Stuffed Mirch - Andhra Style!!

The only thing which strikes my mind when I see these plumpy green chillies/peppers is the most famous 'Mirchi Bajji(Green chilli fritters)' and it is one of my favorite tea time snack especially in rainy season.I know most of you agree with me and would have already imagined yourselves with a hot mirchi bajji platter and a cup of tea on rainy evening...hmm...It is really such a bliss na!!!
I always love to buy these long green chillies when ever I see them but I don't make mirch bajjis often as I am scared of eating those high calorie deep fried food.I kept a rule for myself to limit deep frying stuff once a month(and there are exceptions sometimes of course..haha) and hence I always look out for the recipes to use those green chillies.I always end up making mirchi bajji or mirch ka salan or aloo stuffed mirch with those plumpy chillies.
When I tasted this stuffed mirch with peanuts and besan for the first time which was made by my M-I-L,I just loved it very much but I was scared to attempt it as she had liberally used oil for shallow frying it to reduce the spiciness of chillies.I have found a new way to make this with less oil yet very tasty and less spicy.Blanching the chillies helps in reducing the spiciness as well as it consumes less oil and time while shallow frying it.We all know besan and ajwain definitely complements these peppers(as they are the key ingredients used in making mirchi bajji),the addition of groundnuts made a whole difference in taste to these peppers giving a typical Andhra touch and they taste best with hot steaming rice.Take my words and try this and I am sure you will not be disappointed.

In the pics you can see that they are over fried with some burnt marks,its all because of my blunder.I was just reheating them for my photographs and I forgot to reduce the flame while I was arranging the set up and the result is this....you all can see it here,but I still say that they were very good in terms of taste and dont go by their looks.
Ingredients:
12-15 long thick light green chillies/poblano peppers(bajji variety with less spice)
1/2 cup groundnuts,roasted and skinned
1/2 cup besan(chickpeas flour)
1 big onion, chopped
1 tsp ajwain/carom seeds
1/2 tsp red chili powder(optional)
2 tsp cumin seeds/jeera
salt to taste
2-3 tbsp oil(I used 2tsp oil)
Method:

• Wash and slit the green chillies and remove the veins and seeds of it.
• Bring water to a boil with some salt and add the green chillies and blanch for a minute and drain them.I really can't judge the spiciness of chillies even though they are light green in variety,some times they turn out very spicy for me.So I do blanch my green chillies to reduce the heat from chillies,if you like spicy food you can avoid this step.This process not only reduces the heat it also helps in consuming less oil while shallow frying.
• Dry roast besan until the raw smell goes away and gives its aroma and cool it completely.
  
• Heat a tsp of oil in a non-stick pan and add onions and slightly saute it for about a minute and remove them aside,no need to fry it completely.You can even avoid this step but I recommend this.
  
• In a mixer grind groundnuts with jeera, ajwain and salt to a coarse powder in whipper mode.Add onions and pulse it again,it should be slight wet mixture.Add roasted besan and red chili powder(if you are using)to it and mix well.
  
• Fill the chillies with this mixture tightly,it really takes lot of stuffing inside.Wet your hands and press on top of the stuffed mixture,you can even sprinkle few drops of oil on the top of the stuffing in the mirch.This helps in holding the mixture tight without spilling it when frying/roasting it.
• Heat the oil in a tawa and place these stuffed chillies with the stuffing facing down(always shallow fry the stuffed side first).Let it roast on low flame until it is fried,it takes 6-8 mins approximately,close it with lid while roasting.Now turn and roast on the other side for 3-4 mins.You can even deep fry them if you want,but make sure you press the mixture tight in the mirch so that it does not splutter in oil.

Serve it hot/warm with hot rice and ghee or roti as side dish.You can even serve it as a snack.