Mirchi wada/Mirchi Bhajji/ Chili fritters Recipe

My families all time favorite because they love spicy food. But, these fritters are not spicy. Ah! actually sometimes they are and truly its up to us if we want to eat them spicy or not. We can enjoy it both ways. A very simple way to do that is, if we like to eat it spicy, do not dip them in salt water and leave the seeds, if do not want to eat too spicy but little spice is ok, dip them in salt water for 1/2 hr to 4 minutes only removing seeds, or else do as mentioned in recipe. "To kuch chai ke sath ho jaye"
Shhh, there is a secret in this recipe.

Sachi's Kitchen Mirchi Bajji

Ingredients:

• 4 large green chillies
• 2 cups gram flour/ chickpea flour/ Besan
• 2 tbsp rice flour (shhh, that's a secret)
• 1/4th tsp ajwain/ Carom seeds
• Salt as per taste
• Red chili powder as per taste
• almost 1/2 cup water
• 2 onions finely chopped
• some coriander leaves
• Coriander and mint chutney
• 1/4th tsp baking soda
• 1/4th tsp coriander powder
• 1/4th tsp turmeric powder
• 1/6th tsp aamchur powder/ Dry mango powder
• 1/6th tsp of cumin seeds

Method for filling of fritters:

1. In a bowl add 6 cups of water and 2 tbsp salt. Slit the green chilies at the center and remove seeds and dip them in salt water for 2 hrs to remove the complete spice from it. Trust me they taste better if some spice is there. But, its your choice.
2. In a pan, heat 1 tbsp of oil.
3. Once oil is hot add cumin seeds and 1 finely chopped onion. Once onions turn pink, add 1/2 cup of chickpea flour, half of turmeric powder, coriander powder, dry mango powder, red chili powder and salt. Roast it until it turns very light brown and aromatic.

Method for fritters:

1. Take chilies out of water and dry them with the help of kitchen towel. Fill them with the chickpea flour mixture we just made.
2. Prepare the batter by mixing 1.5 cups chickpea flour, rice flour, salt, red chili powder, turmeric powder, carom seeds and baking soda. We add rice flour because it helps batter to stick on green chilies otherwise due to chilies being smooth, chickpea flour keeps falling. Add water slowly in the mix, and prepare a thick batter. Batter should not be runny.
3. Now dip  the chilies in batter and coat it completely.
4. Deep fry in hot oil. Keeping the flame on medium, flip them and fry from all the sides. Fry until they turn crispy or golden brown.
5. At the time of serving, either serve them as is with coriander chutney or slit from center, spread chopped onions and chutney and then serve. You can use tamarind chutney as well if you slit.