How to Make Mirchi Pakoda ( Stuffed Green Chilli Fritters)

Mirchi Pakoda is a spicy and delicious Indian snack. It is a treat for those who relish the very hot and spicy feeling on cold or rainy evenings.

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Step 1: Collect the Ingredients

a) 8-10 thick green chillis

b) 2 Boiled Potatoes

c) 3 TS finely chopped onions

d) 2 TS Lemon juice

e) 2 cups gram flour (a.k.a Besan in Hindi)

f) ½ TS Ajwaiin (ak.a. carom seeds)

g) 1½ TS Red chilli powder

h) 1½ cups of water

i) 2 cups of vegetable oil

j) Salt to taste

Step 1: Prepare the Stuffing

a) Peel and mash the boiled potatoes coarsely. Do not make a paste.

b) Add 3 TS chopped onions, ½ TS Red chilli powder, 1 TS salt and 2 TS Lemon juice

c) Mix the added ingredients

Step 2: Stuff the Green Chillies

a) Wash and dry all the chillies.

b) With the knife, make one slit along the length of a chilli, from under the stem to above the end of the chilli. Make sure you do not slit all the way to the bottom or cut through the other side of the chilli.

c) Remove the seeds and membrane to reduce the heat.

d) Green chillies are crisp they might break when stuffing them to avoid that keep them in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes so that they become soft.

e) Now open the slit of a chilli and add the stuffing with your fingers. Spread evenly inside the chilli.

f) Press the slit closed.

Step 3: Frying the Chillies With Besan Batter

Prepare the Besan batter

a) In a bowl, mix gram flour, carom seeds, red chili powder and salt

b) Add a little water in the mixture and then beat the mixture for 1 minute or until it becomes smooth batter. Make sure the batter is evenly thick.

Step 5: Fry the stuffed Green chilli covered with Besan Batter

a) Heat 2 to 3 cups of oil in a frying pan. For about 5 minutes, keep the heat to high and then, reduce it to medium-high for about 2 to 3 minutes, so that oil heats up quickly in 7 to 8 minutes.

b) Now take 1 stuffed chili and dip it completely in the gram flour (Besan) batter, making sure the chilli is well coated with the batter.

c) Next, gently drop the coated and stuffed chilli into the hot oil, such that it’s completely immersed in oil.

d) Let the pakoda deep fry for 1 minute, turn the pakoda around in oil. Keep the heat to medium.

e) With the spatula, keep flipping the pakoda for 3 to 4 minutes or until the pakoda turns golden-brown.

f) Once the chilli pakodas become golden-brown, take it out using spatula and place it above paper towel so that excess oil gets absorbed.