Fried Chile Salsa

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In northern Mexico, the chiles, tomatoes, and onions are grilled before making Salsa Cruda, so why not substitute some fried vegetables? Separately frying the ingredients and flavoring with cilantro keeps this from being a pasta sauce. Serve this with chips or as a topping for grilled meat, poultry, or fish.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup olive oil (or more as needed)

  • 5 mild jalapeños, stems removed (or 2 hot ones)

  • 1 large onion, coarsely chopped

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 6 medium tomatoes, chopped and drained

  • 3 tablespoons minced cilantro

  • ½ teaspoon Mexican oregano

  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar (or more to taste)

Instructions

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil until hot and fry the jalapeños until their skins start to blister and brown. Remove them from the heat and drain on paper towels. While they are cooling, add the onion and garlic to the oil and fry for 1 minute. Remove, drain on paper towels, and place in a bowl. Add the tomatoes to the olive oil and fry for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring well. Remove, drain on paper towels, and add to the onions.

Peel the jalapeños, cut in half lengthwise, and remove the seeds. Chop the jalapeños and add them to the onions and tomatoes. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well. Serve at room temperature.

Peperoncini in Frittura (Batter-Fried Chiles)

Dave DeWitt Leave a Comment

This Italian recipe works with either bell or chile peppers. Interestingly, I’ve had a very similar recipe to this in India. Chickpea flour is substituted for the wheat flour in that recipe–see the recipe for Pakoras, below.

Ingredients

  • 6 New Mexican chiles, roasted, peeled, seeds and stems removed, cut into strips

  • ½ cup olive oil

  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

  • 1 cup flour

  • 1 egg, beaten

  • 1 cup olive oil

Instructions

  • 1 cup olive oil

Arrange the chile strips in a serving dish and baste them with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Let them sit for a time, then drain off the excess oil. Place the flour in a shallow dish and the egg in a shallow bowl. Dredge the strips in the flour and then in beaten egg. Fry them, a few at a time, in the oil in a skillet. Drain on paper towels and serve.

Pakoras Shikarbadi-Style

Dave DeWitt Leave a Comment

‘ I collected this recipe at the Shikarbadi Hunting Lodge outside of Udaipur. You can use any vegetable you like, but I recommend the softer vegetables such as peppers, eggplant, onions, and thinly sliced potatoes.’

Ingredients

gram flour, red chile powder, turmeric, baking powder

Instructions

These are some of the easiest Indian snacks to make. You can use any vegetable you like, but we recommend the softer vegetables such as peppers, eggplant, onions, and thinly sliced potatoes.

2 cups gram (chickpea) flour

1 teaspoon red chile powder

teaspoon salt

teaspoon turmeric

teaspoon baking powder

Water

Peanut oil for frying

Thinly sliced green chiles, onions, eggplant, and potatoes

In a bowl, combine the gram flour, chile powder, salt, turmeric, and baking powder and mix well. Add water and mix well until the batter has a creamy consistency. Heat the oil in a deep pan until water splatters when sprinkled on it.

Dip the vegetables in the batter, drop them in the oil a few at a time, and cook them until they are golden brown.

Serves: 6

Heat Scale: Mild

Poblano Pepper Rings

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

Since poblanos make some of the tastiest chiles rellenos, it makes sense that they fry up deliciously. Why not dip these rings in guacamole?

Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne powder
  • 3 cups vegetable oil
  • 3 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, seeds and stems removed, cut into 1/4-inch rings
  • 1 cup buttermilk

Instructions

Combine the flour, salt, pepper and cayenne and mix well. Transfer the mixture to a plate. Heat the oil in a large pan until it just begins to smoke, then lower the heat slightly. Take the poblano rings 4 at a time, dip them in the flour, shake off any excess, then dip them in the buttermilk and back into the flour. Drop them into the hot oil and fry until lightly browned. Repeat with the rest of the rings and then drain on paper towels. Serve them warm.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Heat Scale: Mild

 

Southern-Fried Banana Peppers

Dave DeWitt Leave a Comment

Banana peppers are a Southern favorite and you can fry them either fresh or pickled. This is a perfect accompaniment to roasted ham or fried chicken. Since banana peppers are mild, use yellow wax hots for spicier fried peppers.

Ingredients

  • 8 pickled banana peppers

  • 1 ½ cups flour

  • 1 ½ cups milk

  • ½ cup crushed saltine crackers

  • 3 cups vegetable oil

    • Instructions

    Split the peppers lengthwise and remove the seeds. Place the milk, flour and crackers in 3 separate bowls. Move ½ cup flour and mix with the crackers. Dip the peppers in the milk bowl and flour bowl and set aside for 10 minutes. Redip peppers in milk bowl and then bread with flour and cracker mixture. Set aside again for 10 minutes. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan and drop the peppers in. Cook until golden brown. Remove, drain on paper towels, and serve warm