WOYP Day #38 Stuffed Mini Peppers

Yesterday was my older one’s 8th birthday. Poor guy had been planning a summer party since months, but who knew things around us would change so drastically due to CoVID. So we made the best of the current situation and had a small party at home with just us and my cousin’s family. V loves pizza so we ordered out and I made Pull apart Garlic bread and these mini stuffed peppers as appetizers. He wanted a Minecraft themed Dirt Block cake with a few Minecraft characters on top which I made in Fondant. More on the cake in another post :)

The peppers are crunchy, sweet and colorful. They are perfect with a savory dip but I wanted to make something a little more satisfying and decided to stuff and bake them instead. This literally came together in about 20 minutes. I had Goat cheese on hand, that went into the filling. If you don't have any, it can be skipped. 

You will need: 

Serves 4

1 lb Mini Sweet peppers
1 (8oz) can Black beans
2 tbsp yellow corn
2 tbsp oil
3 pods Garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
Salt to taste
2 tsp Sriracha (or any hot sauce)
2 tbsp Goat cheese, softened
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
1/3 cup shredded Cheddar

Open the black beans and pour the contents of the can into a small pan and bring to a simmer. Drain the liquid and mash the beans with a fork while still warm. Set aside. 

Heat oil in a pan. Add the chopped onion and garlic. Sauté until fragrant and soft. Stir in the mashed beans, yellow corn and season with salt to taste. Combine well. Lastly add the sriracha and cilantro. Stir to combine. You can add more hot sauce if you like. The quantity mentioned above was a perfect balance between the sweet peppers and tangy goat cheese. Cool slightly and then add the softened goat cheese. Combine. 

Preheat oven to 350F.

Wash the mini peppers and slice in half. Using a spoon, fill each half with the prepared bean mixture and place on a baking sheet lined with foil. Top each pepper with little cheese and bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from pan, rest on sheet for a minute and then serve while still warm. 

These make for perfect finger foods, no utensils needed and the peppers are just right to hold the filling. They were gone in minutes! :D 

WOYP day #37 Sprouted Green Moong Rasam

Whole Green Moong is chock full of nutrients. Rich in Folate, Magnesium, Vitamin B & Iron, incorporating it into your diet has great health benefits. Sprouted Moong has a high level of anti oxidants which helps prevent several diseases. Moong features on our plates several times a month. Check out some of these great Whole Moong recipes -

Pesarattu 

Punjabi Malai Dal

Whole Moong (Hesarakaalu) palya

Sprouting the beans also makes it easily digestible and enriches the protein content. Sprouted Moong rasam is flavorful and wholesome and a great addition to any meal. 

You will need:

1 cup whole Green Moong
1/2 onion thinly sliced
4 large pods Garlic
1 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1/4 tsp Asafoetida (Hing)
Few curry leaves
2 tsp Tamarind pulp (or paste)
1 tbsp Jaggery
Salt to taste

To dry roast & grind to paste:

 
1 tbsp Coriander seeds
2 tsp Cumin seeds
4 whole black peppercorns
1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds
6 dry red chillies
1 tbsp chopped onions
3 pods Garlic
2 tbsp fresh coconut

Wash whole moong, soak in water overnight of for 8 hours at least. Drain well and place in a colander. Leave overnight in a warm place. The whole moong will sprout. If you want longer sprouts you can allow it to sit for another night taking care to turn the moong once, otherwise there is risk of mold (depending on weather conditions)

 

Pressure cook sprouted moong, sliced onions and garlic with sufficient water (for 3 whistles)

Dry roast the spices until fragrant. Cool slightly and then blend to a paste with the onions, garlic and coconut. Use little water as needed. 

 

Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida. When the mustard splutters, add the prepared paste. Sauté until fragrant, few mins. Then add the boiled moong. Add the tamarind paste and jaggery. Season with salt. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Turn off heat. 

 
Serve hot with steamed white rice.