Rajasthani Mir Chiwada | Mir Chiwada Stuffed Potatoes

Mirchi Vada is yet another one of those Indian dishes that has regional variations across India. This recipe right here is Rajasthani Mirchi Vada, also known as Mirchi Bada. While these are also green chilli patties, the fillings are different, which is typical of Rajasthani cuisine. On this side of the country, these might also be called chili patties. They may not look like regular schnitzel, though.

More information about Mirchi Vada

The first time I made this Rajasthani Mir Chiwada at home was on a pouring rainy day! Oh, what a wonderful time it was. I really can't describe this feeling in words. So, in the beginning, I recommend you try these as soon as possible.

To make this Mirchi Bada, you need larger, non-spicy and mild green chillies. Some of the typical varieties include Bullhorn chilli, bajji mirchi or Bhavnagri chilli.Another very famous Hyderabadi dish uses this chilli type Mirchi Kasaran.

In my Rajasthani Mirchi Vada recipe, I have used Bhavnagri green chillies. You can also use other varieties, even the large, thick green chilies used to make stuffed chili pickles. If you're not in India, jalapeños are a good choice for this recipe.

Mirchi Bada is filled with a rich spiced mashed potato. Pounded fennel seeds are added to the pounded aloe vera, which gives the mixture a unique flavor compared to other varieties of stuffed Mirchi Vada.

This Mirchi Vada is a popular street snack in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. There, vendors selling these delicious chilli vada also call it stuffed chilli cutlets. But as I mentioned at the beginning, you probably won't think it looks dirty at all.

Enjoy this crispy, fiery Mirchi Bada as an evening tea/coffee snack, best enjoyed during monsoons. Served with imli chutney, pudina chutney or even ketchup, it will definitely blow your mind. You can also serve these vadas with bread slices.

Step-by-step guide

How to Make Rajasthani Mir Chiwada

Prepare

1. Rinse 200 to 250 grams or 8 to 9 Bhavnagri chillies in water. Then, pat dry with a clean kitchen towel. Remove caps from peppers if desired. I always remove them.

2. Cut each pepper open on one side with a knife. Cut from the top, leaving about 0.5 to 1 cm of space at the bottom before cutting. Remove seeds and pith.

3. Cut all the green chillies like this and keep aside. If you want, you can even blanch the peppers before stuffing them into the mashed potatoes.

Make the filling

4. Steam or boil 250g or 4 medium-sized potatoes in a pressure cooker or steamer until cooked.

5. While the potatoes are still hot, peel and mash them.

6. Add 1 chopped green chilli, 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves, ½ tsp ground fennel seeds (saunf), ½ tsp coriander powder, ½ tsp dry mango powder (amchur Powder), ¼ tsp cumin powder and ¼ tsp Red chili powder.

7. Mix well. Check the taste and add more salt or spice powder if needed.

Green pepper stuffing

8. Now, stuff the prepared potato mixture well into the green chillies.

9. Stuff all the green chillies like this. Set aside.

Make batter

10. In a bowl, take 1 cup of gram flour (besan), 1/4 teaspoon of red chilli powder and a pinch of asafoetida (hing). You can also add a little baking soda if desired.

11. Add 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons water (or as needed) to make a medium consistency batter. Also, add salt as needed. The amount of water added depends on the quality of gram flour. Since I am using homemade gram flour, the amount of water required is more than store bought. So start by adding about ⅓ cup of water and then add a few tablespoons to get the right consistency.

12. Stir well to get a batter of medium consistency without any lumps. If the batter becomes thin, add a few more tablespoons of gram flour to thicken the batter.

Fried Rajasthani Mir Chiwada

13. Dip the stuffed green chilies into the batter.

14. Coat the batter evenly.

15. Gently lower it into medium hot oil.

16. Add more Mirchi Vada to the oil and fry until golden brown. Be careful when turning or flipping packets in oil.

17. When golden and crispy, take out the Mirchi Vada with a slotted spoon.

18. Place the buns on a kitchen towel and remove excess oil.

19. Serve Mirchi Bada hot with tomato sauce, coriander chutney, tamarind chutney and bread slices with ginger tea or drip coffee.

Expert Tips

1. Substitute: ½ teaspoon lemon juice or dry mango powder (amchur powder) as per taste; jalapeño or other large green chilies for Bhavnagri chilli.
2. You can even blanch the peppers before stuffing them with the mashed potato mixture.
3. You can add more or less spice powder according to your taste.
4. When making the batter, you can also add a little baking soda to it.
5. Since I was using homemade besan for the batter, I added more water. This may change if you are using store bought besan as the amount of water depends on the quality of the besan. So start by adding ⅓ cup of water and then add a few more tablespoons until you reach the right consistency.
6. If the batter becomes thin, add a few tablespoons of gram flour to thicken it. You should have a medium thickness of batter to coat the Mirchi Vada well.
7. To cook vada evenly, fry on medium flame.

Frequently Asked Questions

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