Stuffed Bell Peppers

The inspiration to create a recipe can come from pretty much anywhere. I consider childhood memories, life experiences, parents as major influences for new recipe ideas. But ever so often a recipe idea can come from a completely off the hook source. For this recipe that source is a coworker who is obsessed with a particular recipe. (LAUGHS!!!). It naturally made me want to make that dish for myself just to find out the reason for her obsession. The end result is this mouthwateringly delicious “STUFFED BELL PEPPERS”.

I do not know what to call it but in all the jobs I have worked so far I have always had a coworker who has shared my love of food. It is at my first job that the idea of me starting a blog began to form in my mind. The reason for that; a coworker who still is a terrific cook and the best baker that I have met so far in life. He started his blog before me. That is why I had a birds eye view of the things needed to start my own blog. Also it didn’t hurt that I was his recipe tester so to speak since he bought a lot of his recipes to the lab (LAUGHS!!!).

In my current job there are no bloggers as such which is why I do not get to eat as much good food as I am used to (SIGHS!!!). But there are a couple of people who are not shy about exploring all that the food world has to offer. So apart from work quiet a few of our conversations tend to revolve around food. It was one of these coworkers who planted the see of this recipe in my mind. She got the stuffed peppers for lunch one time and ended up talking about the recipe for the majority of the time we were eating lunch. She loved the dish so much that she wouldn’t stop talking about it all week.

After hearing all that I have to make it and find out for myself what the fuss is all about. There was no way I was going to copy her recipe so I set my mind on coming up with a filling. Since most of the stuffed pepper recipes are made with rice the word PULAV (spiced rice) popped in my mind. I am going to base my filling on this popular indian food. 

Pulav is basically rice and vegetables which are delicately flavored with a variety of spices. I kept this recipe simple by just going for a simple combination of cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. When working with spices like these always dry roast them individually to bring out the fragrance and essential oils. Let them cool and grind them together to a fine powder. 

Melt the ghee in a wok or any flat-bottom pan, pour the cumin seeds in it and allow them to splutter.  Add the garlic-chili paste and cook till the raw smell vanishes. Then add in the onions and saute till it is golden brown on both sides. Mix in the frozen vegetables and cook for 3-4 more minutes. Sprinkle in all the dry masala powders; cinnamon-cardamom-clove mix, turmeric and garam masala and saute for a minute. Finally add the cooked rice and stir for 4-5 minutes till the spices blend in nicely. Sprinkle a dash of lemon juice. Take the rice mixture off the heat and allow it to cool.  

Cut the tops of the bell peppers and remove the seeds and veins. Stuff the peppers with the above rice mixture and place them in a baking dish. 

Fill the baking dish with a little water and wrap it with aluminum foil. Bake the peppers at 350F for 45 minutes. Optional Step; After 30-35 minutes you can take the foil off. Add a little cheese and continue baking till the cheese melts. Serve hot.

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Stuffed Bell Peppers

Bell Peppers stuffed with delicately flavored spicy rice.. The sweetness of the peppers perfectly balances the spiciness of the rice..

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Ingredients

  

• 4 Bell Peppers
• 1 ½ cups Rice cooked
• 1 cup Vegetables your choice. I used frozen mixed veggies
• 1 Onion chopped
• 1 garlic + 2 chillies crushed into a paste
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 8 Green Cardamoms
• 6 Cloves
• 1 tsp Turmeric
• 1 ½ tsp Garam Masala
• 4 tbsp Lemon Juice
• Cheese optional
• Ghee
• Salt to taste

Instructions

 

Filling

• Dry roast the cinnamon stick, cardamom and cloves individually. Let them cool and grind them together to a fine powder.
• Melt the ghee in a wok or any flat-bottom pan, pour the cumin seeds in it and allow them to splutter.
• Add the garlic-chili paste and cook till the raw smell vanishes. Then add in the onions and saute till it is golden brown on both sides.
• Mix in the frozen vegetables and cook for 3-4 more minutes.
• Sprinkle in all the dry masala powders; cinnamon-cardamom-clove mix, turmeric and garam masala and saute for a minute.
• Finally add the cooked rice and stir for 4-5 minutes till the spices blend in nicely. Sprinkle a dash of lemon juice.
• Take the rice mixture off the heat and allow it to cool.

Assembly

• Cut the tops of the bell peppers and remove the seeds and veins.
• Stuff the peppers with the above rice mixture and place them in a baking dish.
• Fill the baking dish with a little water and wrap it with aluminum foil.
• Bake the peppers at 350F for 45 minutes.
• Optional Step; After 30-35 minutes you can take the foil off and add a little cheese and continue baking till the cheese melts.
• Serve hot.

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