The Delicious Crescent

Tamarind Pulp
2 Soak the dry tamarind in a cup of warm water until very soft, about [timer minutes=30]half hour[/timer]. Squeeze and mash it to extract the pulp. Then drain it well to get the juices and discard the seeds and residues.
Spice and Nut Mixture
5 Meanwhile, in a wide sauté pan or a frying pan, dry roast the spices (except ½ teaspoon cumin), seeds and nuts, at medium heat, until they darken a bit and turn aromatic.
6 Cool the seeds/nuts and grind them into a powder, using a nut or spice grinder.
Mirchi Curry
9 In the same sauté pan, heat oil at medium setting. Add onions and sauté until soft and light brown. Allow to cool and using a food processor, grind onions into a slightly coarse paste.
10 Next, slit the chili peppers on the side (I used hot banana peppers) and add to the pan and sauté on all sides until light golden in some spots. Remove and set aside to cool.
11 Heat the remaining oil at medium setting in the same wide sauté pan. When the oil is hot, add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds. Once the seeds crackle, add the curry leaves and sauté for [timer minutes=2]2 minutes[/timer] until they start curling.
12 Then add ginger paste, garlic paste, onion paste, chili powder, turmeric, some salt, brown sugar, stir it all and cook for [timer minutes=5]5 minutes[/timer]. Stir in the seed-nut powder.
13 Add tamarind juices, use additional water and adjust to a thin smoothie-like consistency and let it cook for [timer minutes=5]5 minutes[/timer]. Adjust salt as per taste.
14 Slide the sautéed chili peppers into the gravy, cover with a lid and let it simmer at low medium heat, for [timer minutes=10]10 to 15 minutes[/timer], until sauce becomes thick and some of the oil trickles to the surface.
15 The curry should have a thick and creamy consistency. Add water only as needed. Garnish with chopped cilantro, if you prefer.
16 Turn off the heat and serve it hot with biryani, rice, naan or parathas.