Ingredients
- 1.5 kg Zucchini
- 1.2 kg Bell PepperGet less sweet not completely mature green peppers with thin delicate pulp, like Cubanelle, Xanthi or Sweet Banana
- 900 g Pork sirloin
- 300 g Carrot
- 300 g MushroomsGet brown varieties, like Cremini or Portobello, if you like the stronger flavor
- 400 g Tomatoes
- 400 g RiceI used the white long-grain rice, but the recipe will work with the brown rice as well
- 400 g Sour creamUse the cream with reduced fat, that won't affect the resulting taste
- 200 g Garlic
- 2 pods Red ChilliesGet dry ones and grind them right away to keep the aroma strong
- 150 ml Sunflower oil
- 1 tbsp Coriander
- 1.5 tbsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 3 l water800 ml of water are needed for cooking the rice, the rest will be used for stewing the peppers
- 1 bunch BasilYou may use other fresh herbs for decoration
Directions
Stuffed peppers are common among many cuisines, but making them with more vegetables, rice and pork is more usual for the southern and eastern parts of Europe while stewing such peppers with sour cream is the Bulgarian specialty.
Steps
1 Done | Get everything ready before cooking, and don't forget to wash the meat and vegetables. |
2 Done | Wash your long-grain rice several times, changing the water until it becomes almost transparent. You may even soak it for a bit. |
3 Done | The rice for stuffing doesn't need to be completely cooked, so boil it for about eight minutes. |
4 Done | Chop the pork into medium-sized pieces, you may try to play with this parameter if you want to change the final texture. |
5 Done | Peel and slice all the garlic cloves and carrots. |
6 Done | Cut the squashes into cubes. |
7 Done | Take the half of garlic slices and fry until golden. |
8 Done | Cut the brown mushrooms, and then stir them with garlic. |
9 Done | Add the diced zucchini squashes to the mixture. |
10 Done | Mix the meat with your stuffing for peppers. |
11 Done | Sprinkle some salt, coriander and red chillies over your pork. Let it cook until the meat loses its pink tint. This way your stuffed peppers will be done faster without meat being too raw. |
12 Done | Stir the pork with vegetables into the previously made rice. |
13 Done | Let's make the tomato sauce. Start with frying the second part of sliced garlic and carrots. They have to become soft before adding the tomatoes. |
14 Done | Dice the tomatoes and add them to the wok. |
15 Done | Sprinkle the sauce with sugar and more salt. |
16 Done | Pour one liter of boiling water into the wok. Let the sauce simmer while you're filling your peppers. |
17 Done | Stuff the bell peppers with pork and zucchini mixture. |
18 Done | Carefully transfer the peppers into the wok. |
19 Done | Add the rest of boiling water until the stuffed peppers are completely covered. Let them simmer for 45-55 minutes before adding the sour cream. |
20 Done | Five more minutes - and your stuffed peppers are ready! Enjoy their complex flavor with a glass of some dry red. |
