Mirchi Poppers

May was so much fun, a wedding, Maharshtrian Mejwani event, a hotel review, an engagement and finally it ended with Chinmaya Naada Bindu. It was a blissful experience at Chinmaya Naada Bindu. This year the performances of Begum Parween Sultana, Shivkumar Sharma, Malini Rajurkar, Abhishek Raghuram, Jayanthi Kumaresh and Vidha and Abhimanyu Lal's kathak touched us, we left Kolwan promising to go back again next year.

After such a high, June is passing away in a dull. Is it just me or the heat, can't say. I made these Mirchi popper just to bring in some excitement to a simple meal.

The stuffing is simple yet flavourful not all the way like a stuffed vegetable dish in a regular meal. These mirchi poppers are quite the snacky type and can be enjoyed on their own too may be as starters?

Ingredients

8-10 green mild big chilies

1 cup grated fresh coconut

1/2 cup fine chopped cilantro

2 medium onions chopped fine

salt and sugar to taste

Oil to brush on

In a bowl add together the fresh grated coconut, cilantro, salt and sugar and crush with hand the chopped onion in and mix. Keep aside.

Meanwhile wash and clean the chilies, slit them and remove the seeds to reduce the heat. Sometimes the seeds near the calyx can be really hot.

Stuff the split chilies with the mix and line them in a baking dish. Brush oil on the chilies and bake them for 30 mins at 250 deg celcius or till they are golden tinged. 

The chilies are still crunchy and juicy with the coconut and onion mix at 30 mins baking. The way we like it here. If you like totally wilted ones then bake further for 15 mins.

Serve as a side with rice and curry or as a starter on a crusty bread.