Mirchi ke tipore (मिर्ची के टिपोरे) are green chillies cut into pieces and fried with dry spices until soft and a little sour. The Govindam Retreat thali writes the name as Mirchi Ke Tapore. They are not a curry and not quite a pickle. On a Rajasthani plate they sit beside the dal baati as a hot, tangy side.
What is mirchi ke tipore?
Mirchi ke tipore is a Rajasthani side dish of chopped green chillies sauteed in oil with spices such as fennel, turmeric and dried mango powder. It is eaten in small amounts with dal, baati and roti. Some homes add besan (gram flour), which coats the chillies and softens the heat.
The name changes from house to house: tipore, tapore and tipre all point to the same dish. Because it is quick to cook and keeps for a few days, it works the way a fresh pickle does on a thali.
How is mirchi ke tipore made at home?
Mirchi ke tipore is made by cutting green chillies into short pieces and frying them in oil with seeds and dry spices. A sour note such as dried mango powder or lemon goes in last, and a besan version adds roasted gram flour at the same time. Cooking takes only a few minutes.
Step | What you do | Why |
|---|---|---|
Cut | Green chillies into short pieces | Even cooking |
Temper | Fennel and other seeds in hot oil | Base flavour |
Fry | Chillies with turmeric and salt until soft | Takes off the raw edge |
Finish | Dried mango powder or lemon, besan if used | Sour taste, softer heat |
Thicker, milder chillies make an easier tipore than thin, fiery ones. Seeds left in add heat. As with any home recipe, amounts change from family to family.
How is besan mirchi ke tipore different?
Besan mirchi ke tipore has roasted gram flour stirred through the fried chillies, so each piece carries a dry, nutty coating. The plain version has no flour and tastes sharper and more sour. Besan also softens the bite, which makes it the easier start for a first-timer.
Both versions are cooked in minutes and both sit on the side of the plate. The besan kind is a little closer to a dry sabzi, and the plain kind closer to a fresh pickle. Gram flour shows up across Rajasthani cooking for the same reason it shows up in gatte: it keeps well and fills you up.
How hot is mirchi ke tipore?
Mirchi ke tipore is hot, but cooking and the sour finish take some of the sting away. How hot it is depends on the chillies used. If you are not used to green chilli, take one piece with a mouthful of dal and baati rather than on its own.
Chaach helps. On the Govindam Retreat thali, Dhungari Hui Chaach and Onion Raita are the cooling items, so keep them close. Our page on dhungar chaach explains the smoked buttermilk that comes with the plate.
Is mirchi ke tipore on the Govindam Retreat thali?
Yes. Mirchi Ke Tapore is one of the 18 items on the Govindam Retreat Rajasthani thali, which costs Rs 700 per person plus 5% GST. It sits with Lehsun Ki Chutney, Raw Mango Pickle and Moong Dal Papad as the sharp sides of the plate.
You can see every item on the Rajasthani thali items list. For the other hot side on the same plate, read about Rajasthani lahsun chutney.
What do you eat mirchi ke tipore with?
Eat mirchi ke tipore with dal and baati, bajra roti or makke ki roti. A piece of chilli between bites of baati and dal lifts a heavy plate. It also goes with kadhi, since the sour curd and the sour chilli work together.
The kadhi on the Govindam thali is Kadi Pakoda, described on our Rajasthani kadhi pakoda page. For the wider set of dishes, see the Rajasthani cuisine guide and Wikipedia's page on Rajasthani cuisine. The chilli itself is described on Wikipedia's chili pepper page.
Where can you try mirchi ke tipore in Jaipur?
Govindam Retreat serves Mirchi Ke Tapore on its Rajasthani thali. The restaurant is at First Floor, above All Rajasthan Shilp Gram Udyog, Rajamal Ka Talab Road, near Govind Dev Ji Temple, Gangori Bazaar, Jaipur 302002. It is open daily from 10 AM to 11 PM. Call +91 9929949258 to book for 10 or more.