Bhuni Hari Mirch: Green Chili Fry

Like hot spicy food? Green chili fry (bhuni hari mirch) is just the thing for you. Coated with spices, quickly cooked in mustard oil, green chili fry on the side with an Indian meal will give your taste buds a delightful fiery kick.

You Need:

• Green chilies – 100 grams (about 25 of the Indian variety)
• Besan (gram flour) – 1 teaspoon [buy here]
• Lime juice – 1/2 tablespoon
• Salt – 3/4 teaspoon (adjust to taste)
• Mustard seeds – 1 teaspoon [buy here]
• Nigella seeds – 1/2 teaspoon [buy here]
• Asafoetida powder – a pinch [buy here]
• Mustard oil – 1 tablespoon

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How To Make Green Chili Fry:

Clean and wipe the green chilies absolutely dry.

Make a vertical slit in each chili.

Crush the mustard seeds coarsely.

In a pan, heat a tablespoon of mustard oil to smoking point.

To the hot oil, add asafoetida powder, nigella seeds and coarsely crushed mustard seeds. Set the heat to low, and let the seeds splutter for a few seconds.

Toss the green chilies in salt, and add them to the hot spiced oil. Move the chilies around so that they are coated evenly in the oil.

Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes, tossing the chilies every other minute.

Uncover the pan, scatter besan over the chilies. Stir and cook till the besan has soaked up the oil and browned.

Add lime juice, stir again and turn off the heat. When the green chili fry cools to room temperature, transfer to a clean, dry, non-reactive container.

Let bhuni hari mirch sit for at least a few hours before serving.

Bhuni hari mirch stays good for 2-3 days at room temperature, longer if refrigerated.

Notes:

You might want to deseed the green chilies before cooking, to lessen the heat. Wear gloves when handling hot chilies!

Here are a few more hot sides for you to try: tomato pickle in mustard oil and vinegar, jhatpat achari gajar, green chili pickle.