Mirchi vada is Jodhpur's other famous fried snack, sold alongside pyaaz kachori at stalls across the old city. Large, thick-walled green chillies, locally called bhavnagri or simply vada mirchi, are slit, stuffed with spiced potato, coated in gram flour batter and fried. The chillies are fleshy and fairly mild, so the heat is a warm background rather than a punch.
Vendors fry them twice: once to cook the chilli and set the batter, and again just before serving so the crust is shatteringly crisp. The potato filling is sharp with amchur and fennel, which balances the green, slightly bitter flavour of the pepper. Each bite gives crunch, then soft chilli, then the tangy mash.
They are best eaten hot, during the monsoon, with a cup of strong chai. In Jodhpur the vada is often sliced and stuffed into a pav or served with a sweet tamarind chutney and a sprinkle of chaat masala. Two make a filling snack. Leftovers can be revived in a hot oven for five minutes, though nothing beats one straight from the kadhai.
At a glance
| Region | Rajasthan |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | Rajasthani |
| Diet | Vegan |
| Course | Street food |
| Prep time | 25 minutes |
| Cook time | 30 minutes |
| Total time | 55 minutes |
| Serves | 4 |
| Spice level | Medium |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Gluten-free | Yes |
| Key ingredients | large green chillies / potato / besan / amchur |
Ingredients
For the chillies and filling
- 8 large, thick bhavnagri chillies
- 3 medium potatoes (about 350 g), boiled and mashed
- 1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
- 1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
- 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp amchur
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander
- 1 tbsp oil
For the batter
- 1 cup (100 g) besan
- 1 tbsp rice flour
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp ajwain
- A pinch of baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- About 1/2 cup water
To fry and finish
- Oil for deep frying
- Chaat masala to sprinkle
Method
- Wash and dry the chillies. Make a lengthwise slit in each, leaving the stem and tip intact, and scrape out the seeds with a small spoon.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil on medium, add the crushed fennel and coriander for 20 seconds, then add the mashed potato, powdered spices and salt. Mix for 2 minutes and stir in coriander. Cool.
- Pack each chilli firmly with filling so it bulges slightly and the slit closes over it.
- Whisk besan, rice flour, turmeric, ajwain, soda and salt with water into a thick batter that coats the back of a spoon heavily. Beat for 2 minutes to aerate.
- Heat oil to medium-hot, around 170 C. Hold a chilli by the stem, dip it in the batter to coat fully, and lower it into the oil.
- Fry 3-4 at a time for 4-5 minutes, turning, until the batter is set and pale gold. Drain and rest for at least 10 minutes.
- To serve, heat the oil to hot, about 185 C, and fry the vadas again for 1-2 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Drain and sprinkle chaat masala.
Tips
- Choose straight, fat chillies with thick walls; thin chillies blister and split in the oil.
- The double fry is what keeps the crust crisp for longer. The first fry can be done an hour ahead.
- If your chillies are hot, soak them in salted water for 15 minutes after deseeding to tame them.
Serve with
Sweet tamarind chutney, green chutney and hot masala chai.