Stuffed Chili Pepper

         A nice way to introduce these lovely colorful chili peppers as appetizers. Do not forget to serve them with some green chutney for a real visual treat. I stuffed them with paneer and few interesting ingredients that I could lay my hands on. So it is a great party recipe and a sure hit. You can make a non-veg. version too, with some chicken / mutton mince. So check the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this exotic delicacy. 

          Two secret ingredients that I added are some powdered hajmola for a bit of a tang in place of chaat masala and powdered makhana, besides other basic ingredients. They turned out very yummy. You can make them healthy by grilling them in the oven to perfection. So enjoy this fusion style Gourmet delicacy.

Ingredients - 

• 10-12 chili peppers
• 2 tbsp. oil 
• green chutney to serve

Stuffing - 

• 2-3 tbsp. fresh grated coconut, dry roasted
• 2 tbsp. roasted peanuts, coarsely ground
• 1 tsp. hajmola, powdered
• 2 tbsp. makhana, powdered
• 2 tbsp. fried onion
• 1/2 tsp. red chili flakes
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. kasuri methi, crushed

Tempering - 

• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. garlic, chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1 tsp. fennel powder 
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 100-150 gms. paneer, mashed

          Make a slit in the center of each chili pepper and deseed them. Keep aside.

          Tempering - Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan. Sauté the garlic and green chilies for a few seconds. 

          Now add all the dry spices and mix well. Add the paneer and sauté for 2 minutes. Switch off the flame and allow it to cool down.

          Stuffing - Mix the sautéed paneer with the rest of the ingredients mentioned under stuffing and keep aside. 

          Stuff the chili peppers with the paneer stuffing. Heat oil in a pan and arrange all the stuffed chili peppers. Sprinkle some salt and cook, covered on a low to medium flame for 2 minutes.

          Gently flip them over and cook the other side too till done. Switch off the flame. 

          Ladle the green chutney on a serving dish and arrange the stuffed Chili Peppers over it. Serve them as appetizers.  

           

                        Make a slit in the centre of each chili pepper & deseed them. Keep aside. 

                        Heat oil & sauté garlic & green chilies for a few seconds. 

                        Add all the dry spices and mix well.

                       Add the paneer & sauté for 2-3 minutes. Switch off the flame & allow it to
                       cool down.

                      Mix the sautéed paneer with rest of the ingredients mentioned under stuffing

                      and keep aside. 

                       Stuff the chili peppers with the paneer stuffing. 

                      Heat oil & arrange all the stuffed chili peppers. Sprinkle some salt & cook, 
                      covered, on a low to med. flame for 2 minutes.

                       Gently flip them over & cook the other side too, till done. 

Ladle the green chutney on a serving dish and arrange the stuffed Chili Peppers on it.

                                Serve them as appetizers.

Pasta Biryani

          This easy and quick one pot meal is yummy and can be made replacing rice with pasta. I have added some veggies like assorted bell peppers, capsicum, green peas and beans. You may add any other veggies of your choice. This is a kid friendly dish and goes best with some raita and fryums / papad. 

          It is an ideal after school snack or a lunch box meal. Adults may relish it as breakfast / brunch or as a lunch box meal too. For a vegetarian version, omit the omelette and you are done with a healthy no-frills meal in no time. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 cup pasta, boiled al dente
• 2 tbsp. ghee
• 2 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick 
• 2 green cardamoms
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds 
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1-2 green chilies, slit 
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1-2 tsp. biryani masala
• 1 cup colored bell peppers and capsicum, sliced 
• 2 tbsp. chopped beans, blanched
• 2 tbsp. frozen green peas
• 2 tbsp. mixed dry fruits, chopped
• 1 egg, well beaten with a pinch of salt and pepper powder
• 1 tsp. oil 
• 1 tbsp. mint & coriander leaves, chopped

          Heat 1 tsp. oil in a pan and make an omelette with the beaten egg. When done, cut into small pieces and keep aside. 

          Heat ghee and temper with cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon and cardamoms. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the onion and sauté till transparent. Add ginger-garlic paste and turmeric powder. Stir fry for few more seconds. 

          Add the veggies and biryani masala. Sauté for 1-2 minutes or till it turns soft. Now add the boiled paste, nuts, green chilies and salt. Mix everything well and stir fry for 2 minutes.

          Switch off the flame and add the coriander-mint leaves and the omelette pieces. Give it a toss and serve with raita and fryums / papad. 

                     Heat ghee & temper with cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon & cardamoms. 
                     Sauté for a few seconds.

                        Add the onion and sauté till transparent. 

                      Add ginger-garlic paste & turmeric powder. Sauté for few more seconds. 

                     Add veggies & biryani masala. Sauté for 1-2 minutes or till it turns soft.

                     Add boiled paste, nuts, green chilies & salt. Mix well & sauté for 2 min.

                        Add coriander-mint leaves & the omelette pieces. Give it a toss.

                                  Serve with raita and fryums / papad. 

