Mirchi Bajji Recipe: The Ultimate Street Snack from South India
 
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Mirchi Bajji (also known as Mirapakaya Bajji in Andhra Pradesh and Milagai Bajji in Karnataka) is a beloved street food that has captured the hearts and taste buds of many in South India. This crispy, deep-fried snack features large, mildly spicy green chilies dipped in a gram flour batter, creating a golden, crunchy exterior. The chilies, despite their intimidating size, are often deseeded to reduce their heat, making the dish a balanced mix of spice and flavor. It is typically enjoyed during the monsoon season when the weather calls for something warm and comforting, often accompanied by a steaming cup of tea.
Author:
Recipe type: Appetizer
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: 6-7
Ingredients
  • 6-7 Long Big Chilies (Big Jim/Bhavnagri/Hatch Green)
  • 1 tsp Chaat Masala
  • Rock Salt
  • ¼ tsp Red Chili Powder
  • 1 tsp Cumin Powder
  • Oil For Deep Fry
  • For Besan Coating:
  • 1 ½ cup Besan/Chickpeas Flour
  • 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
  • ½ tsp Red Chili Powder
  • Pinch Of Hing/Asafetida
  • ¼ Tsp Baking Soda
  • ½ tsp Ajwain/Carom Seeds
  • Salt
  • For Onion Mixture:
  • 1 cup Chopped Onion
  • 2-3 tbsp Chopped Coriander Leaves
  • ½ tsp Red Chili Powder
  • ½ tsp Cumin Powder
  • ½ tsp Chaat Masala
  • ½ Lime Juice
  • Rock Salt
Instructions
  1. Chilies Preparation:
  2. Wash and dry the chilies. Using the pointy part of a knife, make a long, lengthwise slit without halving the chili.
  3. Deseed the cut chilies using a small spoon or knife and set aside.
  4. Spice Mix:
  5. In a small bowl, add chaat masala, cumin powder, red chili powder, and salt. Mix well.
  6. Gently open a cut chili with your fingers without breaking it, sprinkle the chaat masala mix inside, and set aside.
  7. Besan Coating:
  8. In a mixing bowl, combine besan, turmeric, red chili powder, hing, soda, and ajwain.
  9. Gradually add water to create a thick but slightly droopy texture. The batter should coat the chili well when dipped. Keep aside.
  10. Onion Mix:
  11. In a bowl, combine chopped onion, chopped coriander leaves, red chili powder, cumin powder, chaat masala, rock salt, and lime juice. Mix and set aside.
  12. Cooking Process:
  13. Heat oil in a deep pan for frying.
  14. Once the oil is hot enough, dip a chili by holding the stem with your fingers into the besan batter, ensuring it is well-coated on all sides. Carefully drop it into the hot oil. Repeat with 1-2 more chilies. Fry 2-3 chilies at a time in a batch.
  15. Use a slotted spoon to turn the chilies in the oil, frying each side until golden brown. Drain and place on kitchen paper towels to remove excess oil. Continue the same method to fry additional chilies.
  16. Serving:
  17. Arrange the mirchi bajjis on a plate. Make a lengthwise slit to open the fried mirchi bajjis, stuff and top each with the onion mixture.
  18. Sprinkle additional chaat masala mix over them and serve with coconut chutney, tomato chutney, or masala chai. Enjoy!
Notes
Use medium-hot, big, long peppers.
If the chilies are spicy, consider omitting the red chili powder from the chaat masala mix, besan coating, and onion mix.
Ensure the batter is not too thin, or it will not coat the chilies properly.
For crispier bajjis, add 1-2 tablespoons of rice flour and 1-2 teaspoons of oil to the batter.
Recipe by Binjal's VEG Kitchen at https://binjalsvegkitchen.com/mirchi-bajji-recipe-the-ultimate-street-snack-from-south-india/