Capsicum Filled with Fried Chutney Rice

8 January 2017 By

This is an easy, colourful, delicious, lightly spiced vegetarian as well as vegan dish if you omit the butter in steps 8 & 9. Capsicums are baked for 15 minutes then stuffed with rice flavoured with different chutney fillings. Capsicums are popped back into the oven for another 10 minutes then garnished with various toppings. Find capsicums of similar size. Serve with side salads or raita.


Ingredients

  • Olive oil
  • 1
  • I orange capsicum

Garnish

  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh tomatoes and a pinch of minced green chillies
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander mixed with 1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds or coconut flakes
  • 1 tbsp cashew nuts, toasted with 1 tbsp curry leaves, then crushed

Method

  1. Cook rice following packet directions. (Cold leftover cooked rice can be used for this recipe.)
  2. Preheat oven to 200˚C. Brush an oblong ovenproof baking tray or dish with oil.
  3. Cut the tops from all three capsicums. Remove the seeds and white membrane.
  4. Place the capsicums, standing upright, in a baking dish. Drizzle sparingly with olive oil, including between and around them. Add a small pinch of salt onto each. Bake for around 15 minutes, until they are just starting to become tender but still firm enough to hold their shape. Remove from the oven and set aside. Turn the oven down to 180˚C.
  5. Zingy Tomato fried rice − heat 1 tablespoon oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat. Spoon in 1 heaped tsp of Latasha’s Kitchen Zingy Tomato Chutney and 1 tbsp raisins. Mix well then add a cup of cooled cooked rice and a pinch of salt. Transfer to a bowl.
  6. Green Coriander fried rice − clean the fry pan. In the same pan, heat another tablespoon of oil and add I heaped teaspoon Latasha’s Kitchen Green Coriander Sauce. Add I cup of cooled cooked rice and 1 tablespoon shredded mint leaves. Mix well and add a pinch of salt. Transfer to a bowl.
  7. Date & Tamarind fried rice − clean fry pan, then heat it up again adding another tablespoon of oil and this time spoon in one I heaped teaspoon Latasha’s Kitchen Date and Tamarind Chutney and some shredded curry leaves. Add I cup of cooled cooked rice, pinch of salt, mix quickly and transfer to a bowl.
  8. Fill the orange capsicum with Zingy Tomato fried rice, the red capsicum with Green Coriander fried rice and the yellow capsicum with Date & Tamarind fried rice. Drizzle some olive oil or butter over each capsicum.
  9. Place all three filled capsicums carefully back onto baking dish and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the capsicum feels quite soft when pinched but still al dente. Remove from the oven. Drizzle over a bit more olive oil or butter and garnish with some more herbs and toppings as suggested below.
  10. Serve as part of an entrée or on a shared platter.

Tips for garnishing:

  1. Garnish orange capsicum with fresh chopped tomatoes and minced green chillies.
  2. Garnish red capsicum with shredded fresh coriander leaves and toasted white sesame seeds or coconut flakes.
  3. Garnish yellow capsicum with crushed cashew nuts and fried curry leaves.