Jodhpuri Mirchi Vada (Jodhpuri Potato Stuffed Hot Pepper Savory Treats)

 Mirchi Bajji  or Mirchi Bada is a spicy Indian snack consisting of spicy Chili peppers (mirchi ) and potato or cauliflower stuffing, served hot with tomato sauce or occasionally with mint and tamarind chutney. Hot Banana Peppers are  used for making Mirchi badas. I used Hungarian peppers.  The Mirchi badas of Jodhpur, Rajasthan  are famous. It combines well with another Jodhpur speciality, mawa kachori dipped in sugar syrup.  (recipe on this blog) 

 

 

 

  This takes me back to my childhood in Neemach, where one of our neighbor, who I mentioned earlier in my posts (Bhabhusha) used to make these, and send it to our family,  but never gave a  a recipe for it.  As a child I found these spicy but tried to make these from memory of their appearance and spicy taste, and must admit they came out pretty good.

 

 

 

 

Ingredients for Batter:

• 2.5 cups Besan (chick peas flour)
• 1/4 cup corn starch
• 3/4 teaspoon crushed carom  seeds (ajwain) 
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder

• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1 and 1/4 cup water
• Ingredient to add just before frying: 
• 1/4 teaspoon of Asfoetida 
  
• 1/2 teaspoon of  Turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
  
• You will need oil for frying vadas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Method to make Batter:  

• Mix all the dry ingredients except turmeric, asfoetida and baking soda.
• Add water slowly mixing with whisk.
• Until all the water is gone and keep mixing until there are no lumps in the batter.
  
• The batter should be smooth and of the thick consistency as shown in picture and not very watery.
• Set aside.
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Method to prep the  peppers 

  You will need 9-10 Hungarian peppers of large size
  Wash and dry peppers.
  Leaving the stem intact cut a slit length wise in each   pepper but do not separate the halves.
  Scoop out the veins and seeds from each pepper (recommend wearing plastic gloves so fingers don't touch the vein and seeds.
  Set the peppers aside

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients for filling: 

7-8 medium size potatoes boiled

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 and 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon asfoetida (Hing)

A sprig of curry leaves (optional)

1 fresh Jalapeno or 2  Serrano pepper chopped 

 1 /12 inch of ginger peeled and chopped

1 onion chopped  (optional, I did not use it this time but you can)

1 and 1/2 teaspoon of salt (or to taste)

1 teaspoon of turmeric powder and 1/2 teasp of cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon of coarsely ground  coriander seeds

1 teaspoon of coarsely ground black pepper

 

1 tablespoon of Mango powder  

1 teaspoon of garam masala

 Juice from 1/2 large fresh lime

1 small bunch of fresh cilantro washed and chopped

 Method to prepare filling: 

• Boil and mash potatoes.
• Heat 1/4 cup of oil in a pan.
• When oil is hot, add cumin seeds, when these crackle, you can add asefoetida, and chopped jalapeno, and ginger, saute and then if using onions, add onions and saute until light brown, add curry leaves and saute for 1 more min.
  
• Add turmeric and cayenne pepper then add mashed potatoes.
• Mix well, add salt, black pepper,   mango powder, and  garam masala.
• Mix well and turn the heat off.
  

 

•    Add lime juice and chopped cilantro and mix well. 
•   Set aside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Method to Stuff and fry the Peppers:

• Take the stuffing and fill it in each pepper generously,  as shown above.
• Set aside, be sure the leave the stem intact on each pepper.
• Heat the oil for frying on medium high heat. 
• While the oil is heating, take batter and add turmeric, asfoetida and baking soda to it and mix well.
• To check the oil if it is ready drop little drop of batter in the heated oil if the batter drop comes to surface with bubbles the oil is ready.
• Do not turn the heat up.  
  
• Once the oil is heated, take a stuffed pepper and dunk it in the batter, evenly coating the pepper and carefully.  
• Once you dunk the vada  in the oil you can turn the heat down to medium low.
• You must fry the vadas on medium low heat, so the batter is cooked welled and so is the pepper inside.
• Do not over crowd the peppers in frying pan, just fry 2-3 at a time. Once golden brown take it out of oil and place them on layers of paper napkin to soak extra oil and serve hot with Mint chutney, tamarind chutney or Ketch up or any sauce of your choice. 

 

 Enjoy !! 

Dear Readers, I sincerely apologize about the format of this post.  Blogger changed the format and it is not very user friendly !!  I am  having lot of difficulty posting the pictures and inserting text in acceptable space.  Took me such a long time to post this recipe.  If any of you have any input I am open to it.  Thank you !

 Recipe and Photographs by Surekha.