Stuffed Lonkar Pakoda

Ingredients 

• 12-16 green chillies (Bhavnagri)
• 1 cup split Bengal gram (chana dal) soaked for 1 hour and drained
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• ½ teaspoon asafoetida
• 1-2 green chillies, finely chopped
• ½ inch ginger, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic, chopped
• ½ tablespoon sugar
• Salt to taste 
• 2 tablespoons mustard oil
• Oil for deep-frying 
• Tomato ketchup, to serve 
• Green chutney, to serve 

Batter

• 1½ cups gram flour (besan)
• Salt to taste 
• ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin powder

Method

1. Slit the green chilli on one side without cutting through and discard the seeds.
2. Put the Bengal gram in a blender jar, add cumin seeds, coriander seeds, asafoetida, green chillies, ginger, garlic, sugar, salt and a little water and blend into a coarse paste.
3. Heat mustard oil in a non-stick pan till it begins to smoke. Add the ground gram paste, mix and sauté, stirring continuously, till the moisture evaporates and the mixture begins to leave the side of the pan and forms one mass.
4. Transfer the mixture onto a plate and let it cool down to room temperature.
5. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai.
6. Take Fine Besan in a large bowl, add salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder and sufficient water and whisk till you get a smooth batter of coating consistency.
7. Stuff each chilli with some stuffing and keep them on a plate. Dip each chilli into the gram flour batter till well coated and slide them into the hot oil. Deep-fry till golden and crisp. Drain on absorbent paper.
8. Arrange them on a serving plate and serve hot with tomato ketchup and green chutney.