Dahi Mirchi

Dahi mirchi and challa mirchi are cousins — both use marinated sun-dried chillies, both are fried before eating. The difference is the marinade. Where challa mirchi uses buttermilk, dahi mirchi uses full curd (dahi/perugu). Curd has more body and more lactic acid than buttermilk, which means the dried chillies end up slightly more sour and with a slightly denser texture.

The preparation is the same: thick green chillies soaked in fresh curd and salt, then sun-dried over several days until they're properly dehydrated. The result looks like small, wrinkled, slightly yellowed chillies. Don't be put off by how they look — what happens when you fry them is very different.

Fry in hot oil for sixty to ninety seconds. The chillies puff up quickly and turn crisp. The curd coating caramelises slightly in the oil and adds a depth you don't get with buttermilk alone. Eat immediately.

Serve alongside rice and dal, curd rice, or any simple Andhra meal. The tang from the curd marinade pairs particularly well with ghee-coated rice or the coolness of curd rice.