Peppers Stuffed with Beef and Rice

I had two lovely, big orange peppers in the fridge, that I knew were going to go bad soon, if I didn't use them, so I decided to try making Stuffed Peppers. I couldn't really find a recipe I like, so I decided to make one up as I went along, and the results were really nice. Nice enough for my husband to ask me to write down the recipe, so that I can make it again. I ended up using a can of tomato soup because I didn't have a can of tomato sauce in the house, and I think it was even better. If I had used sauce, the tomato flavor would have overpowered the herbs. 

Peppers Stuffed with Beef and Rice

2 orange/ red/ or yellow peppers, top and seeds removed

1 lb beef mince

½ cup rice, raw

1 can tomato soup

1 tomato, chopped

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

1 tsp oregano

½ tsp rosemary

½ tsp marjoram

 1 tsp thyme powder

1 onion, chopped fine

3-4 cloves garlic, chopped fine

Heat a little oil in a pot, and brown the onions. Add in the garlic, and tomato and cook for a minute or so. Next add all the spices, including some salt. Stir well, and add the beef mince, breaking it up as it cooks. When it’s half cooked, add the rice, tomato soup and some water (One tomato soup can full). Cover and simmer till the rice is cooked.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Using a slotted spoon, fill the peppers with the beef and rice mixture. Place in an oven proof dish, and pour the leftover beef and rice around the peppers. If it’s dry, add in a little water. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the peppers are soft and cooked, adding a little water if needed. In the last 5 minutes, place a slice of cheese over each pepper, and allow it to melt. Serve immediately. 

Chicken Rus and Rice

A friend of mine recently asked me for this recipe. It's something I haven't made in ages, and now that I think about it, I'll probably make it soon. It seems to be a Parsi dish, because I've never seen or heard of a non-Parsi making it. This recipe is my dad's, at least I got it from him. I think my Grandmom used to make something very similar, but her recipe used to have tons of ghee in it, and this one has barely any oil. I don't know where this recipe originated but every Parsi household has it's own version of it.

I should explain to you what Chicken Rus Chaval is! Chaval is rice, and its always eaten with rus. Rus looks almost like a stock or a very thin soup. It's an extremely simple dish which allows the flavors of each ingredient to come through. It used to be our equivalent, as kids, of chicken soup when we had a cold or the flu. The green chilies can really help open up your sinuses!

3-4 cups white Basmati rice, cooked
1 onion, finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped (optional)
Turmeric Powder, a pinch
Chili Powder, a pinch
Salt to taste
2-3 green chilies, slit on the side but not fully opened
1 Chicken, cut into pieces (with bone in)
2 -3 potatoes, skin removed and cut into 4-6 pieces each
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
Little oil

In a pressure cooker, put in a little oil and fry the onions till golden brown, next add the garlic and allow it to brown too. Once it's done, add in the turmeric and chili powders. Add a little water if it starts to stick. Add salt and green chilies, give it a good mix and then add the potatoes. Cover the potatoes with water and put the lid and whistle on, cooking it for one whistle. (You can use chicken stock instead of water to give the rus more flavor).

Then open the cooker and add the chicken, check to see how cooked the potatoes are. If they aren't almost cooked, then put the lid and whistle back on, with enough water, and cook it on a high flame till the whistle blows once. If they are almost cooked, then leave the lid off and let the whole thing boil till the chicken and potatoes are cooked. After the potatoes are cooked, take out 1-2 pieces of potatoes, mash them on a plate and mix them back into the rest of the dish, to thicken the rus a bit. Switch off the stove, add the chopped cilantro and serve hot with rice.

Notes:
* IF YOU ARE USING A PRESSURE COOKER, PLEASE FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS THAT COME WITH THE COOKER. IT CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS IF NOT USED PROPERLY! My recipe instructions are written with the assumption that you know how to use one and this blog is not responsible for your use of a pressure cooker. Every cooker has a slightly different cooking time, and water absorption. If there isn't enough water in the cooker, your dal will burn and cleaning that cooker is a pain in the backside!