Mirapakaya Bajji or Chilli Bajji or Mirchi Bajji as it can be called is a pakora made with regular green chillies in a besan batter. This is very much like the Onion Pakodas or Plantain Bajjis you make.
As I had mentioned in a post before, as a South Indian, I am little fussy about how a dish is referred. We call a Bajji when a vegetable is dipped in a batter and fried. As Pakoda/ Pakoras, when the chopped vegetables/ nuts mixed in batter and deep fried. A Bonda when either as a batter or stuffed batter balls deep fried, vada when it is fried as discs!
So this Mirchi bajji is bajji and not a Pakoda for me. However, as I have never ending love for anything deep fried, I can say what's in a name. But mind me only for this dish ok.
Coming back to this deep fried Mirchi Bajji, this is something I was introduced to, after my marriage and learnt about Uggani and how this bajji makes a heavenly pair to the Borugulu Upma. This is what I wrote when I first shared this post, a decade ago, when I was sort of introduced and still learning to make this. Its an art seeing my Athamma (mother-in-law) or my sis-in-laws make Mirapakaya Bajji. I have tried it many times, but have never quite got the same stuff.
I am no longer the same person, having made this so many times and having learnt the trick as well.
The chillies used in this bajji are your regular ones. The chillis that we get in Anantapur is not so spicy, so you don't require any sauteing of the chillies. If you end up using the ones you get in Madras or elsewhere, please saute in heat and then proceed to make.
Mirapakaya Bajji – Chilli Bajji
Ingredients Needed:
- 10 nos - Green Chillies (Long tender ones not with much seeds)
- 1 cup - Besan Gram Flour
- 1/4 tsp - Baking Soda /Cooking Soda
- 2 tsp - Cumin Powder
- Salt to taste
- Cooking Oil (for deep frying)
Method to prepare:
- Wash the green chillies, make a slit on one side making sure that the stalk is intact. Scoop out the seeds using a knife.
- If you are not able to get the tender chillies, then fry the chillies on hot pan till it becomes brown. Now it will not be so hot/ spicy.
- In bowl, mix cumin powder and salt. Stuff this mixture inside the slit green chillies.
- Mix the gram flour with salt, baking soda and water. Make a thick batter.
- Heat cooking oil in a Kadai, dip the chillies one by one in the batter and deep fry them.
- Remove them to a kitchen towel.
Recipe
Mirapakaya Bajji – Chilli Bajji
Ingredients
- 10 nos Green Chillies Long tender ones not with much seeds
- 1 cup Besan /Gram flour
- 1/4 tsp Baking Soda /Cooking Soda
- 2 tsp Cumin Powder
- Salt to taste
- Cooking Oil for deep frying
Instructions
- Wash the green chillies, make a slit on one side making sure that the stalk is intact. Scoop out the seeds using a knife.
- If you are not able to get the tender chillies, then fry the chillies on hot pan till it becomes brown. Now it will not be so hot/spicy.
- In bowl, mix cumin powder and salt. Stuff this mixture inside the slit green chillies.
- Mix the gram flour with salt, baking soda and water. Make a thick batter.
- Heat oil in a Kadai, dip the chillies one by one in the batter and deep fry them.
- Remove them to a kitchen towel.
nav says
Hello Srivalli,
You have a nice blog with all appetizing recipes. I love all the things you have blogged about. Please keep them coming. Welcome to the world of food blogs 🙂
Regards,
Nav
Vcuisine says
Presented well. tks for sharing. Viji
Srivalli says
Thanks Viji for your comments
Suganya says
Love your step-by-step photos