Mirchi ka Salan

This is a typical Hyderabadi speciality. As in most cases, there is a simple version and exotic versions. This version is more exotic than most versions and makes a lovely accompaniment to Jeera rice, Fried rice or plain Basumati rice. 

Ingredients: 
200 gms Long Green chillies (aka wax peppers) - Wash and slit (remove seeds if you cannot tolerate the heat) 
Tamarind- one small gooseberry size- soak and extract juice 
Coriander leaves- chopped 3 tbsp 
Oil- 5-6 tbsps 
Salt to taste

A	For tempering	1 tsp Mustard 1 tsp Jeera ¼ tsp Methi seeds 6-8 curry leaves
B	Grind together	6 cloves garlic ¾” ginger 1 large onion 2 medium tomatoes 3 tbsp grated coconut
C	Roast and powder	2 tbsp ground nuts 2 tbsp sesame seeds 1 tbsp jeera
D	½ tsp turmeric powder 1 tbsp jeera powder 1 tbsp coriander powder 1 tsp chilli powder

Method: 
Heat oil in a kadai, fry prepared chillies till white and keep aside. To the same oil, add “A” and let the seeds crackle. Add paste “B” and fry for a minute. Add “C” and “D”. Cook till the oil separates. Add tamarind juice, salt and 2 cups water. Boil till the gravy thickens. At the end, add the prepared chillies and boil. Remove from fire and garnish. This tastes better if served a couple of hours after preparation when the flavours blend. You can use regular chillies with or without the seeds if you can stand the spice.

Usili

You can prepare this vegetable side dish with French beans, Cluster beans or Snake Gourd. Essentially you prepare the vegetable like a dry kari (Poriyal). Prepare the dal mixture separately and blend the two together. This can be a side dish for Sambar and rice or Rasam and rice. Or you can mix rice to this and eat with either a thayir pachadi or vathal kozhambu. 

Ingredients: 
Vegetable of choice: 200 gms 
Toor dal- 150 ml 
Red chillies- round- 6 
Curry leaves-10 
Hing powder- 1/4 tsp 
Coconut scraped- 1 tbsp 
Salt to taste 
Mustard, urad dal, channa dal- 1/2 tsp each. 
Oil for cooking 

Method: 
Wash and soak the dal with the red chillies for half an hour. Grind together with curry leaves and required salt for the dal into a coarse mixture. Grease an idli plate, put the ground mixture and steam for 10 minutes. Check if cooked by passing a knife through- if cooked, the knife should come clean. Remove the steamed dal, cool, cut into 4 pieces each and powder in mixie. Keep aside. Wash and chop the vegetables. Heat a little oil in a kadai, add mustard, urad dal and channa dal in that order each 10 or 15 seconds after the previous one. When mustard seeds have crackled and the dals turned golden, add the cut vegetable, required salt (for vegetable only) and saute. Sprinkle a little water and cook covered until done. Remove from pan. Add some oil to the pan and add the dal mixture. saute a little so that the dal separates into crumbs, add the coconut and finally the vegetable. Keep on low heat for a couple of minutes. Your paruppu usili is ready.