MIRCHI BAJJI
PC: Revi’s foodography and travel
This mouth-watering bite is a rain day special from Andhra Pradesh.
Ingredients
- 6-7 thick, long green chilies
- oil for deep frying
Stuffing:
- 2 tbsp tamarind paste
- salt – to taste
- 1 tsp roasted cumin seeds powder
- 1 tsp chaat masala powder
For the besan batter:
- 6 tbsp besan/chick pea flour/senaga pindi
- 1 tbsp rice flour
- salt – to taste
- a pinch of baking soda
- ¼ tsp ajwain/vaamu(carom seeds)
- ¾th tsp red chilli powder
- ½ tsp turmeric powder(haldi)
- ½ tsp roasted coriander seeds powder
- 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 tsp oil
Method
- In a vessel, add some water to boil, add green chilies and blanch them in water for about a minute. (Doing so takes away the spiciness of the chilies, so the bajji can be eaten along with the chilli).
- After boiling, slit the chili vertically leaving the corner edges of the chili and deseed it completely.
- In a bowl, add tamarind paste, salt as per taste, roasted cumin seeds powder, chaat masala powder and mix all the ingredients well.
- Take each chilli and stuff this paste into all the chillies and keep them aside.
- In a bowl, add besan, rice flour, salt, baking soda, ajwain and mix them all together.
- To it add red chili powder, turmeric powder, roasted coriander seeds powder, ginger garlic paste, oil and mix it well.
- Add water and make a batter with a consistency neither too thick nor too liquid. The batter should be mixed well without any lumps in it.
- Heat oil in a wok for deep frying.
- Take each stuffed chilli, dip the stuffed chilli into the batter and drop it into the oil.
- Fry them on low to medium flame until they turn golden brown on all sides.
- Take them out on an absorbent paper.
- Take each fried chili bajji and give it a small slit.
- Stuff the slit with very finely chopped onions and coriander leaves.
- Sprinkle chaat masala powder generously all over the mirchi bajji and serve hot with any chutney.
ONION PAKODA/FRITTERS
Presenting everyone’s favourite all-season snack, best paired with curd rice/ sambar rice:
Ingredients
- 2 onions ( medium size), peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 small cup gram flour/ besan
- 1 small cup rice flour
- 1 or 2 green chilies, finely chopped
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- Curry leaves – a handful
- Coriander leaves – a handful
- 1 tsp ghee or butter
- 3 to 4 crushed garlic pods
- A pinch of Hing (or to preference )
- Salt to taste
- Oil to fry
Method
- In a bowl, mix the onions, besan and rice flour.
- Toss in the green chilies, curry leaves, coriander leaves, ghee and crushed garlic.
- Add salt, hing and red chili powder as needed.
- Combine it all well, without adding any water and keep aside for 15 to 20 minutes.
- The onions should have now let out moisture enough for binding the ingredients together.
- Knead the batter gently.
- Heat oil in a frying pan and drop the mixture in batches to hot oil. To avoid greasy pakodas, do not overcrowd the oil.
- Deep fry to golden over low-medium flame, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from oil when crispy and cooked.
- Repeat the same for the rest of the mixture and serve hot.
PRAWN TEMPURA
This Eastern classic snack is ultra tasty and super light on the stomach.
Ingredients
1 kg uncooked king prawns
Vegetable oil, for deep frying
For Tempura Batter
75g corn flour
75g plain flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
¾ cup cold soda water
Method
1) Shell and de-vein the prawns.
2) Sift corn flour and plain flour together in a medium bowl. Add egg and soda water and mix until just combined. Allow batter to stand for a few minutes.
3) Heat oil in a large saucepan or wok. Holding prawns by the tails dip in the batter and allow excess to drain away. Deep-fry prawns, a few at a time, until batter is very lightly browned and prawns have turned pink and are cooked through. Drain and serve hot.
Chocolate Chip Cookies:
The perfect cookies to go with milk for your kids during tea time!
Ingredients
85 gms Soft Butter
110 gms Brown Sugar
55 gms Castor Sugar
A pinch of Baking Soda
120 gms All Purpose flour
A Pinch of Salt
1 tsp Vanilla
2 Eggs
Chocolate chips 1/2 Cup
METHOD:
– Add the soft, unsalted butter to a bowl.
-Then add the brown sugar and the white sugar.
– Beat them to a nice, soft, fluffy mixture for roughly 2-3 minutes.
– Add 1 tsp vanilla essence and egg to the mixture and beat it for another 2 to 3 minutes.
– Scrape off the mixture from the sides and beat for yet another 2-3 minutes.
– Add the maida and the baking soda to the mixture and beat the mixture at a slow speed.
– Finally, add the chocolate chunks to the mixture.
– Allow the cookie dough to rest in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.
– Place a baking paper on a baking tray.
– Take a little of the batter using two spoons and place them on the tray.
– Leave gaps between two cookies.
– Bake the cookies in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 160 degrees.
– Fresh cookies are now ready!
VEGETABLE POTATO SKINS
Scooped potatoes filled with the goodness of mushroom and corn.
Ingredients
2 potatoes
50 gm mushroom
50 gm baby corn
1 tbsp celery
1 tbsp leeks
2 tbsp chopped onion
1 tbsp chopped garlic
2 tbsp chopped spring onion
1 bunch fresh coriander leaves
3 tbsp tomato sauce
2 tsp chilli powder
Few drops, soy sauce
Salt as required
1 tsp sugar
Cheese for garnishing
Method
- Cut and halve the potatoes into two pieces each
- Scoop out the potatoes, parboil and deep fry
- Chop all the above vegetables and cook them with the spices
- Stuff the above vegetables into the potato and grate some cheese on top
- Gradinate the potatoes and serve them hot with salsa and sour cream