Coloured Jewelled Capsicum

Three Coloured Capsicum

I love cooking this dish because the end result is so appetising and colourful.  The brightly coloured, jewelled capsicums just beg to be eaten.  Besides, it's simple and quick and I promise, you will spend about 15 minutes in the kitchen.  It can be served as an accompaniment or eaten alone.  

The Recipe:

3 medium sized capsicums, one of each colour; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tsp pepper corns, crushed; 2 tbsp olive oil; salt to taste;  1 tbsp thin soy sauce.

Wash, halve, de-seed and cut the capsicums into thin strips.  Heat oil in a non stick pan and stir fry the garlic till fragrant.  Add the capsicum and stir fry on high heat for 2 minutes only.  Lower flame, add the pepper and salt to taste.  Transfer to serving dish.  Drizzle soy sauce over just before serving.  Lip smacking delicious and crunchy to boot.

Stuffed To The Gills

Stuffed Capsicum

This is a lovely recipe that can be made with left over mince.  While growing up, we had mince on more than one occasion and it remains one of my favourite foods today.  The aroma of mince being cooked is enough to send me into a frenzy and coupled with capsicum, this is literally to die for.  Those who have eaten it will vouch for it.  So add it to your list of Absolute Must Recipes To Try!

The Recipe:

2 green or yellow capsicums.  I used one of each.  Wash the capsicums and slice off 1/4 from the top.    Reserve the tops to cover the stuffed capsicum.  Gently de seed with a sharp knife retaining the shape of the capsicums.

Mince:

1/2 kg mince; 2 onions, chopped; 2 spring onions, chopped; 3 flakes, garlic, minced; 1 inch ginger, minced; 2 green chillies, minced;  few coriander leaves, chopped; salt to taste; 2 tbsp oil for frying; a handful of green peas; 2 slices stale bread, crumbled.

Wash and drain mince.  Heat oil and add chopped onion, spring onion, ginger, garlic, corriander leaves and minced chillies.  Stir fry on medium heat until onions are golden browm.  Add the mince and fry till brown.  Add peas and 1/4 cup water and cover and cook 5 minutes.  Add salt to taste and the crumbled bread.  The bread will soak up all the liquid.  Cool.  Keep aside while you make the white sauce

White Sauce

 White Sauce:  1 whole egg; 1/2  cup chicken stock; 1/2 cup milk; salt & white pepper to taste; salt and pepper to taste; 1 dsp flour; 1 small onion minced.

      Heat oil in non stick pan.  Fry the minced onions until glazed and transparent.  Add flour and stir fry for a minute till crisp.  Lower flame and slowly pour in the chicken stock, stirring all the while to avoid lumps.  Next add the milk and keep stirring until thick and creamy.  Add the whole egg and gently mix.  Season with salt & white pepper.  Pour the sauce into a pyrex dish.  

a    Take a few spoonfuls of the mince and stuff it into the hollowed capsicum, to the brim.  Top with the sliced off lid.  Repeat with second capsicum.  Place capsicums in the dish on the white sauce and sprinkle remaining mince around it.  Bake at 200 Celcius in a preheated oven for 20 minutes or until done.  Serve hot with crusty bread.

Capsicum Rings With Cottage Cheese And Egg

Weekend Tales

Some years ago, soon after we moved to Kuala Lumpur our bathroom drain got clogged.  There was water everywhere and so I opened the drain to see what I could do about it.  Guess what I found?  Pieces and pieces of golden paneer arranged neatly in a row.  Talk about being creative, that was Ranita then.  Today, paneer is a much loved item and we all enjoy it whenever we can.

The Recipe

250 gms paneer crumbled; 1/2 tsp chilli powder; 1 tsp somph, powdered; 2 tbsp curds; 1 tbsp gram flour; salt to taste;     2 eggs; 1 medium green capsicum;salt & pepper to taste; tomato sauce for topping; some oil for frying.

Marinade the paneer in the chilli powder, somph, curds, gram flour and salt for  30 minutes.

Cut the ends of  the capsicum and slice the remaining into three thick rings.  Chop the sides and keep for use later.  Beat the eggs with pepper & salt lightly.  Heat a non stick pan, add 1 tbsp oil and when hot put the capsicum rings in and fry gently one side for 2 minutes only. The rings should be firm and crunchy.  Flip over and pour the beaten egg into each of the rings until nearly full.  Cover and cook on medium heat until egg has set.  Gently flip over and brown the egg for a minute or two.  Transfer to plate and keep hot.

Next, add 1 tbsp oil to pan and gently stir fry the paneer till golden brown.  Add the chopped capsicum and fry for a couple of minutes.  Transfer to serving plate.  Arrange the capsicum rings on top and dot with tomato sauce.  Serve with Naan or rice.  It's your call.  Simple and satisfying and leaves you wanting for more!

P.S. Thanks to Elizabeth  Dhanaraj for the luscious Paneer Recipe.