Stuffed Capsicum Pakoda or Pakora Recipe | Spicy Potato Stuffed Bell Pepper Fritter

Learn how to make Stuffed Capsicum/Bell Pepper Pakoda or Pakora ~ Deep fried bell pepper rings stuffed with spiced potato mash and coated with spicy gram flour paste

Diwali was a very quiet affair at our home with just three of us spending time with one another. With the sudden drop in temperature from two digits to single digits on the lower side, Lil Dumpling caught a flu bug and he was seen coughing and sneezing for most part of the day. So we skipped the traditional oil bath and gorging on home cooked festival foods and found comfort in a bowl of spicy Rasam rice and soups.

Stuffed Capsicum Pakoda or Pakora Recipe ~ Spicy Potato Stuffed Bell Pepper Fritter

But this weekend is going to be quite different story as we will be hosting a small Diwali party for few dear friends. And what more, at last Lil Dumpling has recovered completely from nasty flu and cold and is quite keen to burn few sparklers with his best friend. I have at last planned the complete menu for the party and finished shopping for all the ingredients needed to cook in a bulk quantity.

Stuffed Capsicum Pakoda or Pakora Recipe ~ Spicy Potato Stuffed Bell Pepper Fritter

With so many things taking too much of my time and mind, I am finding difficult to fill up this space with my usual rants and rambles. So this is going to be one of those very rare quick posts with a recipe and loads of photographs! Today I am sharing with you a snack or starter recipe and is quite a crowd pleaser. It is Spiced Potato Stuffed Capsicum/Bell Pepper Pakoda or Pakora recipe.

Stuffed Capsicum/Bell Pepper Pakoda or Pakora served with assorted chutneys

This recipe has been sitting in my draft for more than 4 months now. I made this Stuffed Capsicum/Bell Pepper Pakoda or Pakora for Lil Dumpling’s birthday party in summer and it was such a huge hit with everyone at the party. Instead of making simple Capsicum/Bell Pepper Pakoda by dipping the pieces in spiced gram flour batter and deep frying, I stuffed them with spiced mashed potato. It does take little longer to prepare and cook when compared to the ordinary Pakodas but it is so worth every effort.

Stuffed Capsicum Pakoda or Pakora ~ Sinfully delicious!

The process of making these Stuffed Capsicum/Bell Pepper Pakoda or Pakora is quite simple and straightforward. First you cut the bell peppers into 1 inch thick rounds and then stuff every ring with spiced cooked and mashed potatoes. You coat the individual stuffed bell pepper rings in a spicy gram flour batter and then deep fry them to golden brown perfection. Since kids love anything that has potato as well as anything that is deep fried, they simply love these Stuffed Capsicum/Bell Pepper Pakodas. With winter looming just around the corner, these Spicy Stuffed Capsicum/Bell Pepper Pakora make a wonderful snack to indulge in.

You can serve them on their own as a starters or finger foods along with any chutney or tomato ketchup and see them vanish from the tray in no time! There is another way to serve these Spicy Stuffed Capsicum/Bell Pepper Pakoda and that is by topping them with finely chopped onions, tomato and coriander leaves topped with a generous pinch of red chilli powder and a drizzle of fresh lime juice! ‘Yum’ is the only word that comes to my mind when I think of these deep fried sins! :)

Ingredients for spiced potato mash stuffing

Ingredients for spicy gram flour batter

Spiced potato mash ready for stuffing

Spicy gram flour batter for coating

Stuffed Capsicum/Bell Pepper Pakodas ~ Before deep frying

Stuffed Capsicum/Bell Pepper Pakodas ~ After deep frying

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Spicy Stuffed Capsicum/Bell Pepper Pakoda or Pakora (Deep fried bell pepper rings stuffed with spiced potato mash and coated with spicy gram flour paste)
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 20-30 mins
Spice Level: Medium
Recipe Level: Easy/Begginer
Makes: Around 12
Shelf Life: Best served fresh but can be refrigerated for 2-3 days
Serving Suggestion: As tea time snack or as a starter/finger food/appetiserwith assorted chutney and sauces

