STUFFED MIRCHI !

I had planted some Cubano Chilli plants this spring and by the mid summer I got some beautiful big green chillies begging me to use them!! :)) So I picked few Cubano Chillies from my veg garden today. Big bright green chillies were sweet tasting and good enough for stuffed bondas or Bajjis as they are called. What are bondas or Bajjis? A Mysorean word for a snack, they are seasoned and dipped whole in a deliciously spiced batter and are fried and served with chutney as an optional.You can also use the same batter for dipping any veg you like, it's not limited to chillies or stuffing at all!! Some options would be bell peppers, potato wedges or slices, onion sliced thick, cauliflowrettes etc.!!

Stuffed Mirchi Bajjis:


Anyway, since I had only four of those, I bought few more long Yellow Banana peppers in addition. What I didnot know was that these Banana Mirchis are sooo hot, it fries your brain !! ...LOL.. So, I would say to all of you to stick with the mild chillies please..unless you are a masochist!!!

I had never tried a stuffed Mirchi before and I thought I would give it a try when I saw this recipe in a cook book, looked vey tempting! ! They came out wonderfully tasty, very crunchy outside and soft inside, almost like a meal in itself ! Hope you will try this bonda, I highly recommend it!! So here they are...enjoy!!

YOU NEED:
5-6 Big long Mirchis you like and some sliced Potatoes for kids !
Lemon Juice
Salt

FOR STUFFING:
1/2 Cup Potato Flakes made into mashed potatoes or 2 potatoes cooked and mashed
1 tsp Garlic Pd
3 tsp roasted minced onions
1/4 tsp Pepper Pd or chilli flakes
1/4 tsp Cumin Pd
1/4 tsp Coriander Pd
1/4 tsp Garam Masala
Few cilantro minced
Lemon juice if liked
Salt

BATTER:
1 Cup Besan Flour
2 tbsp Rice Flour
1 tbsp Corn Starch to make it crispy and thick
Pinch of Paprika for color
Turmeric
Cilantro
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Cumin Pd
Enough water

HOW TO:
1. Slit peppers in the center lengthwise just enough to stuff masala,deseed,sprinkle lemon juice and salt. Keep them aside.
2. Prepare stuffing by mixing everything given above to a fairly firm dough enough to pipe in to the mirchis like thick mashed potato.
3. Mix batter thick enough to cling on to the peppers when dipped without exposing the skin.
4. Now, wipe the peppers to take the moisture out, stuff in the masala. I used a pastry piping bag .Make sure to close the opening by pressing it together firmly.
5. Heat oil to deep fry, dip peppers in batter and slide in carefully in oil. Fry to a golden color.
6. You can serve as they are, no need for any chutney unless you like to.

NOTE: If peppers are too long to fit into your deep fryer, cut in half after stuffing but before dipping in batter as I did shown in the picture above.