Stuffed Menasinkayi (Chilli) Bajjis and Wheat Payasa

Chilli Bajjis

Crisp hot and spicy…the finger licking attributes of a Menasinkayi Bajji. This Kannada word translates to chilli/pepper fritters. Cubanelle peppers are dipped in a thick batter and deep fried. Cubanelle Peppers are large sweet peppers and are not very spicy. In India they are small and spicy. When they are stuffed they taste even better.

You will need:

8-10 Cubanelle Peppers (Bajji Menasinkayi)

1 ½ cups Besan Flour

3 tbsps Rice flour

2 tsps Red chilli powder

Salt to taste

Oil for frying

For stuffing:

4 tbsps Fresh grated coconut

1 ½ tsps Cumin powder

¼ tsp Salt

Slit peppers all way down on one side in the centre to make an opening. Remove seeds or leave them in if you want it spicy. Mix the coconut, cumin powder and salt. Fill each pepper with a little bit of this mixture. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a large deep pan. Mix besan flour, rice flour, chilli powder and salt with water to make a thick lumpless batter. Add a little of the hot oil to the batter. This helps make the bajjis crisp. Rice flour also serves the same purpose, so you can avoid adding Cooking soda(usually added to make bajjis crisp) which makes bajjis absorb a lot of oil while frying.

Dip each pepper in the batter to coat completely and drop slowly in the hot oil. Fry on both sides till its golden brown. Don’t overheat the oil, this will make the outside brown very quickly and prevent insides from cooking. Drain excess oil on paper towels. Serve hot.

Wheat Payasa

½ cup Cracked wheat

¾ cup Powdered Jaggery

1 ½ cups Water

1 tsp Cardamom powder

2 tbsps Ghee

1 tbsp Cashewnuts (split)

1 tbsp Raisins

Heat ghee in a pressure cooker. Fry the cashews and raisins for a few minutes. Add the cracked wheat and fry for a minute or two. Add the measured water and jaggery, close lid. When steam begins to rise, place weight and cook on low for 8 minutes. When done, mix well, stir in cardamom powder and serve.