JFI For Chillies

August is the Hottest month in JFI food event, the theme being Chillies. This month JFI for Chillies is hosted by Nandita of Saffron Trail.

Hai... Hai .. Mirchi Ooo.. Ooo... Mirchi. Wow its really hot..Wonder Why??? Though the hottest vegetable. Its favorite of many spice and hot lovers. There is something that makes is so tasty and wonderful. This reminds me of variety of mirchi recipe: Red Mirchi pickle, Perugu Mirchi Vadiyum, Mirchi Bajji, Mirchi Ka Salan. This list goes on and on...Would love to know more recipes. Thanks to JFI for making this a Chillies month.

Here are my recipe contribution to the JFI for Chillies.

Mirchi Bajji Long Chiilies or Jalopenos stuffed with tangy stuffing dipped in flour dough and deep fired in oil. Makes a delicious snack.



Mirchi Ka Saalan Authentic Hyderabadi Curry made with whole large green chillies in tangy gravy served with Biryani, Pulao, Rice Or Roti.

Bell Pepper, Capsicum

Food For Thought!!!



Did you know this about Bell Peppers:

Bell Peppers also know as Capsicum, is one of the good sources of Vitamin C and Vitamin A. It is found in different variety of colors: Red, Yellow & Green. The red bell peppers are high in Vitamin C & Vitamin A compared to yellow & green bell peppers. A half cup of serving of red bell peppers contain 95mg of Vitamin C than any fruit!!!

Mirchi Bajji

Fresh, fleshy, hot Chillies fried stuffed with tangy paste and fired in besan flour.



Mmmm Mirchi! Be it any season or any celebration in Hyderabad you see Mirchi Bajji is the common snack or appetizer to start with. It is the best snack for teatime. Hmm yum.... Though it is the hottest vegetable. It is still a favorite of many people. There is some thing about this that makes it so tasty.

Mirchi Bajji is a typical Andhra snack served with coconut chutney or tomato sauce. For 6 Mirchi Bajji we need 6 long Chillies or Jalapeno.

For the stuffing there are 3 types

1. Sesame Seeds & Tamarind Paste: Mix about 5 Tsp of slightly roasted sesame (till) seeds ground to powder with small lime size tamarind soaked in warm water and thick juice removed and salt.
2. Peanut & Tamarind Paste or Amchur Powder: Handful roasted powdered peanut and one small lime size tamarind juice or one tsp amchur powder and salt.
3. Potato & Lime or Lemon juice: one potato and lime juice and salt.

For flour batter: 3 cups besan or channa flour, 1 tsp vamu or ajwain or carrom seeds and jeera seeds, pinch of tumeric and salt.

Dhaniya (corinader) powder and jeera powder to spinkle.

Prepare the stuffing with any of the one variety and keep it as side. Slit Chillies length wise and remove the seeds if it is too hot. Stuff the chillies with the stuffing and keep in ready. Mix the flour, jeera, ajwain, salt and turmeric to a thick paste.

In a wide pan, add oil. When the oil is hot, dip the chiilies in the besan flour and put it in the oil and fry it. when it is half done remove it again cool it for a min and dip it again in the flour and fry it medium heat till golden brown. Sprinkle with some coriander/jeera powder. Serve it with tomato sauce or coconut chutney.

Note: Adjust the salt, tamarind or lime juice to taste. Sometimes the Chillies are hot, remove the seeds completely. Do not slit too long, the stuffed paste might come out of the chillies.

Mirchi Ka Salan!

Fresh, fleshy, long Chillies in a tangy tamarind, peanut & sesame sauce.



Mmmm Mirchi! When its winter in Hyderabad you see Mirchis in red and green colors in abundance. This brings to my mind different variteies of food made with mirchi. Mirchi Bajji, Mirchi ka Salan, Perruku Mirchi Vadiyam, Red Mirchi Pickle this list goes on...Hmm yum.... Though it is the hottest vegetable. It is still a favorite of many people. There is some thing about this that makes it so tasty.

Mirchi ka salan is a typical hyderabadi curry served with hyderabadi biryani. This a authentic recipe can be served and goes well with any Biryani, Vegetable Pulao and Roti.

It is made with 6 long Chillies or Jalapeno, half cup of roasted peanuts, about 3 tsp of sesame (till) seeds, half onion fried in oil, 3 inch size of fresh or dry coconut, small lime size tamarind soaked in warm water and juice removed, one tbs jaggery, one Tsp Ginger Garlic Paste, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1 Tsp Dhaniya (corinader) powder, 1/2 tsp of roasted methi/jeera powder. For Tadka/Popu: 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, jeera seeds, about 10 curry leaves, 1/2 cup oil.

Grind peanuts, sesame seeds, coconut, onion, ginger garlic to a fine paste. Slit Chillies length wise and remove the seeds if it is too hot.

In a wide pan, add oil. When the oil is warm, put the tadka/poppu. When it starts to spluter, carefully put the slit Chillies, and cover it with a lid. When the Chillies are half cooked, add the paste along with tamarind juice, turmeric, dhaniya (corinader) powder and salt . Let it boil for about 5 mins. Now add the methi jeera powder and boil it another 5 minutes. Add water if necessary while boiling. Cook it till the gravy is thick. Serve it with Biryani, Rice, Roti or Naan.

Note: Adjust the salt, tamarind juice to taste. Sometimes chillies might not be very hot you can add chilli powder but try to avoid it as much as you can. If the Chillies are hot, do not slit too long this might release too much heat into the gravy. It also gets shred while cooking if slit too long.