In USA , most us cannot get the real Indian bajji milagai (a bigger version of green chili without any hot chili taste, but smells like one). So we use Jalapeno peppers to prepare pakora / bajji. Jalapenos are really HOT when compared to Indian bajji peppers.
Nowadays I am seeing these lesser spicy peppers - Cubanelle peppers, in the nearby Asian grocery store. So I prepared a sweet and hot bajji as a variation and we love it very much. My mom used to put some tomato ketchup inside the bajji milagai before dipping it in besan batter, as I was not a fan of spicy foods in my early ages. So I always crave for that sweet touch to spicy dishes till now.
Here I have used a 'Thai sweet chili sauce' instead of ketchup and in my view the chili flavor in that sauce enhances the taste of the bajji.
Try this and I am sure everyone will like it.
Ingredients :
Non spicy long peppers (Bajji milagai) - 8
Besan flour (kadalai mavu) - 3/4 cup
dosa batter - 1/4 cup
(or) rice flour - 2 tbsp
salt - to taste
red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
hing (asafoetida)- 1/8 tsp
baking soda - 1/2 tsp
garlic - 2 pieces (finely ground)
ajwain (omam / bishop weed) - 1/4 tsp
oil - to deep fry (250 ml)
Thai chili sauce - 1 tsp per chili
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| Cubanelle pepper tastes just like Indian Bajji milagai (not spicy). |
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| Ingredients for bajji |
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| I used Sweet chilli sauce from Asian store. |
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| Remove seeds after slitting the pepper. |
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| Apply a little sweet chilli sauce inside the peppers. |
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| Dip them one by one in bajji batter |
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| Fry them in medium heat, both sides. |
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| Take out, drain oil by placing over a kitchen paper towel. |
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| Fried capsicum bajji is ready ! Serve hot ! |
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| Cut them into 2 or 3 slices before serving (optional). |
Method:
Chili:Rinse the peppers. Slit the bottom of the pepper carefully (without cutting it in half) and remove all the seeds.
Scoop a tsp of 'sweet chili sauce' inside the peppers.
Batter:
Grind the garlic and ajwain to a fine paste with 1 tsp water. Mix all the above (except oil, sauce) along with 1/4 cup water to a thick batter. Add more water if needed, but keep the batter like thick idly batter ,otherwise the bajjis will absorb more oil.
Frying:
Heat oil in a wok. Before it gets smoky hot, reduce flame and keep in medium flame.
Dip the Chili peppers in the batter and put it on the hot oil. Do not clutter. Flip and fry both sides. Drain oil and take out.
Sweet Milagai bajji / fritter is ready!
Serving suggestions:
Serve hot as snack along with hot coffee or tea during rainy / winter season.
Tomato ketchup is a good side dish
Note:
*It is always a good idea to make onion bajji or some other bajji along with capsicum bajji , for guests, as everyone can't accept the spiciest bajjis.
*Instead of stuffing the bajji with 'Thai sweet chili sauce' before frying, we can scoop some after frying too. Thereby we can avoid soggy bajjis, if served after some time.
*The batter should be prepared fresh to avoid excess oil absorption (that means leaving it in room temperature will make it sour soon). Refrigeration for same day use is ok.
Enjoy my other bajjis also:)
Sweet bajji
Vazhaikkai (plantain) bajji
Potato bajji
Cauliflower bajji
Onion bajji
Kathirikkai bajji
Check out my authentic milagai bajji recipe.
