Zaiqa

Warm and sustaining dishes that comfort the soul are dear to everyone living in nippy cold weather conditions who is literally sick and tired of bearing the cold winds and seeing the huge piles of snow as white sheets everywhere covered on the vast ground, and waiting eagery to see sun and some color around.

I usually turn to cooking homely and comforting dishes quite often during this season of the year. Qimah bhari mirch is one such dish and I had prepared it with a day old left over Masaaledaar Pudine Wala Qimah as the stuffing for some sweet long peppers which we enjoyed along with some warm store brought Afghani bread.

Qimah Bhari Mirch – Peppers stuffed with Spicy Minced meat

Qimah is so versatile. I usually prepare a good amount of Qimah, and use it in sandwiches, to prepare spring rolls, haleem, as a filling for samosas or aloo cutlets and even as a stuffing in various vegetables, etc. Peppers stuffed with spicy minced meat is a sure sight at most of the party/dawat menus. My Ammi prepares the best of its kind. The peppers are filled with Qimah and slow cooked on dum until they are soft and served warm.

You can even use Saada Qimah or whatever dry Qimah you have leftover as the filling for the peppers here.

Halved and cleaned long sweet red peppers (Red Shepherd Peppers) ready to be stuffed with Qimah

During my recent visit to the grocery mart, I happened to spot a few very fresh looking long sweet red peppers which I brought home. These peppers were really sweet in taste. You can use any kind and color of peppers that you like as long as they are thick enough, boat or bell shaped to hold the stuffing inside.

Qimah Bhari Mirch – Peppers stuffed with Spicy Minced meat

Ingredients:

Masaaledaar Pudine Wala Kheema – 1 Recipe
Bell Peppers (or) Long sweet peppers(Red Shepherd Peppers) – 5

Tomato ketchup – 4 tbsp

Method:

-Wash the peppers and pat them dry with paper towels.
-If you have long bell peppers, cut them horizontally (and keep the other halves aside), so that they form into boat shaped containers in which the Qimah can be stuffed. Or else, if you have bell-shaped peppers, remove the tops, 1 inch from the stem end, and keep the tops aside. Remove the seeds and membranes carefully and discard. Dice the tops of the peppers into tiny pieces, discard the stem, and keep the chopped pepper tops in a bowl.

-Stuff the Masaaledaar Pudine Wala Kheema into the peppers and arrange them on a tray.
-In a bowl add tomato ketchup, and the finely diced pepper tops into the remaining Qimah and mix well. Keep aside.
-With the rack in the middle position, preheat oven to 450°F.
-Spread the qimah mixed with ketchup evenly in a baking dish. Carefully arrange the stuffed peppers on the qimah, so that they do not touch each other and cover the dish with aluminium foil. Keep the dish in the oven and let cook for 30 minutes or until the peppers are soft and well cooked. Serve warm.

Suggested Accompaniments: Pulao/ Baghara Chawal or Roti of your choice.

Luv,
Mona