Salatet Batata (Potato Salad - Lebanese Style)

          This yummy Lebanese style salad is not only healthy but very easy and simple to dish out. You can serve it as a salad, an appetizer or as a light meal, accompanied with some baked or grilled delicacy. This sumptuous one-pot meal is anytime welcome. So go ahead and give it a try and relish it with your family and loved ones. 

• 1 potato, boiled & cubed
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 capsicum, chopped
• 2 stems of spring onion, chopped
• 2-3 tbsp. mint leaves, chopped
• 2-3 tbsp. parsley, chopped (I added coriander leaves)
• pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. lemon juice

          In a bowl, combine all the above mentioned ingredients. Transfer to a serving dish and serve as an appetizer, snack or as an accompaniment to some barbecue meat.

Roz Abiad Bil Bazela (Rice with Peas & Bell Peppers - Lebanese Style)

          This is an easy and a simple rice preparation in the Lebanese style where rice is cooked with green peas and bell peppers. It is almost similar to Indian style veg. pulao and is relished with any meat or / and barbeque dishes, salad and hummus. So do give it a try next time you are thinking of dishing out pulao or plain biryani by out checking the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 1 cup rice, soaked for 30 minutes
• 1-2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 cup frozen green peas
• 1/2 cup assorted bell peppers, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. pepper powder

           Heat oil and sauté the peas and bell peppers for a minute. Add the rice, salt and pepper. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes.

          Add 1 & 1/2 cups water and pressure cook for 1-2 whistles. (It can be cooked in an open pan too). Serve with any meat or / and barbeque dishes, salad and hummus.

                                Heat oil & sauté peas & bell peppers for a minute. 

                                Add rice, salt & pepper. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes.

                               Add 1 & 1/2 cups water & pressure cook for 1-2 whistles. 

                             Serve with any meat or / and barbeque dishes, salad & hummus.

Kraidsieh (Prawns cooked with Rice & Bell Peppers - Lebanese - Style)

           This is a traditional Lebanese cuisine where the prawns are cooked along with rice and bell peppers to complete the picture. It is a very easy and a simple dish but with full of flavours, especially coming from the saffron. You can also add any other veggies you prefer. It is almost like a one-pot meal and can be served with any meat or barbeque dishes.

• 1 cup rice, soaked for 30 minutes
• 2-3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 8-10 large prawns
• 1 cup assorted bell peppers, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. pepper powder or to taste
• large pinch of saffron

           Heat oil in a pan and sauté the onion till it turns translucent. Add the prawns and continue to stir fry till it changes colour.

          Now add the bell peppers and sauté for a minute. Then add the rice, salt and pepper. Continue to sauté for 1-2 minutes.

          Add 1 & 1/2 cups water and saffron and pressure cook for 1-2 whistles. Fluff it up with a fork and serve with grilled meat and / or barbeque dishes. 

Stuffed Chili Pepper in Tomato Gravy

          Having any leftover dal / lentil curry? Then go ahead and dish out this wonderfully delicious stuffed chili pepper in tomato gravy. Sure to say was delighted with the outcome. It can be relished as a side dish with plain steamed rice, jeera rice, pulao, plain biryani, naan, kulcha, tandoori roti or just plain chapatti. You may also try with dosa, appam, uttapam or idiyappam for a fusion. So get going and check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 5-6 chili peppers
• leftover cooked dal (lentil curry), simmered till dry 
• 2-3 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• pinch of asafoetida
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tomatoes, pureed
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• coriander leaves to garnish

          Cut the top off the chili peppers and stuff with the reduced leftover dal. Heat oil in a pan and sauté the stuffed peppers till light brown. Drain and keep aside.

          Temper the same oil with cumin seeds and asafoetida. Saute for a few seconds. Add the onion and curry leaves. Stir fry till the onions turn light brown in colour.

          Now add the ginger-garlic paste and turmeric powder. Continue to saute till it is well fried. Pour in the tomato puree and the rest of the dry spices.

          Mix everything well and saute till the oil separates. Add 1 cup water and bring it to a boil. Drop in the fried and stuffed chili peppers.

          Cover with a lid and simmer on a medium flame for 3-4 minutes till done. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve as a side dish with pulao, plain steamed rice, jeera rice, naan, tandoori roti or just plain chapatti.

                    Cut the top off the chili peppers & stuff with the reduced leftover dal. 

                            

                     Heat oil & sauté stuffed peppers till light brown. Drain & keep aside.

                Temper the same oil with cumin seeds & asafoetida. Add onion & curry leaves.
                Stir fry till onions turn light brown in colour.

                               Now add ginger-garlic paste 

                               and turmeric powder. Continue to sauté till it is well fried. 

                               Pour in tomato puree 

                               and the rest of the dry spices.

                               Mix everything well & sauté till oil separates. 

                               Add 1 cup water & bring to a boil. 

                          Add fried & stuffed chili peppers. Cover with a lid & simmer on a
                          medium flame for 3-4 minutes till done.

                  Garnish with coriander leaves & serve as a side dish with pulao, plain steamed
                   rice, jeera rice, naan, tandoori roti or just plain chapatti.