Stuffed Chili : With spicy Potato curry

Biting into the chili stuffed with Potato curry along with some steaming hot rice topped with Ghee and Dal is a mouth watering experience for all spice lovers.The recipe is made using Anaheim chili which are non spicy chilies but you can also use bel peppers (Capsicum) instead.

Anaheim chili are long, stout chill peppers which aren't spicy like regular chillies. These are used to make Stuffed Mirchi bajji in some regions. I like Anaheim chili coz you can use them like a vegetable, similar to bell pepper. Their skin is tough than bell pepper and they do not possess the strong flavors like bel peppers. Their flavor is more like chili peppers with out the spice. I have another recipe on the blog with these chilies, Anaheim chili moong dal dry curry. The recipe is a delicious and nutritious recipe.

Stuffed chili is one of my favorite recipe. I used to make the same recipe with Green bell pepper. But this time I made em with Anaheim chili coz these are smaller than bel peppers and serve  as individual portions. Also the strong flavor of bel pepper could be repulsive sometimes. These are perfect during parties. I have stuffed them with potato curry. These goes great on the side with Sambar or Dal. You can serve em on the side with Parathas like my spinach cheese paratha or Tofu carrot paratha. You can also serve them with Roti and Dal.Try my Malabar spinach dal or Cranberry Rasam along with these stuffed chillies. You can also add peas, corn and carrots to the stuffing but I wanted to keep it simple. 

I have cut each chili vertically into 2 halves so each chili makes 2 stuffed chillies. For this reason when I bought, I picked fat ones. Also when cooking, initially I cooked on high flame to get a nice sear on chillies, then lowered the flame and cooked the chillies covered. This way you get the nice sear and chillies are cooked thoroughly. this is important. Alternatively you can just cook them covered on low flame till they turn soft.

Servings:

Four (4)

Total Time:

30 minutes

Ingredients (I use US standard measuring; 1cup=8oz=250ml):

• 4 Anaheim Chili 
• For Potato curry:
• 2 Big potatoes
• 1/2 onion
• 1.5 inch Ginger
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 4 tbsp oil
• 1/4 cup Peas,1carrot optionally
• Salt to taste
• 3/4 th Tbsp chili powder or adjust spice accordingly
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• For Seasoning:
• Mustard seeds (Aavalu)
• Cumin seeds (Jeera)

Stuffed Chili Step wise recipe

1. Make Potato curry for stuffing. I have used 2 big Potatoes.
2. Peel and rinse potatoes.With a fork prick potato all around. Microwave Potatoes for 5-6 minutes with water, in a microwave safe bowl. You need to turn potatoes around after 3 minutes so they cook on both sides well.Or else you can pressure cook potatoes.
3. Chop 1/2 onion into small pieces.
4. In a bowl, heat 2 tablespoons oil, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Let them splutter. Add ginger garlic paste.
5. Add chopped onions. Cook till slightly browned.
6. If you are adding Peas or carrots add now and cook till done.
7. Once Potatoes are done, chop em roughly. Add chopped Potato pieces to the pan above.Stir,
8. Add salt, chili powder and turmeric.The Anaheim Chillies are not spicy so add enough chili powder like you would add to other curries.
9. Mix well and cook for couple minutes, slightly mashing the curry so it's easy to stuff it in . Turn off stove.
10. Add coriander leaves optionally.
11. Now Cut Chillies vertically into two halves.Keep the stems intact if you can. 
    
12. Remove seeds optionally. 
13. Stuff them with enough curry to fill completely.Pat down so curry doesn't come off.
    
14. Heat a wide pan, add 2 tbsp oil. Add chillies one by one with stuffed side up. Keep on high flame for few minutes to get nice sear on chillies.
    
15. Now keep on low flame, cover pan with a lid, cook till chillies are softened. Add little water to the pan if needed.
16. Turn off and serve with Rice or Roti.
    

Tips:
Adjust oil and spices accordingly.
You can also use bel peppers (Capsicum) instead Anaheim chili.