Rajasthani Mirchi Vada

Rajasthani Mirchi Vada - This is a popular street snack of Rajasthan also known as Jodhpuri  Mirchi Vada. Green peppers stuffed with a masala aloo filling and deep fried. Serve with a tangy tomato chutney or white bread. Basic recipe from NDTV Cooks & Niru Gupta !!

Makes: 6

Ingredients

6  large green peppers (big size green chillies)

1/2 cup / 100 ml / 4 oz (Indian standard measuring cup)  besan (chick-pea flour / gram flour)

1/2 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon red chilli powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

¼ teaspoon hing (asafoetida)

Water (to mix the batter) approximately ½ to ¾ cup

Oil for deep-frying (250 – 300 ml oil)

For the filling:

1 big size or 2 medium size  potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed

½ teaspoon  salt

1/2 teaspoon red  chilli powder

¼ teaspoon  amchoor  (dried mango powder)

½  teaspoon coriander powder

1/4 teaspoon  asafoetida (hing)

1/2 teaspoon  saunf  (fennel seeds), crushed

2 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves

Mix together the potatoes,  salt, chilli powder, amchoor, coriander powder, asafoetida, saunf and chopped coriander leaves.

For the vada:

Wash and wipe the peppers, slit lengthwise, and de-seed (better to wear a face mask and hand gloves to remove seeds from pepper).

Fill with the potato filling.

Sieve besan. In a bowl, mix the sieved besan with the salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, hing  and enough water to form a  medium thick and  smooth paste (like bajji batter).

Heat the oil till a drop of batter dropped in comes up at once.

Dip the pepper in the batter, and drop it into the hot oil (3 peppers at a time).

Lower the heat to medium and fry till a golden colour on both the sides.

Drain out from oil and place on kitchen towel to absorb extra oil. Serve hot with tomato ketchup or green chutney.