Jodhpuri Mirchi Vada Recipe

Wash the chillies. Make a lengthwise slit along one side of each chilli, about 2/3 of the length; keep the stem intact. Carefully remove seeds and membranes using a small knife, making sure chillies remain whole. Do not cut through the stem end.

Bring 1 cup water to a simmer with 1 tsp salt in a small pan. Blanch the slit chillies for 30–45 seconds to soften slightly, then immediately transfer to ice water or cold water to stop cooking. Pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.

Boil or steam the peeled and cubed potatoes until fork-tender, 12–15 minutes. Drain and mash coarsely; set aside to cool slightly.

Heat 2 tbs oil or ghee in a skillet over medium heat. Add mustard seeds; when they sputter add cumin seeds and a pinch of asafoetida. Sauté 10–15 seconds until aromatic.

Add chopped onion and sauté until translucent, 3–4 minutes. Add chopped green chili and grated ginger; sauté 30 seconds.

Stir in turmeric, coriander powder, red chili powder and cook 30 seconds to toast the spices. Add the mashed potatoes, salt (1 tsp) and mix thoroughly to combine with the spiced onion. Cook 2–3 minutes to remove raw floury taste.

Sprinkle amchur (or lemon juice) and garam masala; mix well. Fold in chopped coriander leaves. Taste and adjust salt or lemon. Let the mixture cool completely so it firms up for stuffing.

In a bowl whisk together besan, rice flour, turmeric, red chili powder, carom seeds, baking soda (if using) and 1 tsp salt.

Add about 3 tbs water gradually and whisk to a smooth, thick batter that coats the back of a spoon. Adjust water to get a consistency slightly thicker than pancake batter — you want it clingy for coating. Let batter rest 5–10 minutes.

Place the cornstarch or extra rice flour in a shallow plate for dusting the stuffed chillies prior to battering.

Divide the cooled potato mixture into 8 equal portions (about golf-ball size). Roll each portion into an oblong shape that will fit inside a chilli without bursting.

Carefully open each blanched chilli gently and stuff with one potato portion. Do not overfill; press ends slightly so stuffing stays compact. If a chilli is very large you can use a bit more stuffing; if small, use less.

Lightly dust each stuffed chilli with cornstarch or rice flour — this helps the batter adhere and prevents sogginess.

Heat oil in a deep frying pan or kadai to 170–180°C (340–355°F). If you don't have a thermometer, test with a drop of batter; it should sizzle and rise steadily to the surface without browning instantly.

Dip each dusted, stuffed chilli into the batter, coating evenly. Allow excess batter to drip back into the bowl. Carefully slide the coated chilli into hot oil. Do not overcrowd; fry in batches of 3–4 depending on pan size.

Fry, turning occasionally, until the batter is golden brown and crisp, about 3–5 minutes per batch. Maintain oil temperature; reduce heat if browning too quickly so the potato inside warms through.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer fried chillies to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Repeat with remaining chillies.

Serve hot or warm with tamarind chutney, coriander-mint chutney or ketchup.