Capsicum Bajji – Bell Pepper Fritters | Shimla Mirch Bhajji

Capsicum Bajji

Capsicum Bajji (Bell Pepper Fritters) is a very tasty and super easy recipe using ingredients one generally has on hand. Capsicum fritters have been one of my much-loved munchies and continue to be one of my main stays. Serve perfectly fried and beautifully browned capsicum fritters as a side with dal and rice or as tea time snack.

Capsicum Bajji

Fritters are a great way for kids to relish their veggies. They are a breeze to make and kids love to snack on them as finger food.

Crispy and crunchy, you can really taste the delicious flavour and freshness of capsicums in these delectable fritters. Capsicum fritters are one of my favourite recipes and I hope you’ll try these amazing fritters.

What is Capsicum Bajji?

Capsicum Bajji, also called Shimla Mirch Bajji or Bell Pepper Fritters, is a popular Indian snack made by dipping sliced bell peppers (capsicum) in a seasoned gram flour batter and deep-frying them until crispy and golden. This versatile dish can be enjoyed as a tea-time snack, appetizer, or even as a side dish with your main meal.

Health Benefits of Capsicum

While Capsicum Bhajji is a fried snack, bell peppers themselves offer several health benefits:

Enriched with vitamins A and C, which help support immune function and skin health
Good source of antioxidants, including beta-carotene and capsanthin
Contains fiber, promoting digestive health
Low in calories, so they are a nutritious addition to your diet

To make a healthier version of this recipe, you can try baking or air-frying the battered bell peppers instead of deep-frying.

Capsicum Bajji Recipe:

Craving a crispy, spicy snack that’s easy to make and bursting with flavor? Look no further than Capsicum Bhaji, also known as Bell Pepper Fritters or Shimla Mirch Bhajji. This popular Indian street food is a delightful treat that combines the sweetness of bell peppers with a savory, spiced batter.

Crispy and spicy capsicum bajji is an absolutely delish snack. It’s really easy to make Shimla Mirch bajji and you can have it with dal and rice or enjoy it as a delicious snack with your hot chai or coffee. You can make these crisp and light fritters without much of an effort.

To make capsicum fritters, wash the capsicums well and pat dry. Cut into about 8 roundels per capsicum, removing the stem.

Take besan, rice flour, ajwain, salt, chilli powder, baking soda and hing in a bowl and mix all the dry ingredients well.

Add water, a little at a time and make a smooth batter. Add a tablespoon of hot oil and mix vigorously.

Heat oil for deep frying in a wok. Dip the sliced capsicums in the besan batter, coat well and gently drop into hot oil.

Deep fry the capsicum fritters on medium heat until golden brown on both sides.

Remove with a slotted spoon onto a paper napkin.

Serve Andhra Capsicum Bajji with tomato ketchup.

If you are searching for more capsicum dishes, do try out Paneer Capsicum Stir Fry

Capsicum Bajji Variations:

While the classic Capsicum Bhaji is delicious on its own, you can try these variations to mix things up:

Stuffed Capsicum Bajji: Cut the bell peppers into larger pieces and stuff them with a spiced potato filling before battering and frying.
Cheesy Capsicum Fritters: Add grated cheese to the batter for a gooey, cheesy twist.
Mixed Vegetable Bajji: Combine sliced capsicum with other vegetables like onions, potatoes, or eggplant for a colorful medley of fritters.
Spicy Capsicum Bajji: Increase the amount of red chili powder or add finely chopped green chilies to the batter for an extra kick.

Capsicum Bhajji Serving Suggestions:

Capsicum Bajji pairs well with various accompaniments. Try serving it with:

Mint chutney or tamarind chutney
Tomato ketchup
Yogurt dip
Hot cup of chai or coffee
As a side dish with rice and dal

Tips for Perfect Capsicum Bajji

To elevate your Capsicum Bajji game, keep these tips in mind:

Use fresh, crisp capsicum for the best texture and flavor.
Avoid overcrowding the pan when frying, as it can drop the oil’s temperature and make the fritters soggy.
Experiment with different colored bell peppers for a visually appealing dish.

Capsicum Fritters Recipe details below:

Capsicum Bajji Recipe

Bajjis are a popular street food snack. I love munching on bajjis in the evening, especially when it’s raining. You can make bajjis with practically any vegetable - onion, potato, chilli, green plantain, brinjal, etc.

Shimla Mirch slices dredged in chickpea flour batter and deep-fried to a crisp brown is a yummy tea time snack.Once you have them,you will definitely want to make these capsicum fritters again and again.

Course Snack

Cuisine Andhra

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings 4

Calories 137kcal

Author Shil

Ingredients

Capsicum – 2
Oil for deep frying

For Batter:

Gram Flour/Besan – 8tbsp
Rice flour – 2 tbsp
Salt – ½ tsp
Red chilli powder – ¼ tsp
Ajwain – ¼ tsp
Baking soda – 1/8 tsp
Asafoetida – 1/8 tsp
Water – 1/3 cup or slightly more
Oil – 1 tbsp

Instructions

For this capsicum snacks recipe, wash the Shimla mirch and pat dry. Slice them into round pieces, whilst removing the inner core and seeds. You can also cut the bell pepper into vertical pieces.
Take a mixing bowl and add gram flour and rice flour. Mix in salt, chilli powder, ajwain, asafoetida, baking soda and combine well.
Add water and make a smooth dosa-like batter, neither too thick nor too watery.
Add 1 tbsp of hot oil to the batter and mix well.
Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai on medium heat. Once the oil heats up, dip each bell pepper slice in the bajji batter, coat well and gently drop into hot oil. You can fry about 2-3 Shimla Mirch slices per batch.
Once the Shimla Mirch Bajjis turn a crisp golden brown, remove the fried bajjis with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain excess oil.
Serve crisp and crunchy Shimla Mirch Bhajjis with ketchup or chilli sauce!