Mirchi Bajji (Mirapakaya Bajji)

Mirchi Bajji (Mirapakaya Bajji)

These South Indian street style Green chilli bajji are crispy-crunchy and make a perfect appetizer any time! These Andhra style Mirapakaya bajji are stuffed with onions, lemon juice, spices and coriander leaves.

For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Servings12 to 14

AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )

To Make Batter

12 to 14 bhajji mirchi (green chilies,plump, long, less spicy)
2 cups besan (180 grams gram flour)
4 to 6 tablespoons corn flour ( or ¼ cup rice flour)
¾ to 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
1 to 1¼ teaspoon crushed ajwain (carom seeds / vaamu)
½ teaspoon red chili powder (optional)
¼ teaspoon turmeric or haldi
¼ teaspoon soda-bi-carbonate (baking soda/cooking soda)
2 tablespoons oil (to add in the batter)
Oil for deep frying
¾ cup water (plus 2 to 3 tablespoons as needed)

For Stuffing Green Chilies (optional)

1 teaspoon crushed ajwain (carom seeds for stuffing, optional)
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon tamarind paste (optional)

For Stuffing Mirchi Bajji

1 medium onion finely chopped
2 tablespoons coriander leaves fine chopped
1 small lemon (use as required, about 1 tablespoon)
1 salt to taste (adjust to taste)
¼ to ½ teaspoon red chili powder or as needed (optional)
¼ to ½ teaspoon Chaat Masala or as needed (optional)

How to make the recipe

Preparation

Rinse the green chilies under running water and wipe dry with a clean cloth or kitchen tissues.
Take a butter knife and slit the chilies lengthwise (on one side), keeping intact the stem/stalk. Deseed them using a knife.
Optional - Mix together crushed ajwain, salt and tamarind paste (optional). Stuff your chilies with this. You can put in as much as you want. Usually 2 to 3 pinches is enough.
On a medium flame, heat oil in a deep pan for frying.
Mix together flour, salt, soda, turmeric, red chili powder & ajwain thoroughly in a bowl.
Pour ½ cup water. Begin to mix to make a thick lump free batter, adding more water as required. Avoid pouring all the water at one time.
Once you have a lump-free thick batter, pour more water little by little to get the right consistency, not thin and not too thick. The batter should just coat the chili when it is dunked in the batter. Too thin batter will begin to drip off from the chilies .Too thick will not cling on to the chilies.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a separate small pot until really hot (not smoking hot). Pour that to the batter. It should sizzle. Mix with the whisk or spoon.
Once you finish mixing, just whisk 4 to 5 times with a whisk on a medium speed to aerate the batter.

Make Mirchi Bajji

Check if the oil is hot enough by dropping a small portion of the batter to the hot oil. If it is ready, the batter will sizzle & rise immediately without browning. Reduce the flame to medium.
Hold a green chili with the stem/stalk, dip it in the batter and gently rotate it to coat the batter all over. (optionally you may gently swipe off one side of the chilli to the batter bowl before sliding to the oil. This helps to cut the chilies easily later for stuffing).
Gently slide it in hot oil & fry on a medium heat. You can fry 3 to 4 in each batch depending on the size of your kadai. Do not disturb them for 2 mins. When they puff and firm up, stir them to cook evenly.
Turn them to the other sides and fry until crisp and golden. Remove to a cooling rack or a steel colander.
Once done frying all of the mirchi bajji, refry them in batches on a medium heat. Ensure the oil is medium hot. This step makes them extra crisp and they remain crisp for quite long.

Stuff the Mirapakaya Bajji

Let them cool down a little. Meanwhile mix the onions, coriander leaves, lemon juice and salt in a bowl.
Take a small spoon or knife and open up the slit gently. Stuff all of them as desired with the onion & chilies. Sprinkle red chilli powder and chaat masala if you want.
Serve Mirchi bajji immediately with a cup of tea or as a side with your dinner.

NUTRITION (estimation only)