Name: Stuffed Mirchi Bajji
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 3 Green Chili Pepper, Bhavnagari or Jalapeno, mild variety, deseeded; 1 tbsp Tamarind Paste, thick pulp, for stuffing; ½ tsp Carom Seeds, ajwain, lightly crushed, for stuffing; ½ tsp Ground Cumin, roasted, for stuffing; ¼ tsp Black Salt, for stuffing; ¾ cup Gram Flour, besan, for the batter; 1 tbsp Rice Flour, for crispy coating; ½ pinch Baking Soda, essential for puffy batter; ⅛ tsp Ground Turmeric; ¼ tsp Red Chilli Powder; ½ tsp Salt, for batter; ⅓ cup Water, adjust for a very thick batter; as needed Cooking Oil, for deep frying

45 mintotal

30 min hands-on15 min hands-off

Prep 15 min · Cook 15 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: Medium

Add to your week

Method

Prepare the stuffing: In a small bowl, mix the thick tamarind paste, crushed carom seeds (ajwain), roasted cumin powder, and black salt. It should be a thick, intensely sour, and pungent paste.
Using your finger or a small spoon, smear a thin layer of this tangy paste inside the slit and hollowed-out green chillies. Keep them aside.
Prepare the batter: In a large, deep bowl, mix the besan, rice flour, turmeric, red chilli powder, baking soda, and salt.
Gradually add water, whisking vigorously to create a very thick, smooth batter. It must be thick enough to heavily coat your finger without dripping off instantly.
Add a splash of very hot oil into the batter and whisk again. This makes the outer shell exceptionally crisp.
Heat oil for deep frying in a kadhai on medium heat.
Hold a stuffed chilli by its stem. Dip it into the deep bowl of batter, swirling it around to ensure it is completely and thickly coated.
Carefully lift it out, letting only massive globs drip off, and gently slide it into the hot oil.
Fry on medium heat, turning occasionally, until the batter puffs up dramatically and turns a solid golden yellow. Do not over-fry or it will turn dark brown.
Drain on paper towels. Slice the large bajjis diagonally into smaller pieces, sprinkle with chaat masala, and serve hot.

How to tell it's done

A massive, thick, and spongy gram-flour shell offering a mild exterior that suddenly gives way to the sharp, tangy, and moderately spicy crunch of a cooked whole pepper.

Getting it right

Tip

The batter must be exceptionally thick. If it's too thin, the slick skin of the green chilli will reject the batter, leaving the chilli exposed and oily in the fryer.

What to serve it with

A roadside favourite on a rainy day. Serve with finely chopped raw onion, lemon wedges and hot tea.

Gujarati Khandvi

Khandvi cooks a gram flour and yoghurt batter to a paste, spreads it thin and rolls it into tight spirals.

20 minvegetarian

Instant Gujarati Handvo

Handvo bakes a savoury lentil and vegetable batter into a cake with a crust on both sides.

40 minvegetarian

Instant Rava Idli

Rava idli steams a semolina and yoghurt batter, ready without the overnight fermenting of a rice idli.

35 minvegetarian

Jain Kacche Kele Ki Tikki

Kacche kele ki tikki shapes raw banana with water chestnut flour into fasting-day cutlets, made Jain-style.

50 minvegetarian

Kanda Poha

Kanda poha steams flattened rice with onion and peanuts, the Maharashtrian breakfast eaten by the plateful.

25 minvegan

Khaman Dhokla

Khaman dhokla steams a fermented gram flour batter into soft squares, finished with a sweet-sour tempering.

45 minvegetarian

Ingredients