Mirchi Pakora

SAVORY

Dec 18

Chickpea Batter-Fried Chile, Chanterelles, Amul Cheese, Tamarind-Date Chutney, Spicy Mayonnaise, and Shoestring Potatoes

Chef Eric Valdez of Dhamaka | New York
Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

Spicy Mayonnaise:
1 quart dried chile
4 cloves garlic, peeled
300 milliliters white vinegar
Salt
Sugar
2 egg yolks
250 milliliters canola oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Tamarind-Date Chutney:
Canola oil
100 grams chopped ginger
200 grams sugar
3 tablespoons red chile powder
5 tablespoons garam masala
1 tablespoon turmeric
200 grams pitted dates
500 grams tamarind pulp (unsweetened and seedless)

Mushroom Stuffing:
3 tablespoons canola oil
100 grams finely chopped onion
50 grams ginger-garlic paste
2 green chiles, chopped
2 tablespoons garam masala
2 tablespoons red chile powder
1 tablespoon turmeric
300 grams finely chopped chanterelles
50 grams finely chopped cilantro
Salt
200 grams diced Amul cheese

Chickpea Batter:
300 grams chickpea flour
300 grams rice flour
1 tablespoon red chile powder
1 tablespoon turmeric
20 grams chopped cilantro
Salt

Crispy Shoestring Potatoes:
1 russet potato, peeled and washed
Canola oil for frying
Salt

To Assemble and Serve:
4 peppers (preferably Anaheim, but any sweet or mild peppers will do)

METHOD:

For the Spicy Mayonnaise:
In a nonreactive container, mix chiles, garlic, white vinegar, and 300 milliliters water, making sure chiles are submerged in liquid. Let ferment at least 3 days. The longer you ferment, the more intense the flavor. Transfer fermented chile and liquid to a Vitamix blender and blend until smooth. Season with salt and sugar.

In a food processor, add yolks and spin on medium. Slowly pour in oil, then add lemon and 2 tablespoons water and season with salt. Add fermented hot sauce to taste.

For the Tamarind-Date Chutney:
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium flame. Sauté ginger until it turns brown. Add sugar, chile, garam masala, turmeric, and dates. Once spices are cooked, add tamarind and 500 milliliters water and bring to a boil. Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and set aside.

For the Mushroom Stuffing:
In a saucepan over medium heat, add oil, onion, ginger-garlic paste, and green chile. Sauté until onions are soft and translucent. Add spices and chanterelles; cook until dry. Add cilantro and season with salt. Remove from heat and cool. Stir in Amul and set aside.

For the Chickpea Batter:
To a mixing bowl, add all ingredients. Set aside.

For the Crispy Shoestring Potatoes:
In a deep fryer, heat oil to 300F. Using a vegetable spiral cutter, cut potato into shoestrings or julienne cut with a knife. Wash the potato 3 times to remove all excess starch. Deep fry until golden brown and crispy. Season with salt. Set aside.

To Assemble and Serve:
In a deep fryer, heat oil to 350F. Blanche peppers and remove skin. Cut a small incision to remove seeds. Stuff peppers with Mushroom Stuffing and dip in Chickpea Batter. Deep-fry stuffed peppers until golden brown. Remove excess oil with paper towels. On serving plates, drizzle Spicy Mayonnaise and Tamarind-Date Chutney. Top with stuffed pepper and drizzle more Spicy Mayonnaise and Tamarind-Date Chutney. Finish with Crispy Shoestring Potatoes.

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