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Andhra style mirchi pakoras

Andhra Style Mirchi Pakoras/Pakodas/Fritters

Crispy, spicy and lip smacking south Indian style green chili/jalapenos pakoras or fritters stuffed with peanuts, spices, dipped in a chickpea batter and fried until golden brown! It is the perfect snack to enjoy with hot tea or coffee!
Course Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine Andhra Pradesh, South Indian
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 4
Author Vanitha Bhat

Ingredients

  • Whole green chilies not the hot variety but pakora or bhajji variety like jalapenos
  • Oil for deep frying

FOR THE BESAN BATTER:

  • 1 cup besan/chickpea flour
  • ¼ cup rice flour
  • ½ tsp red kashmiri chili powder
  • ¼ tsp hing/asafetida powder
  • ½ tsp ajwain/carom seeds
  • 1 tbsp coriander powder ½ tbsp
  • 1 tsp jeera/cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/8 tsp baking soda optional
  • Water as needed to make a medium thick batter
  • Salt to taste ½ tsp

FOR THE STUFFING:

  • ¼ cup onions finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp freshly chopped cilantro
  • Lemon/lime juice
  • ¼ cup roasted chutney dal
  • ½ cup roasted peanuts
  • ½ tsp red chili powder
  • ½ tsp chaat masala powder
  • ½ tsp pink salt

FOR GARNISH:

  • ½ cup finely chopped onions
  • 3 tbsp freshly chopped cilantro or coriander leaves
  • Few tablespoons roasted peanuts optional
  • Juice of 1 large lemon/lime
  • Salt to taste

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

  • Tomato ketchup
  • Green chutney
  • Tamarind chutney

Instructions

  1. Wash, dry, make a slit in the chilies lengthwise and deseed to reduce the heat and spiciness of the pakoras. Set aside.

TO MAKE THE FILLING:

  1. In a blender jar, make a coarse paste of the chutney dal, roasted peanuts, spice powders and salt to taste. You could also use only peanuts if you do not have the chutney dal. Stir in some chickpea flour instead.

  2. Remove; mix in onions and cilantro along with lemon juice to combine well. You should get a paste like moist mixture.

TO MAKE THE BESAN BATTER:

  1. In a mixing bowl, stir the dry ingredients with a whisk or spoon. Add water just enough to make a smooth and medium thick batter, just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

  2. Transfer the batter to a wide pan for easy dipping of chilies.

TO PREPARE THE CHILIES:

  1. Stuff each slit chili with the filling mixture, spooning it in and pressing until the filling is tight and fills the cavity well.

TO MAKE THE GARNISH:

  1. In a small bowl, mix finely chopped onions, cilantro, roasted peanuts and lemon juice with some salt to combine thoroughly; set aside.

FRYING THE MIRCHI PAKODAS:

  1. Heat oil for deep frying and once the oil is hot, dip each stuffed chili in the thick batter to coat on all the sides.

  2. Let the excess batter drip back into the bowl and gently drop the coated chilies in the hot batter, taking care to not over crowd the oil. Immediately, spoon hot oil over the simmering chilies to fry on top.

  3. Fry on medium high heat, tossing a couple of times until the pakoras are crispy and golden brown.

  4. Remove and place on oil-absorbent paper lined plates.

  5. Continue frying as many of the chilies as you want.

  6. You can serve it right away or enjoy it as the people of Andhra do!

  7. Slit the chili or Mirchi pakoras in the center, sprinkle onion-cilantro-peanut mixture over the hot bhajjis and serve spicy, stuffed Andhra style Mirchi Pakoras/Pakodas with some piping hot adrak/ginger tea or coffee!

  8. So, enjoy bhajjis or pakoras as such or dipped in your favorite sauce/dip!

  9. Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Recipe Notes

  • Use even sized chilies to make the pakoras.
  • Make sure to deseed the chilies for a less spicy bite!
  • Adjust the amount of spices in the batter according to personal taste.
  • You could also enjoy mirchi pakoras without the stuffing. Just deseed the chilies, dip in besan batter and deep fry.
  • For a quicker option, you can use my ready-made homemade pakora mix. Makes it a quicker snack to get to.
  • Happy Cooking/Eating!