brinjal Salan and Mirchi ka Salan. For Brinjal Salan, Brinjals are cooked in the gravy and for Mirchi ka Salan, Green Chillies are cooked in the gravy. 

First let us make the the Brinjal Salan

Recipe:

Masala Paste:

1. Heat a Pan and dry roast Cumin seeds, Fennel seeds, Coriander seeds and Fenugreek seeds.

2. Once they are half roasted, add Peanuts.

3. Once the Peanuts are almost roasted, add Sesame seeds.

4. Cool down the Ingredients and grind everything into a fine paste.

Brinjal Salan:

Take 6 to 7 small sized brinjals and make a cross cut at the bottom of all the brinjals.

1. In a pan, heat oil and add Cumin seeds, broken Red Chilli and Curry Leaves.

2. Add sliced Onions and saute for a while.

3. Add Sliced Tomatoes and Brinjals. Saute for a while close the pan and cook the brinjals. Once the brinjals are slightly cooked, add salt and cook further.

4. When the Brinjals are almost cooked add the Ground Masala and dilute the gravy. 

5. Add Turmeric powder and Red Chilli powder and mix well.

6. Add required Salt for the gravy and cook the gravy with pan closed.

7. Mix the gravy once in a while without breaking the brinjals.

8. At one stage, gravy will start looking glossy. Add Jaggery to the Gravy.

9. Cook the gravy for few more minutes till the oil gets separated.

10. Stop Cooking once the oil gets separated. Brinjal Salan is now ready!

Mirchi ka Salan:

Take few Green chillies and make a slit sideways and remove all the seeds. Heat oil in a pan, and roast the green chillies.

1. In a pan, heat oil and add Cumin seeds, broken Red Chilli and Curry Leaves.

2. Add sliced Onions and saute for a while.

3. Add Sliced Tomatoes. Saute for a while.

4. Add the Ground Masala and dilute the gravy. 

5. Add Turmeric powder and Red Chilli powder and mix well.

6. Add required Salt for the gravy and cook the gravy with pan closed.

7. Mix the gravy once in a while.

8. At one stage, gravy will start looking glossy. Add Jaggery to the Gravy.

9. Add the roasted green chillies to the gravy and cook the gravy for few more minutes till the oil gets separated.

10. Stop Cooking once the oil gets separated. Mirchi ka Salan is now ready!

You Tube video link:

Notes:

1. Choose small sized brinjals for Brinjal Salan. Medium sized ones work well too. Do not select Large Brinjals. It may not get cooked fully. Also the gravy flavour will not get into the brinjals

2. Choose non spicy variety of Green Chillies for Mirchi ka Salan.

3. As the grounded peanuts give a blunt taste to the gravy, this gravy requires a little more Spice, Tanginess and Sweet. So add a little more Chilli powder, Tamarind pulp and Jaggery.

4. Both these Salan goes well with Biryani, Naan varieties, Roti varieties and rice varieties.