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Mirchi vada
Potato-stuffed chilli fritters
Jodhpur's big green chillies (मिर्ची वड़ा) stuffed with spiced potato, dipped in gram-flour batter and fried
In Jodhpur, the day often begins at a roadside kadhai: huge, mild green chillies stuffed with spiced potato, coated in gram-flour batter and fried until golden and blistered, then eaten hot with sweet milky chai. Stalls near the Clock Tower and Sardar Market make them all day, and during the monsoon the queues grow longer. The chilli adds a fresh, green bite more than heat, and the filling is tangy with amchur and fennel. A common mistake is frying in oil that is not hot enough, which makes the batter heavy and oily. Chef's tip: fry each vada once until pale gold, rest it for a few minutes, then fry it again for 1 minute just before serving—this is the stall trick for a crust that stays crisp.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the chillies
For the filling
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seedslightly crushed
- 1 tsp coriander seedslightly crushed
- 1 tsp gingergrated
- 1 green chillifinely chopped
- 14 oz starchy potatoesboiled, peeled and mashed
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp red chilli powder
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ¾ tsp salt
- ⅓ oz fresh corianderchopped
For the batter
- 5 ½ oz gram flour (besan)
- 2 tbsp rice flour
- ½ tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp red chilli powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 pinch bicarbonate of soda
- ¾ cup water
- 3 ¼ cups vegetable oilfor deep frying
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Slit each of the 8 large mild green chillies (bhavnagri or jalapeño-size) lengthways on one side, leaving the stalk and tip intact. Scrape out the seeds and pith with a small spoon; this keeps the heat mild.
8 minStep 2: Heat the 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the ½ tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp fennel seeds and 1 tsp coriander seeds and let them crackle for 20 seconds, then add the ¼ tsp gluten-free asafoetida (hing), 1 tsp ginger and 1 green chilli.
1 minStep 3: Add the 14 oz starchy potatoes, ¼ tsp ground turmeric, ½ tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp dried mango powder (amchur), ½ tsp garam masala and ¾ tsp salt and mix for 2 minutes. Stir in the ⅓ oz fresh coriander and let it cool slightly. It should taste tangy and well seasoned.
3 minStep 4: Stuff each chilli generously with the filling, pressing it in so the slit closes around it.
5 minStep 5: Whisk the 5 ½ oz gram flour (besan), 2 tbsp rice flour, ½ tsp ajwain (carom seeds), ¼ tsp ground turmeric, ½ tsp red chilli powder, ½ tsp salt and 1 pinch bicarbonate of soda with the ¾ cup water into a thick batter that coats a spoon heavily, like pancake batter. Rest for 5 minutes.
5 minStep 6: Heat the 3 ¼ cups vegetable oil in a kadhai to 350°F over medium-high heat; a drop of batter should rise at once with steady bubbles. Hold each chilli by the stalk, dip it in the batter to coat completely, and lower it into the oil.
5 minStep 7: Fry 3–4 at a time for 3–4 minutes, turning, until pale golden and crisp. Drain on paper. For a stall-style crust, fry them again for 1 minute just before serving until deep golden.
12 minStep 8: Serve hot with green chutney, tamarind chutney or ketchup, and a cup of chai.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 320 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mirchi vada take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 25 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 cumin seeds?
- Ground cumin, three quarters of the amount (add it with the other ground spices, not to hot oil first).
- What can I use instead of fennel seeds?
- Aniseeds, same amount (a stronger liquorice taste).
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