Thursday, April 1, 2010

Stuffed Bell peppers



There are few days that we have a one dish filling meal for dinner. I get innovative with stuffing peppers. I had watched my sister stuffing green capsicums with vegetables and saute’ them in a non-stick pan. Her husband used to prepare the peppers, carefully without tearing them and with not a single seed left within. Then she would fill the prepared stuffing and tie the top of the pepper in place before cooking it. I used to think it was too much work. Later, I knew that my husband loved these stuffed peppers and started cooking them at home. One thing led to another and I was making different fillings. Sometimes with fried rice, other times with sprouts and so on. This recipe is with paruppu usli filled in the peppers. Needless to say, that was our dinner one night when I had baked some barley buns, that weren’t great.

On to the recipe,
Ingredients:
3 medium coloured bell peppers
1 teaspoon oil to brush on the surface
For the filling:
¼ cup thuvar dhal
2 teaspoons urad dhal
2 table spoons channa dhal
A fist full of finely chopped beans/cabbage
1 dry red chilli
1 green chilli
1’’ piece of ginger
2 teaspoons oil
Salt to taste.
Wash and pat dry the bell peppers. With a sharp knife, slit an opening on the top.
Insert the knife and gently scoop out the seeds from inside.
Keep the peppers turned upside down and prod the seeds out.
Keep them in a bowl of very warm water and allow to come to a boil. Switch the heat off and let the peppers stand in the water for two more minutes.
Remove from the water and let the water drain well.
Wash and soak the dhals together for an hour. Drain and grind to a coarse paste adding the chillis and the ginger.
Remove from blender and add the salt.
Steam this paste for 8 minutes on stove top or in a microwave steamer for 5 minutes.
Remove, crumble the mass. Microwave the chopped vegetables until soft.
Heat oil in a pan and cook the mass and vegetables until they blend well and are almost dry. There should be enough moisture to hold the mass in your fist to a shape.
Spoon this filling into the prepared bell peppers. Brush some oil on the surface of the peppers.
Place the peppers in a microwave proof bowl. Cover with a lid and cook on 100% power for 4 minutes. Allow to stand for 5 minutes.
Remove from the microwave and cut a cross section and serve hot.
I have not been keeping normal health for the past week. Kindly bear with me for not reading posts. I shall be full on soon, God willing and then my participation and interaction will certainly improve. Till then, please bear with my absence and continue dishing out lovely dishes.

35 comments:

  1. welcome back Lata....No prob. take care of your health.A different yet very healthy filling.Colourful

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  2. Stuffed peppers look so colourful and delectable.Nice innovative stuffing.

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  3. Lovely stuffed peppers. They look great. Nice and colorful.

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  4. wow.. looks really yummy & nice click..

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  5. Take care of your health akka. Get well soon.
    Paruppu usli for a filling is a fabulous idea and the peppers look so colorful and good.

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  6. Stuffed bell peppers look wonderful and inviting ! Sorry to hear that you are not keeping good health, hope you get better soon! Take care...

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  7. Hope you feel better soon. Take care.
    The stuffed peppers look great. Nice way of using up leftovers, too.

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  8. Lataji,

    stuff bell pepper looks good.

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  9. Wow... Yummy! looks so colorful and tasty

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  10. Thanks for sharing this protein packed and healthy stuffed bellpeppers, truly delicious..never stuffed bellpeppers with dals..

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  11. perfectly and temptingly stuffed bell peppers inviting me to grab them.

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  12. thats so innovative..stuffing with fried rice sounds good too..

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  13. Woww. looks beautiful and delicious.. following you

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  14. they look so colourful....nice one..thanks for sharing

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  15. Hope you are getting better..take care...
    This looks fabulous..I love stuffed peppers. Loved your filling :-)

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  16. very colourful and tempting dish.I used to make this dish with Oven..nice way to use the microwave, and I love paruppu usili, so will definitly give it a try.

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  17. Looks wonderful - I make stuffed peppers too - but never with parupusili!! What a nice idea to stuff with something so wholesome and yummy! Looks great!

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  18. Never tasted stuffed bell peppers so far,I palnned once to try with paneer,this sounds healthy to try !

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  19. peppers look so good... Take care of your health

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  20. dish looks great.... and take care of your health...

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  21. stuffed peppers looks delicious!!! That too with parupu-usli, so yummy!!!!

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  22. Bell peppers look gr8 Lataji.. Hope your health is better now.. Take care!

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  23. Hi lata, hope you are doing fine, I still haven't done this stuffing peppers, I always thought about it, but never did it, is it because they are quite expensive, I must try soon, I had some plans for stuffing but this seems to be more interesting!!, Indian flavour,Mmm.., I will definitely try this out!!They look so gorgeous..., lovely clicks.

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  24. Yummy!
    Do visit my blog too..
    Regards
    Aparna Vijay
    http://vegetarian-dishes.blogspot.com

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  25. Lataji , take care and get well soon

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  26. Very good idea of stuffing usili in peppers. Am sure it would have tasted great.

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  27. Hi Lataji,
    First time here and these bell peppers look very lovely....Great to know about your blog.. :)

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  28. complete meal ...lovely colors and bful pics..
    first time here...u have a lovely space...just started blogging..and love to add u in my list..
    ur comments/suggestions r highly appreciated..happy blogging...following u>>>>>>



    sanyuktagour(bayes)
    http://creativesanyukta.blogspot.com/

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  29. never tried this stuffing with bell peppers very innovative..

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Hello,
Welcome and thank you for taking time to drop by.
I appreciate your valuable comments and tips.
I sincerely hope to improve with them.
Hope we shall interact often.
Thanks once again,
Lata Raja.