Bharwan Mirchi Recipe

What is Bharwan Mirchi?

So “Bharwan Mirchi” literally means stuffed peppers. Now, stuffed peppers are a dish that’s popular worldwide and can be made in several ways. But what I like most about this recipe is that it’s –

• Healthy and nutritional
• Made with panrty staples
• Comes together in 30 minutes
• Keeps well in the fridge; therefore, it can be made ahead of time
• Can be doubled to suit your preferences, and
• This recipe makes a decent amount that you can easily pack for lunch the next day.

So let’s head out, buy some peppers, and start stuffing!

Ingredient list for Bharwan Mirchi recipe

The ingredients to make my favorite bharwa besan mirch sabzi is probably sitting in your pantry. This part explains the role of each element in this recipe. For the FULL, printable recipe card, please scroll down to the bottom of this post.

» Big Green Chilies — I have used light green sweet peppers for the bharwan Mirchi recipe. These peppers are called Cubanelles and are considered sweet pepper. But you can use any colored long peppers that are sweet tasting for this recipe. 

» Chickpea flour — Since these Bharwan Mirchi’s are gluten-free, I have used chickpea flour as my stuffing. But there are a couple of choices that you can choose from – you can stuff bharwan Mirchi with boiled, mashed potatoes (also known as bhareli Mirchi), or rice for a change. Either one of them will work well. 

» Spices and seasonings — Aromatic spices like amchur Powder (mango powder), coriander powder, fennel seeds powder, degi mirch or red chili powder, a pinch of hing (asafoetida), Rai (mustard seeds), Haldi (turmeric powder), garam masala powder, cumin powder, and salt gives a hot and spicy flavor to this recipe. 

» Oil — to cook chilies.

How to make Bharwan Mirchi Recipe

This section walks you through a detailed step-by-step recipe with pictures. For the FULL, printable recipe card, please scroll down to the bottom of this post.

» Prepare the peppers — Rinse and pat dry the peppers. Using a sharp knife, cut down along one of the sides of the Mirchi. Open the Mirchi slightly, and make room for the stuffing by carefully removing the seeds and membranes from the insides of the peppers. Sprinkle the inner part of the peppers with salt and set them aside. 

PROTIP — Be careful while making a slit; we have to make a slit on one side; the other side should remain intact.

» Make the Filling — To prepare the filling, add mustard to an oil-smeared pan, and as they start to crackle, add chickpea flour, along with degi mirch and haldi. Cook for about 10-15 minutes over medium heat until the chickpea flour starts to emit a pleasant, nutty aroma and turns into a deep golden color. Take the mixture off the flame and stir in the rest of the spices. Mix until thoroughly combined. Do the taste test and set aside the mixture to cool completely.

PROTIP — Adjust the spice level to your liking.

» Stuff the Peppers — Once the mixture is comfortable enough to touch, add 1-3 teaspoons of water to the mix and knead it well. Now tightly stuff each Mirchi with the stuffing. 

PROTIP — Yogurt can be used as a substitute for water.

» Cook the peppers — Add oil to a cast-iron pan. Arrange the mirchis (with the skin side on top) in a single layer in the pan. Cover the pan with a lid and cook the peppers for 8-10 minutes. Turn the bharwan Mirchi around in the pan at the halfway point, and then continue cooking (with the stuffing side down) until the pepper’s skin is soft and cooked. Uncover the pan, and continue cooking the mirchis until the bharwan Mirchi is golden and crispy. Take it off the heat and serve.

PROTIP — To check if bharwa besan mirch sabzi is cooked, insert a fork in the pepper, and if the fork goes through easily, your Bharwa Mirch is cooked. 

Frequently asked question

Why add water to the bharwan mirchi mixture?

The chickpea and spice stuffing after it is cooked is crumbly and will fall off during cooking. So to keep the filling intact in the peppers, a little moisture is added to hold its shape. After adding water, the chickpea mixture should form a softball. This stuffing mixture can go from a softball phase to a paste-like texture in a few drops. Therefore, be careful and add water slowly. 

Which pan is good to cook bharwan mirchi?

A cast-iron pan is the best. Bharwan Mirchi turns out becomes golden and turns out much crispier in a cast-iron pan. 

Why cover the pan while cooking Bharwan Mirchi?

By covering the bharwan Mirchi’s tightly with a lid will ensure evenly cooking. The moisture in the peppers will evaporate into steam but still stay in the pan and help the peppers cook thoroughly. This way, the mirchis will have a delicate texture, and the chickpea filling will retain its moisture.

Why season the green peppers after deseeding them?

As kids, we used to eat the stuffing and discard the pepper skin because it tasted bland. So my mom started to sprinkle the inside of the peppers with salt before stuffing them. It makes a huge difference!

Can I cut the peppers in half?

Absolutely! If your mirchis are big, you can cut them in half or quarters to suit your preferences.

Can I cook the Bharwan Mirchi recipe in an airfryer?

Of course, you can! The same recipe can be baked in an airfryer @300°F for 10-12 minutes until they are golden, turning them halfway during the cooking time.

Can Bharwan Mirchi be made ahead?

Yes! There are two ways you can make this recipe. 

1. Partial Prep – The stuffing can be prepared two days in advance (do not add water). Cool and store in an airtight container. When ready to assemble-

• Rinse and pat dry the peppers,
• Make a slit,
• Deseed,
• Add water and knead the stuffing
• Stuff the peppers with the filling, and
• Cook as directed.  

   2. Fully Cooked – Cook the bharwa mirch as stated in the recipe. Allow them to cool, then store them in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in an airtight container. When ready to eat, warm the mirchis in the microwave for 30-seconds to a minute until heated through.

Substitutions & Variations

There are many variations and substitutes possible with the stuffing. Instead of stuffing the bharwan Mirchi with chickpea flour and spices ( as mentioned in this recipe), some other great options are – 

• Pizza -like stuffing made with bell peppers, onions, sauce, and cheese
• Spicy rice filling
• Mozzarella stuffed peppers or
• Roasted chickpeas and quinoa stuffed peppers.