Indian
Vegan
Gluten free
SpicyBharela marcha
Stuffed green chillies
ભરેલા મરચાં: fat mild green chillies stuffed with roasted gram flour, sugar and lemon, cooked covered until blistered
In Kathiawad, bharela marcha are made with the long, fat and fairly mild bhavnagri chillies that come in every winter, and they sit beside a thali of rotla, kadhi and khichdi as a sweet-sour-hot side. The filling is besan roasted in oil until nutty, mixed with sugar, lemon, turmeric and dhana-jiru, and the chillies are cooked covered on low heat until soft and blistered in patches. A common mistake is using small, very hot chillies; choose large mild ones, or the dish is too fierce to eat. Chef's tip: slit the chillies only on one side and scrape out the seeds and ribs; the heat drops right down and the filling stays inside.
- Prep
- 12 min
- Cook
- 18 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Serves
- 4
- Per serving
- 150 kcal
Ingredients
For the chillies
- 10 large mild green chillies (bhavnagri or banana chillies)slit on one side, seeds removed
- 2 tbsp groundnut oil
- ½ tsp black mustard seeds
- 1 pinch gluten-free asafoetida (hing)
For the filling
- 2 ⅛ oz besan (gram flour)
- 1 tbsp groundnut oil
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp red chilli powder
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ¾ tsp salt
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat 1 tbsp groundnut oil in a pan over low heat and roast 2 ⅛ oz besan (gram flour), stirring, for 5–6 minutes until it smells nutty and turns a shade darker. Tip into a bowl.
6 minStep 2: Mix in ¼ tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp dhana-jiru (ground coriander-cumin), ½ tsp red chilli powder, 2 tsp sugar, ¾ tsp salt and 1 tbsp lemon juice. It should feel like damp sand and hold when pressed.
2 minStep 3: Stuff each of the 10 large mild green chillies (bhavnagri or banana chillies) firmly with the filling, pressing it in with a teaspoon.
6 minStep 4: Heat 2 tbsp groundnut oil in a wide pan with a lid over medium heat, add ½ tsp black mustard seeds and let it pop, then add 1 pinch gluten-free asafoetida (hing).
1 minStep 5: Lay the chillies in one layer, slit side up, cover and cook on low heat for 8–10 minutes, turning carefully every few minutes, until soft and blistered in patches. Sprinkle any leftover filling over in the last 2 minutes so it crisps.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bharela marcha take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 12 minutes to prepare and 18 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of black mustard seeds?
- Cumin seeds, same amount (different flavour, same crackle).
- What can I use instead of gluten-free asafoetida (hing)?
- A pinch each of garlic powder and onion powder (asafoetida stands in for onion and garlic).
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