Dahi Mirchi Sabzi is a spicy dish to tantalize your taste buds! It is a medley of green chilies simmered in a creamy yogurt sauce, enriched with aromatic spices. You can enjoy with curd rice, plain paratha or daal rice.
Dahi Mirchi Sabzi holds a significant place in regional cuisine, especially in states like Rajasthan. Traditional Rajasthani cuisine is often quite spicy, as chili was used to preserve and cure food.
This spicy tangy green chili side dish often graces the tables during festivals, family gatherings, and celebratory occasions, adding zest and warmth to the dining experience.
Ingredients you need for Dahi Mirchi Sabzi
Fresh green chili - Get the less spicy variety of green chili.
Whole Spices - You start tempering the oil with few whole spices - Black mustard seeds, cumin seeds and fennel seeds.
Ground spice mix - You can use the usual spices from your spice rack. Cumin powder, coriander powder, chili powder, turmeric powder mix with water.
Yogurt mixture - A trick I learned from my Mom long back is to always add just a little bit of flour to yogurt and whisk it before adding to a hot wok. The flours help to keep the yogurt from curdling.
Oil - You can use any variety of oil, but I love to use mustard oil for that pungent taste that goes very well in this side dish.
Steps to prepare
1- Trim the edge of the green chilies and the discard the seeds. You can either slice in half and then remove the seeds, or use the back of a spoon to scoop it out.
2- In a heavy bottom pan or wok, heat mustard oil and add the garlic cloves. Let it infuse for about a minute, and then add the whole spices (cumin, fennel and black mustard seeds)
3- Add the prepared green chili, season with salt and stir it around. The cooking time will depend on how thick or how big the chilies are. Cover the pan and let the chilies softened a little.
4- In a bowl, add the ground spices and add a little water to mix it around.
5- Add the spice paste and stir it around to cook the spices for a few minutes.
6- Whisk yogurt with little flour. The flour will avoid the yogurt from curdling.
7- Add it to the yogurt and toss it around.
8- Taste for salt and add more if needed. The dahi mirchi sabzi is ready to serve.
We had it with paratha, but I personally loved it with aloo paratha or any kind of stuffed paratha. Dahi mirchi sabzi is definitely spicy, and you need to have high tolerance of spicy food to truly enjoy the taste of this dish.
FAQs
The spice level can vary depending on personal preference and the type of green chilies used. Typically, it's quite spicy due to the green chilies, but the yogurt helps balance the heat, providing a creamy texture and a tangy flavor.
Yes, you can adjust the spice level according to your preference. If you prefer it milder, you can reduce the number of green chilies or remove the seeds and membranes, which are the spiciest parts of the chili.
Dahi Mirchi Sabzi pairs well with Indian bread like roti, paratha, or naan. It also goes well with steamed rice or jeera rice.
Yes, you can customize Dahi Mirchi Sabzi by adding other vegetables like potatoes, carrots, or bell peppers. Just adjust the cooking time accordingly to ensure all the vegetables are cooked through.
Dahi Mirchi Sabzi
Ingredients
- 12 Fresh green chili
- 2 tablespoon Mustard oil
- ¼ teaspoon Black mustard seeds
- ¼ teaspoon Cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon Fennel seeds
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ Cup Thick plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon flour
- 3 Garlic cloves
Spice Paste
- ¼ Tsp Turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon Cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon Coriander powder
- ⅛ teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder (Only for color)
Instructions
- Trim the edges off the green chili and discard the seeds.
- In a heavy bottom pan or wok, heat the oil and add the garlic cloves. Let it sizzle for a minute and then add the whole spices (mustard seeds, cumin seeds and fennel seeds). Let it sizzle for a few seconds.
- Add the green chili, sprinkle salt and stir it around. Depending on the size of the chili, it will take more or less time for the chili to softened.
- In the meantime, add the spice powder to a bowl and water to make a spice paste.
- Once the green chili is softened, add the spice paste and stir it around. Cook the spices for 2 minutes.
- In a bowl, whisk the yogurt with the flour and add that to the pan. Stir it around and let it simmer for a few minutes. Taste for salt and add more if needed.
- Enjoy it warm as a side dish or even as a condiment.
