Stuffed Bell Peppers / Vegetarian Starter Recipe

Whenever I visit a wet market , I cannot resist myself from picking up the vibrantly colored fruits and veggies. It is said that there are healing powers in colors in everything we do in life and the colors we choose in our food is no exception . Adding colors to our palate is the best way to brighten up our mood .

 Including colored Bell Peppers / Capsicum in our meals is one of the easy ways to add both color and nutrition. Capsicum Peppers are rich sources of antioxidants , vitamin A and C. They are a significant source of iron , vitamin B6 and protein. These 30 to 40 calorie treats also contain dietary fiber, which promotes feelings of satiety on fewer calories. Bell Peppers are rich in lycopene, an antioxidant believed to lower the risk of certain cancers, such as prostate, bladder, cervical and pancreatic.
source:http://www.livestrong.com/article/531245-what-color-pepper-is-the-healthiest/

Stuffed Bell Peppers are a colorful and healthy meal .They can either be served as a starter or as a side dish with chapati and steamed rice. One can add countless variations to this dish. Small whole Bell Peppers can be stuffed and cooked on stove top or baked.  Here I have made thick slices of the Capsicum and then stuffed them using Paneer ( Cottage Cheese)  and boiled Potatoes and then cooked on stove top. You may also stuff them using Cheese and Potatoes . Making thick slice of Capsicum make the dish more appealing and also cooks fast.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium Green Bell Pepper
• 1 medium Yellow Bell Pepper
• 1 medium Red Bell Pepper
• 1 large Onion finely chopped
• 2 cloves of Garlic finely chopped
• 4 medium size Potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed.
• 1/4 cup of crumbled Paneer ( Cottage Cheese) I have used home made.
• 2 tbsp Cornflour
• 1/2 tsp red Chili flakes
• 2 tbsp Oil / Butter
• Salt to taste
• Pinch of Sugar
• Fresh Mint leaves 

Method:

1.  In a bowl mash the boiled and peeled Potatoes. Grate or crumble the Cottage Cheese.

 

     

     2.  Rinse the Bell Peppers and cut thick slices , discarding the seeds and membrane. 

   3.  In a pan heat up 1 tsp oil and add finely chopped Garlic. Stir until the raw smell goes, now add the chopped Onions. Sprinkle Salt and a pinch of Sugar on the Onions and stir until the Onions get caramelized. Put off the flame.

  4. Add this caramelized Onions to the bowl of mashed Potatoes. Add the crumbled Paneer, Cornflour, Salt and Chili flakes and mix well.

   5.  Add some chopped fresh Mint leaves or Coriander leaves and stuff the Capsicum rings with this stuffing. 

  6. Heat a non stick Tava or skillet , add little oil and cook the stuffed Capsicum from both the sides on low to medium flame. Alternatively you can grill them also. 

 7.  Garnish the stuffed Bell Peppers with Mint leaves and grated Paneer or Cheese. Serve hot and enjoy the colorful dish !

   If  you are looking for more dishes using colored Bell Peppers check out my Baby Corn Pepper Fry, Baked Veggie Florets and Paneer Tikka .