Stuffed Chilies

Bhatti Ki Bhavnagri Mirch

THESE DELICATE STUFFED CHILIES are a famous Maharashtrian dish, traditionally made with Bhavnagri chilies. Lightly fried, then stuffed with a mixture of soft, spiced yellow lentils, they make a wonderful appetizer.

Banana, Poblano or Large Jalapeno Chilies 6

Canola Oil for frying

Yellow Moong Dal

1/3 cup

Asafoetida ¼ tsp

Cumin Seeds 1/2 tsp

Ghee ¼ cup

Red Chili Powder 2 tsp

Chaat Masala 1 tsp

Cilantro chopped, 1 Tbs

Poppadom 2, toasted, crushed well

Ricotta 2 Tbs

Yogurt 1/2 cup

Lemon Juice 1 Tbs

Ginger mashed to a paste, 1/2 tsp

Garlic

1 clove, minced

Fenugreek Powder

1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

1 SLICE the chilies lengthwise and de-seed. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add a thin layer of canola oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Add chilies and fry for 15 seconds, just to slightly soften (this stage is very important, chilies should be a little soft but still firm enough for stuffing).

2 COVER the dal with cold water and let soak for 15 minutes then bring to a boil for another 15 minutes. Stain and set aside.

3 HEAT a skillet over medium-high heat and add the ghee, cumin seeds and asafetida. Sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then add drained lentils and sauté until any excess water evaporates and they start to become dry. Add chili powder, chaat masala and chopped cilantro. Carefully mix in the crushed poppadoms and ricotta, and stuff each fried chili half with the mixture.

4 MIX together the yogurt, lemon juice, ginger paste, garlic and fenugreek. Season. Drizzle over the stuffed chilies. Add the chilies to a hot grill or bake in a 350°F oven until hot, about 10–15 minutes.

5 SERVE with Dahi Lahsun Ki Chatni (see below).