Stuffed Chili Pepper Fritters / Pakora

 

           Tea time without any fried snack is worthless. One can't resist the temptation of deep fried  fritters. A bowl of hot and crispy pakoras are anytime welcome. So here are some easy to make small chili pepper fritters, that are stuffed with some basic ingredients and batter fried to perfection. 

          These crispy treats are just perfect with your evening cuppa. They are also ideal as appetizers and can be enjoyed with sauce or chutney / dip of your choice. I stuffed them with some ground peanuts, sesame seeds, roasted chana dal, tamarind paste and seasonings. They did turn out real yummy. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.     

• 10-12 small size fresh red / green chili peppers
• 3 tbsp. peanuts
• 2 tbsp. sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp. roasted chana dal (Bengal gram)
• 1 tsp. tamarind paste
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. pepper powder
• oil to deep fry 

Batter - 

• 1 cup besan (gram flour)
• salt to taste
• pinch of soda bicarb
• 1 tsp. kasuri methi (crushed)
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder

         Wash the chilies and slit them lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds, if any, with a small spoon. Smear them with salt and lemon juice and keep aside for 10-15 minutes. 

          Make a thick batter with besan, salt, soda bicarb, kasuri methi, turmeric powder and required quantity of water. Set aside.

          For the filling, roast the peanuts and sesame seeds till light brown. Cool and grind along with the roasted chana dal, tamarind paste, salt, pepper powder and little water into a thick paste.

          Fill this stuffing in the slit chilies. Heat oil in a pan. Dip the chilies in the batter and deep fry them to a golden color. 

          Let the flame be low in the entire process. Drain on a kitchen towel and serve hot with sauce or any chutney/ dip.

                     Wash the chilies & slit them lengthwise. Scoop out seeds, if any and smear

                     them with salt & lemon juice. Keep aside for 10-15 minutes. 

                      For the filling, roast the peanuts & sesame seeds till light brown. Cool 

                      & grind along with the roasted chana dal, tamarind paste, salt, pepper

                      powder & little water into a thick paste.

                                   Fill this stuffing in each of the slit chilies. 

                     Make a thick batter with besan, salt, soda bicarb, kasuri methi, turmeric 

                     powder and required quantity of water. Set aside.

                    Heat oil & Dip the chilies in the batter. Deep fry them to a golden colour. 

                                   Drain on a kitchen towel.

                                 Serve hot with sauce or any chutney/ dip.

Stuffed Chili Pepper

         A nice way to introduce these lovely colorful chili peppers as appetizers. Do not forget to serve them with some green chutney for a real visual treat. I stuffed them with paneer and few interesting ingredients that I could lay my hands on. So it is a great party recipe and a sure hit. You can make a non-veg. version too, with some chicken / mutton mince. So check the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this exotic delicacy. 

          Two secret ingredients that I added are some powdered hajmola for a bit of a tang in place of chaat masala and powdered makhana, besides other basic ingredients. They turned out very yummy. You can make them healthy by grilling them in the oven to perfection. So enjoy this fusion style Gourmet delicacy.

Ingredients - 

• 10-12 chili peppers
• 2 tbsp. oil 
• green chutney to serve

Stuffing - 

• 2-3 tbsp. fresh grated coconut, dry roasted
• 2 tbsp. roasted peanuts, coarsely ground
• 1 tsp. hajmola, powdered
• 2 tbsp. makhana, powdered
• 2 tbsp. fried onion
• 1/2 tsp. red chili flakes
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. kasuri methi, crushed

Tempering - 

• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. garlic, chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1 tsp. fennel powder 
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 100-150 gms. paneer, mashed

          Make a slit in the center of each chili pepper and deseed them. Keep aside.

          Tempering - Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan. Sauté the garlic and green chilies for a few seconds. 

          Now add all the dry spices and mix well. Add the paneer and sauté for 2 minutes. Switch off the flame and allow it to cool down.

          Stuffing - Mix the sautéed paneer with the rest of the ingredients mentioned under stuffing and keep aside. 

          Stuff the chili peppers with the paneer stuffing. Heat oil in a pan and arrange all the stuffed chili peppers. Sprinkle some salt and cook, covered on a low to medium flame for 2 minutes.

          Gently flip them over and cook the other side too till done. Switch off the flame. 

          Ladle the green chutney on a serving dish and arrange the stuffed Chili Peppers over it. Serve them as appetizers.  

           

                        Make a slit in the centre of each chili pepper & deseed them. Keep aside. 

                        Heat oil & sauté garlic & green chilies for a few seconds. 

                        Add all the dry spices and mix well.

                       Add the paneer & sauté for 2-3 minutes. Switch off the flame & allow it to
                       cool down.

                      Mix the sautéed paneer with rest of the ingredients mentioned under stuffing

                      and keep aside. 

                       Stuff the chili peppers with the paneer stuffing. 

                      Heat oil & arrange all the stuffed chili peppers. Sprinkle some salt & cook, 
                      covered, on a low to med. flame for 2 minutes.

                       Gently flip them over & cook the other side too, till done. 

Ladle the green chutney on a serving dish and arrange the stuffed Chili Peppers on it.

                                Serve them as appetizers.

Stuffed Chili Pepper in Tomato Gravy

          Having any leftover dal / lentil curry? Then go ahead and dish out this wonderfully delicious stuffed chili pepper in tomato gravy. Sure to say was delighted with the outcome. It can be relished as a side dish with plain steamed rice, jeera rice, pulao, plain biryani, naan, kulcha, tandoori roti or just plain chapatti. You may also try with dosa, appam, uttapam or idiyappam for a fusion. So get going and check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 5-6 chili peppers
• leftover cooked dal (lentil curry), simmered till dry 
• 2-3 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• pinch of asafoetida
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tomatoes, pureed
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• coriander leaves to garnish

          Cut the top off the chili peppers and stuff with the reduced leftover dal. Heat oil in a pan and sauté the stuffed peppers till light brown. Drain and keep aside.

          Temper the same oil with cumin seeds and asafoetida. Saute for a few seconds. Add the onion and curry leaves. Stir fry till the onions turn light brown in colour.

          Now add the ginger-garlic paste and turmeric powder. Continue to saute till it is well fried. Pour in the tomato puree and the rest of the dry spices.

          Mix everything well and saute till the oil separates. Add 1 cup water and bring it to a boil. Drop in the fried and stuffed chili peppers.

          Cover with a lid and simmer on a medium flame for 3-4 minutes till done. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve as a side dish with pulao, plain steamed rice, jeera rice, naan, tandoori roti or just plain chapatti.

                    Cut the top off the chili peppers & stuff with the reduced leftover dal. 

                            

                     Heat oil & sauté stuffed peppers till light brown. Drain & keep aside.

                Temper the same oil with cumin seeds & asafoetida. Add onion & curry leaves.
                Stir fry till onions turn light brown in colour.

                               Now add ginger-garlic paste 

                               and turmeric powder. Continue to sauté till it is well fried. 

                               Pour in tomato puree 

                               and the rest of the dry spices.

                               Mix everything well & sauté till oil separates. 

                               Add 1 cup water & bring to a boil. 

                          Add fried & stuffed chili peppers. Cover with a lid & simmer on a
                          medium flame for 3-4 minutes till done.

                  Garnish with coriander leaves & serve as a side dish with pulao, plain steamed
                   rice, jeera rice, naan, tandoori roti or just plain chapatti.