Masala Cut Mirchi ~ Street Food

As I mentioned yesterday, I got to know about the different dishes that hubby dear enjoyed during his childhood days in one of our discussions last week. As in a true sense of pursuit of happiness, I wanted to recreate the magic of our childhood and see if we can capture that essence again. Of course when I probed him further to ask if it tasted same, he disappointed me saying that it was so long that he no longer remembers the taste. I reminded him of Ratatouille. It was one of the finest movies we watched, especially with a food backdrop.

Whenever he says I should make like what my Amma makes or like Athamma makes, he reminds me that as Anton remembers his mom's cooking, the dish should bring in the same effect. So I told him this ought to remind him of his childhood. He replied back saying Vankaya Pappu has that effect and nothing else. Well that's bad as he had to eat this, but when he did he said he tasted great.

Of course I didn't give this to Konda, but imagine my nephew and nieces eating this with great enjoyment. They love Cut mirchis and with the masala no doubt!

The Mirapakaya Bajjis are made the regular way, only when it is almost done, it is removed, cut into smaller bites, and put back into hot oil to fry it more crispier.

Then once it is done, there are two ways to do it. Either you sauté the finely chopped onions in a pan, add coriander, spice powder along with the cut mirchis. Saute well and serve.

The other way is to add the onions and coriander raw with the masala sprinkled on top with lemon squeezed. This is typically served in a paper cone that is so famous of the roadside eatery shops.

Required Ingredients.

Prepared Mirapakaya Bajji - 5
Lime Juice
Onions - 1
Coriander Leaves
Masala powder  - 2 tsp

Masala powder (Pappula podi) - Roasted fried gram, Red Chili powder, Garlic and Salt to taste

Cut the Mirapakaya Bajji into small pieces.

Heat Oil in a kadai, deep fry the bajjis till they are little brown.
Heat a pan with oil, saute the onions, add the hot cut mirchis, sprinkle the spice powder, salt and coriander leaves.
Just before serving sprinkle lime juice on the cut mirchi.
Serve with onions.

Imagine for a moment you got a coin on yourself, you rush down the road towards the cart that serves these spicy bajjis. With great excitement you extend your hand towards the vendor, who looks nonchalant at you. He carries on his task silently, takes the bowl that had almost cooked cut mirchis, puts them back into hot oil, tosses them for a moment, to be removed back to the bowl. He has the other stuff all chopped ahead, from which he quickly scoops out with hand and hurriedly puts on the top of the hot mirchis, sprinkles the spice masala, coriander leaves, finally to squeeze a lime over it. Out comes a paper that is rapidly tuned as a cone, takes a heap of the masala cut mirchi and puts into the cone for you. You sit back to enjoy a bite of the spicy cut mirchi, with tears threatening to roll down, fumes gushing out from ears, you still continue to enjoy every mouth, that simply still takes you to heaven! I don't know this for sure, but this is how hubby dear conveyed his experience as a kid.

Sending this to Kid's Delight,- hosted this month by Champa themed on Restaurant Recreations.

Check out the bloggers doing the Marathon along with me..

Group 1
30 Minutes Meals: Gayathri Anand
Baked Goods: Monika,
For On Going Events: Gayathri Kumar, Usha  
Kids Friendly: PJ, Savitha, Smitha, Veena Aravind 
Rice Varieties: Champa, Divya, Padma

Group 2
30 Minutes Meals:Priya Mahadavan, Pavani,
Seven Days of Salad: lla

For Ongoing 7 Events: Priya Suresh, Harini Suma Gandlur,

Kids Friendly: Vatsala, Jay, Kamalika,

Seven Days of Rice: Veena Krishnakumar, Priya Vaasu, Padma Rekha,


Divya Vikram,

Masala Mirchi Bajji | Mirchi Bajji with Masala | Mirapakaya Bajjilu | Step by Step Recipes

There are certain dishes you ought to recreate if you want to capture the essence of those childhood days. And the next few posts will be in true sense of those moments. I have heard hubby talking so much about his childhood days spent eating these delicious evening snacks, that I always wanted to visit his hometown just to taste these snacks that he keeps talking about. 

Amma used to make Mirapakaya Bajji with those special chillis that are not spicy, but only after marriage I was introduced to these bajjis that are made with the regular green chilies. Now I came to know later that in Ananthapur, you get a variety that is not spicy at all. I have tasted it and was wonder-struck that a chilli can look so green, yet wasn't hot! But it is true. Still even there you got to search for it and get it right, else you end up with a hot spicy chili. 

But guess what the kids who grew up there can easily eat a spicy stuffed chilli without battering an eyelid. I have seen my nieces and nephew doing just that and even I won't venture. So when Athamma makes it for me, she makes sure she sautes it and makes it less spicy. 

Last week when I was discussing with hubby dear on his childhood food that he might want to eat again, he was telling me about all these different snacks that gets done on the road side eatery shops and I could sense and see a twinkle in his eyes, he was transported to days bygone, and with a sign ended saying those were the best time.

I have already posted on how Athamma makes the Mirapakaya Bajji and yes I have also captured a Video with Athamma making the Mirapakaya Bajji knowing very well that this is something you ought to see to get it right, let me tell you even after seeing it's hard to get it done the right way. So I choose the easy way out and request Athamma to make this always. 

My kids love Uggani, which again is a specialty dish from Hubby dear's hometown. Imagine my joy knowing that I get to eat such delicious dishes on regular basis. Though I have learnt to make the perfect Uggani, getting the chili right is not yet done. These posts are the ones I posted during the initial period, I am yet to get back to updating the pictures. But I guess you will enjoy reading on them.

I made Uggani for dinner last night and kids loved. I wanted to make sure get the Masala Mirchi Bajji done too. When hubby dear walked in home, he was happy being greeted by an aroma that was tantalizing. With hurriedly clicking pictures of the finished snacks, we enjoyed! Agreed it was spicy though he didn't show any reaction.

Step by Step pictures for making Masala Michi Bajji.

Select tender long chillies, remove the seeds, stuff with roasted cumin powder

Another stuffing is with roasted fried gram, chili powder, salt and garlic.

Chillis stuffed with different masala.

Heat the oil, when it is hot fry the stuffed Bajji dipped in Besan.

 Remove once the bajji is cooked on both sides. Using a sharp knife cut in middle

Stuff it with finely chopped onions, coriander leaves.

Top it with spice powder that is made with fried gram flour, Red chili powder garlic and salt.

Mirapakaya Bajji is made as the same way as I have posted. Check out the Mirapakaya Bajji Video

This is served with Uggani.

Konda normally loves to eat these spicy Chili bajji, by eating just the outer layer of Besan. It will still spicy stuff.

Note: These are regularly made with chillies that are sauteed ones for the kids, which are not very spicy. But kids growing up in Anantapur eat this as they are used to it.

Sending this to Kid's Delight,- hosted this month by Champa themed on Restaurant Recreations.
I hope she accepts this!

Check out the 11 bloggers doing the Marathon along with me..

30 Minutes Meals: Gayathri Anand
Baked Goods: Monika,
For On Going Events: Gayathri Kumar, Usha
Kids Friendly: PJ, Savitha, Smitha, Veena Aravind
Rice Varieties: Champa, Divya, Padma,