Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients

4 medium bell peppers
2-3 cups cooked rice (2 cups after cooking)
1/2 cup mixed vegetable pieces (carrots, broccoli, red bell pepper, etc)
3/4 cup cheese
2 teaspoons hing (asafoetida)
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
2-3 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 jalapenos, finely cut
vegetable oil

Preparation

Cut the tops off the bell peppers in a starburst shape. Not only does this look attractive, but it's actually easier to stuff them and bake them this way. Remove the top, and pull out the seed ball, which should have come with the top. Cut off and discard the seed ball, and rinse out the inside of the peppers to get rid of any seeds.

Add oil to a small saucepan, and start heating. Add all of the spices, and stir until the mustard seeds start popping vigorously. At this point, add all of the vegetable pieces, and stir to coat. There's no need to really cook the vegetables much, since firm vegetables make the dish more interesting.

After the vegetables have cooked for a short time, remove from the burner, and add the rice. Combine well, and the rice should take on some of the color from the oil. Add the cheese to the mixture, and combine once again.

Take the rice/cheese/vegetable mixture and stuff the bell peppers with it. Place the tops back on, put them on a pan, and pop it into the oven. I found that 350 degrees for 45 minutes was enough to cook the bell peppers. Your results may vary, but just observe the peppers every now and then. The dish is done when the bell peppers start looking a little droopy and their skins get wrinkled.

Remove from the oven, cool a bit, and then eat!