Spicy Chillies

OK once more I am posting recipes on green chillies or peppers. These are from authentic Andhra cuisine. I love them. They are very tasty and are eaten with cooked rice and Dal (lentil). The Dal can be Phikki Daal i.e., just boiled with enough water. Salt and turmeric is added. Some like it a bit watery-pouring consistency like in North India. In South it is called Mudda Pappu but it is very thick and turmeric is not added. Or the Dal can be prepared adding leafy vegetables or other vegetables. These spicy chillies go well with these Dals and also with curd rice.

Before I give you the recipes some points to be noted first. The chillies should be green, tender, medium sized but broad and thick skinned. Choose less spicy ones according to your taste. Too much spiciness will not bring out the taste of the ingredients used for filling them. Clean them and wipe them dry. Air them for an hour or two so that the moisture  completely dries off. If not they don't keep beyond a day or two.

1. Vaamu Mirapakayalu

Vaamu means Ajwain (Hindi) or Carom seeds or Bishop"s Weed in English. It is very pungent in taste. But has  excellent medicinal qualities. It is good for digestion, gastro problems, nausea, constipation etc. It improves our appetite. It is very widely used in Indian cuisine.

Ingredients:

Carom seeds     50 gms

oil                    50 gms

Turmeric powder   1/2 tsp

Salt      To taste

Lemons      1

Green chillies  100 gms

Method:

• Grind together, carom seeds, salt and turmeric.
• Piece the green chillies making a slit up to three fourths of its length. Don't slit them completely.
• If you think the chillies are too spicy, remove the seeds. Otherwise not necessary.
• Squeeze out the lemon juice mix with the spicy mixture thoroughly and stuu into the chillies. Place them in a bowl or a bottle-glass or ceramic and pour oil on them.
• See that all the chillies are well coated in oil. Keep aside for 2-3 hours. Then use it.
• Will keep for a week. You can refrigerate them to last for more days.

This is how the chillies should be stuffed.

2 Ava Mirapakayalu

Ava means mustard seeds. We in Andhra Pradesh use black mustard seeds for its pungent taste, in many curries and other dishes. This is powdered and used.

Mustard powder, Salt and turmeric powder

Ingredients:

Mustard seeds Black    50 gms

oil                            50 gms

Turmeric powder       1/2 tsp

Salt                          To taste

Lemons                    1

Green chillies           100 gms

Method:

• It is same as above.