Bharwa Shimla Mirch - भरवा शिमला मिर्च (Stuffed Bell Peppers)

Hello friend,


This is our favorite and is very commonly eaten in my family. I happened to bring tri-colored peppers over last week and thought of using it last night (which I literally forced my husband to cook).


So, here is the recipe from my husband's pandora box. Of course, I put the measurements there, as he really doesn't measure and just does his thing.


Some of you may have already seen it in Nithu's Kitchen when I had a guest post there :)


Bharwa Shimla Mirch - भरवा शिमला मिर्च (Stuffed Bell Peppers)

Ingredients
Shimla Mirch (Bell Peppers) - 3 nos. (you can take assorted colors or all green, totally based on what you like)
Aloo (Potatoes) - 3 cups finely chopped (one cup per pepper - you can reduce or increase based on the size of the pepper as they need to be stuffed all the way to the top)
Paneer (Cottage Cheese) - 1.5 cups finely crumbled or chopped however you prefer (1/2 cup per pepper)
Onions - 1.5 cups (finely chopped)
Garlic - 3-4 cloves (minced)
Green Chillies - 3 (Finely sliced)
Dhaniya (Coriander) Powder - 2 tsp
Jeera (Cumin) Powder - 2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Amchur (Mango Powder) - 1 tsp (You can also use chat masala if you want instead of this, but remember chat masala will also add extra spice, so adjust other spices accordingly)
Jeera (Cumin Seeds) - 1 tsp
Rai (Mustard Seeds) -  1 tsp
Oil - 3 tbsp or little more
Salt - as per taste
Preparation
For Stuffing

• Finely Chop potatoes really small (I have seen lot of people like to boil and mash potatoes instead of chopping them, but try this one, this has a different taste). I chop them about the size of a pea.
• Finely chop/slice other ingredients as mentioned in the ingredients.
• Crumble paneer (like you are preparing paneer bhurji) or chop them finely, if you like it that way.
• Take 1 tsp oil in a pan, add the seeds, let them splutter and add onions/green chillies/garlic and fry them till onions are translucent.
• Add all dry masalas and potatoes and cook till potatoes are almost done (remember they will get cooked more after stuffing them in pepper, so they need not be all the way done).
• Add paneer, mix and cook for 1-2 more minutes and keep them separate.

For Stuffed Bell Peppers

• Cut the head off the bell peppers and wash inside out (remove the inside white substance and seeds)
• Apply liberal amount of oil on inside and outside of the pepper. Also, take light salt and apply it on the inside of the pepper.
• Now, stuff these peppers with the stuffing prepared above.
• Take a wide pan (big enough to keep the peppers upright or sideways (I prefer sideways as then they get cooked well all around).
• Mix 1 tbsp oil with about 2 cups of water and keep the stuffed peppers with enough space among them allowing you to turn them every few minutes.
• Cover the pan (as remember you mixed water and oil and they will start bubbling soon and start spitting outside).
• Cook it on medium heat and keep checking every few minutes. You may have to add little water every now and then (make sure your pan is not dried up).
• Every time you go and check the wellness of peppers, pour some water-oil mixture from the pan on top of the peppers.
• Once you will see the skin of the peppers kind of peeling, consider it done. 
• Remember, the peppers shouldn't be mushy. They should have a bite (but remember not to leave them raw either). 
• On medium heat, this process will take arund 15-20 minutes (of course lot of things will matter but still about this time).

Serving
Serve them hot with roti/paratha/naan and enjoy this nice stuffed peppers.

I am sending this to Priti's Festive Food: His Cooking Event :)

Also sending this to Think Spice Think Garam Masala event hosted by Sara and started by Sunitha of Sunitha's World.

Sending this to Healing Foods: Onions Event of Priya started by Siri of Siri's Corner.





That's all for now. Till next post, take care.