JODHPURI MIRCHI VADA

Nai sarak in Jodhpur use to be the hub for shopping and eating. Good shopping followed by a couple of mirchi vadas at Janata sweets is one of the many memories from Jodhpur.

Mirchi vada is the most popular rajasthani street snack. Its is similar to batada vada or alu bonda from south.

Mirchi vada big, fat green chilli stuffed and covered with spicy, tangy potato mixture; then coated with gram flour batter and finally deep fried.

One mirchi vada is quite filling. It can be sliced into three to four pieces and served with ketchup as an appetizer.

Any large and non-spicy variety of chilli can be used such as bhavnagari chillies. I have used jalapeno chillies here as these were the only variety available with the supermarket. I have deseeded the chillies to reduce its pungency. Depending on the chilli you can adjust the red chilli powder to be added. The given proportions are totally at level with the rajasthani palate.

The number of potatoes required is equal to the number of green chillies to be used for this recipe. This is my rough proportion of green chillies and potatoes. I find it easier this way than weight measurements.

Recipe for Jodhpuri mirchi vada

Ingredients for Jodhpuri mirchi vada

• 6 green chillies (fat and non-spicy variety)
• 6 medium-sized potatoes
• ½ tsp roasted cumin powder
• ½ tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tbsp dry mango powder/ dried pomegranate seeds
• ¼ +¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 cups gram flour
• 10 cashew nuts (chopped)
• ¼ cup raisins (chopped)
• ¼ cup coriander leaves (finely chopped)
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

How to make

Boil the potatoes. Remove its skin and lightly mash it. Avoid mashing it completely. Finely mashed potatoes, it does not hold on to the chillies and slips away.

Add salt, turmeric, cumin powder, coriander powder, dry mango powder, red chilli powder, cashews, raisins and coriander leaves.

Combine all the ingredients and keep aside.

Make an incision in chillies and deseed them.

Stuff the chillies with the potato mixture and cover the chillies with the same. The thickness of the potato coating should be 3/4th to 1cm.

Make a smooth batter of gram flour with a ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder, salt and a cup of water.

The batter should be of coating consistency.

Now coat the chillies with the batter and deep fry for one minute on each side or until the coating is cooked.

Serve with sweet and sour tamarind chutney.