Cut Mirchi Bhaji

Cut Mirchi Bajji.

Mirchi Bhaji is the famous chilli fritters made by deep frying chillies dipped in besan batter. Here, long fat thick skinned mild chillies (banana peppers, long green peppers, etc) are used to make the fritters. The fritters are then cut into bite sized pieces and double fried till golden brown. They are then stuffed with mint cilantro chutney and topped with chopped onion and spices.
Makes: around 6 Cut Mirchi Bajji for 1 Long Green Pepper.

Ingredients:

Long green peppers 1 – 2
Besan 3/4 Cup
Mint Coriander Chutney as required
Onion 1 Small
Roasted Peanuts 15 – 20
Red Chile Powder 1/2 tsp
Cilantro few sprigs
Salt to taste
Lemon Juice 1 tbsp
Soda bi Carb a big pinch
Oil for deep frying

Method of preparation:

Wash thoroughly green chiles / green peppers.
Peel and finely chop the onion.
Clean, remove hard stems and finely chop cilantro.

Heat oil in wok on medium high heat for deep frying, add few pinches of salt into it.

In a mixing bowl, add besan, salt and soda-bi-carb.
Add sufficient water to the besan mixture to make thick and smooth batter without any lumps.
You can test it by coating the back of the spoon with besan batter which doesn’t drip easily.

Dip the whole green chile in besan batter making sure the batter is coated on all the sides of the chilli.
Remove the dipped chilli from the mixing bowl and slowly drop into hot oil.
Repeat the same with other green chile (if using).

Fry on all sides until just cooked but not browned and remove the chilli fritters on to a kitchen napkin.
If the oil is smoking hot, reduce the heat a bit to avoid burning the green chiles.
Leave the mirchi bhaji until they are warm enough to handle.
Cut each chilli fritter into approximately 1 inch long cylinders.
Deep fry the cut chilli fritters again in medium hot oil for a minute or until they turn golden brown and crisp.
Remove the deep fried cut mirchi bhaji onto a kitchen napkin to absorb all the excess oil.

In a small bowl, mix thoroughly chopped onion, red chile powder, cilantro, salt.
At first, stuff each fried cut chilli fritter with two or more roasted peanuts.
Then stuff with quarter tsp of the green chutney and layer with a half a tsp of the prepared chopped onion.
Drizzle few drops of lemon juice on top of each stuffed cut mirchi bhaji.
Garnish the cut mirchi bhaji with finely chopped cilantro.
Serve cut mirchi bhaji as a snack with few wedges of lemon on the plate.
Notes: Make sure to choose fat and mild chillies for best results.

Suggestions: If the besan batter is too thick, the green chile doesn’t cook properly. If the besan batter is too thin, it doesn’t coat the green chile well. So make sure the besan batter is of right consistency.
Variations:Sprinkle a pinch of chaat masala or red chile powder and salt mixture on top of plantain fritter for extra spice.
Other Names: Mirchi Bajji, Mirchi Bhaji, Stuffed Cut Mirchi Bhaji, Stuffed Chilli Fritters.

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Chillies in Cumin Powder

Jeera Mirchi.

Cumin seeds are roasted on low flame and ground into fine powder for fresh flavor. Tender Green Chiles are stuffed with roasted cumin powder and mixed with lemon juice. They are then stored in a jar with good amount of oil and left to mature for couple of days before using.
Makes: 6 Chillies in Cumin Powder.

Ingredients:

Fresh Long Green Chiles 6
Cumin Seeds 3 tbsps
Lemon Juice 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Mustard Oil 3 tbsps

Method of preparation:

Wash thoroughly, pat dry and slit green chiles with its stem and tail intact.
Heat a heavy bottomed pan on low flame, add cumin seeds and roast them until aromatic or until the seeds darken a bit (around 4 minutes).
Cool the roasted cumin seeds completely to room temperature and grind them into fine powder using spice blender.
Mix together roasted cumin powder, a tbsp of oil and salt.
Take a tsp of the above cumin mixture and stuff it into green chiles.
Arrange the green chiles on a plate, add lemon juice and remaining cumin powder.
Mix well and pour the remaining oil over the green chiles.
Alternatively, if you choose smaller green chiles, they can be transfered to jar before adding oil.

Cover the plate with a plastic wrap or close it with another plate.
Leave the green chillies for couple of days to mature before using them.
Serve chillies in cumin powder with any dal rice or yogurt rice.

Notes: Make sure to choose fresh and tender green chiles as they tend to be mildly hot. Don’t over roast cumin seeds.

Suggestions: Stir the green chillies at least once every day. Add more oil if they tend to dry out a bit.
Variations: Also check out some other variations of this simple green chile picle. Green Chiles in Mustard Seeds Powder, Mirchi in Ajwain, Green Chillies in Lemon Juice.
Other Names: Jeera Mirchi, Jeelakarra Mirapakayalu.

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