I could not add this review on “General advice on cooking” as I already have one review posted there. I wanted to start as new link through mouthpad but problem is it is taking too much

time in doing so. I have already written 2 reviews thru mouthpad and still they have not been posted. I think they have lot of backlog in putting things. So I am putting this in this category and will request it to change under different topic later”

I personally have weakness for Paneer (aka Indian Cheese, Indian Tofu) and I always carry out lot of experiments in cooking using that. I am going to share one of my favorite Paneer recipe with you all and many more to follow after this. So if you don’t like it let me know so that I know when to stop giving out my recipes.

This recipe is about “STUFFED MIRCHI PAKODAS”. Just name makes me feel hungry and I am planning to make this again soon. For making pakodas, I suggest to use Big green Mirchis (aka big green peppers. For more detail about various type of michis, you can visit: http://www.geocities.com/NapaValley/1819/varietyA.htm) but one can use whichever type of mirchis one likes.

I have divided the recipe into various stages instead of normal procedure of showing Ingredients, cooking procedure and serving style (Eeeeee how boring). The reason for this: I want the person who is making it first to understand the recipe, memorize it and then cook it instead of just following the procedure. Personal experience suggest just blindly following the procedure does not make the dish taste good. What makes it good is common sense in cooking. So recipe goes likes this:

Stage 1:

This stage involves basis preparation to make stuffed pakodas with paneer and potatoes. Boil one big potatoe. Once cooked, remove its skin and mesh it throughly. Its easy to do that when hot. Let it cool down for 30 minutes. To this add one cup of freshly prepared soft paneer. Mix those two together and keep it aside.

Stage 2:

This stage deals with making the stuffing ready for filling the Mirchis. In a nonstick pan, add 2 tablespoon of oil and warm it at medium high flame for 2 minutes. When oil is hot, add a pinch of haldi (turmeric), one tea spoon of jeera (cumin seeds), one teaspoon of rye (mustard seeds). Now add the mixture of paneer and potatoes and mix well. Add salt (personally I add salt less than normally required as paneer wont taste good with more salt) and one tea spoon of sugar. Cook on medium flame for 3 minutes making sure panner does not stick to the nonstick pan. Remove it from the flame and keep the mixture to cool down. Stuffing is ready for filling.

Stage 3:

This stage involves filling up the mirchis with stuffing. Wash the 8-10 big mirchis with luke warm water. Put side cut on the mirch and remove all the seeds with the help of small knife. Fill the stuffing inside the mirchis with the help of spoon with frequent pressing, so that mirchis are fully filled and loaded with the stuffing. Remove excess stuffing and wipe clean the surface of the mirchis. Now with sharp fork, make small small groves on the surface of the mirchies, making sure that groves does not tear the skin of the mirchis. Mirchis are ready for deep frying.

Stage 4:

Take 2.5 cups of besan (aka chic peas flour). To it add one tea spoon of oil, salt to taste, 2 pinch of garam masala, half pinch of baking soda, half tea spoon of red chilli powder (optional). Add little water and mix well. Then add water to a consistency just like cake mix or cookie mixes. Dough is ready for dipping.

Stage 5:

Put the deep frying pan on the medium high flame. Make sure pan is filled with oil required for deep frying. Let the oil be on the stove for 15 minutes (if too hot, pakodas will be uncooked inside, less hot, seperation of dough and mirchis will occur). Now dip the mirchis in the dough, making sure that mirchis are totally covered with the dough. At a time add one or two mirchis in the hot oil and let it cook till its golden brown. Make sure you turn the mirchis freqently and also be careful that it does not stick at the bottom of the pan. Remove the mirchies and put it on paper towel which will absorb extra oil.

Stage 6:
Serve hot with green chilies phudina (mint) chutney and sweet tangy tamarind chutney. It goes well with tea and can be part of dinner or lunch depending when prepared.

Hope you guys will enjoy this. BON APPETITE.

-Rahul