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Ingredients:
3 Medium Capsicum/Bell Peppers
Oil for deep frying

For the Gram Flour Paste:
¾ - 1 cup Gram Flour, sifted to remove lumps
2 tbsp Rice Flour
½ tsp Ajwain/Carom Seeds
½ tsp Jeera/Cumin Seeds
½ tsp Saunf/Fennel Seeds (Optional)
½ - ¾ tsp Red Chilli Powder (Adjust as per taste)
A generous pinch of Hing/Asafoetida
A pinch of Baking Soda
1-2 tbsp Coriander Leaves, very finely chopped
Salt to taste

For the Spiced Potato Mash:
2 medium Potatoes, cooked, peeled and mashed
1-2 Green Chillies, very finely chopped (Adjust as per taste)
½ inch Ginger, peeled and very finely chopped or grated
½ tsp Haldi/Turmeric Powder
½ - ¾ tsp Garam Masala (Adjust as per taste)
½ tsp Amchur/Dry Mango Powder or 1 tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
1 tsp Jeera/Cumin Seeds
2-3 tbsp Coriander Leaves, finely chopped
Salt to taste

Stuffed Capsicum Pakoda or Pakora ~ Spicy Potato Stuffed Bell Pepper Fritter

Method:
Prepare the Spiced Potato Mash:

1. Take mashed potatoes in a bowl and add all the ingredients listed above (finely chopped green chillies, ginger, dry mango powder, turmeric, cumin seeds, garam masala, chopped coriander leaves) along with salt to taste.
2. Mix them well with a help of spoon or fingers so that all the ingredients are evenly mixed.
3. Keep it aside until needed.

Prepare the Gram Flour Paste:

1. Take sifted gram flour in a mixing bowl and to this add rice flour, baking soda, carom seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, red chilli powder, finely chopped coriander leaves and salt to taste. Mix them well with a help of whisk or using fingers.
2. Pour little water at time to make fairly thick paste. This paste is little thicker than the usual pakoda batter. Whisk the paste well to remove any lumps. Keep it aside until needed.

Proceed to make Pakoda:

1. Heat oil in a deep fryer or pan on low to medium flame.
2. Cut the bell pepper on top and discard the seeds and membranes. Proceed to cut the bell peppers into 1½ inch thick rings.
3. Stuff these rings with the spiced mashed potato mixture and arrange them on a plate.
4. Once you have stuffed all the bell pepper rings, dip them in a spicy gram flour paste. Make sure that the pepper rings are coated well with the paste on all the sides.
5. Gently drop them in heated oil and deep fry them in batches of 2-3 pakoras at time until they turn golden brown and crisp.
6. Once cooked, remove the Stuffed Capsicum/Bell Pepper Pakoda using slotted spoon into a bowl lined with kitchen towel to remove excess oil.
7. Serve these delicious Stuffed Capsicum/Bell Pepper Pakodas with any chutney or tomato ketchup for tea time snack and enjoy!

Stuffed Capsicum Pakoda or Pakora ~ Spicy Potato Stuffed Bell Pepper Fritter

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Sia’s Notes:

• Although it tastes best when served fresh, you can refrigerate for 2 days in air tight container. When needed, place them in a baking tray and pop them in an oven heated at 180 deg C for 10-12 minutes, turning once after 6 minutes to crisp both sides.
• To test if the oil is hot enough, drop of gram flour paste into the oil. Ideally it should slowly float to the surface of the oil. If paste ball sinks to the bottom and stays there, then the oil is not hot enough. Similarly, if it quickly floats to the top as well as browns quickly, then the oil is too hot.
• Always deep fry the Pakodas on medium flame so that it cooks evenly from every side. 
• I have used store bought spicy coriander-mint chutney and sweet date-tamarind chutney. You can make it fresh at home by following the recipe here or you can replace them with any chutney or sauce of your choice as a spread.