ARF/5-a-day #24 - Easy bell pepper curry

This is a really simple, quick recipe for when you want a vegetable side-dish for chapaties. Depending on the amount of red chilli powder you use to season it, it can be fiery hot but with an undercurrent of sweetness from the bell peppers - or it can be mellow with a hint of heat. I like it either way.



Using ripe peppers (red, yellow, orange) increases the sweetness but I like them because the end result looks so darn pretty.



This is also my entry for ARF/5-a-day #24 hosted by Cate

Recipe for: Easy bell pepper curry



Ingredients:

4 medium bell peppers, seeded and chopped
3 tbsp gram flour (chickpea flour)
1 tsp sesame seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp asafoetida powder
4-5 curry leaves, torn
2 tsp oil
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds, coarsely powdered
1/2 tsp red chilli powder (or to taste)
1/2 tsp sugar
Salt to taste
1 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped, for garnish

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds, sesame seeds, asafoetida powder, curry leaves and cover till the seeds pop (30 seconds).



2. Add the red chilli powder and crushed fenugreek seeds and stir, then add the chopped peppers and stir again till they are well coated with the tempering.



3. Sprinkle over the gram flour and sugar.



4. Keeping the heat on high, mix in the gram flour and stir-fry on high for about 2 minutes.

5. Then cover the pan, turn the heat down to low and cook covered for 7-10 minutes or till the peppers are softened but not soggy.



6. Add salt to taste, stir it in and sprinkle with the coriander leaves. Serve hot with chapaties and a dal.