Yes, it’s just upma stuffed in green bell pepper (capsicum).  As simple as it sounds.  I saw this recipe in a tamil magazine.

Ingredients:
Any upma (semolina, vermicelli, cracked wheat)
Green Bell Pepper (depending upon the quantity of upma) 

Procedure:
1.  Wash the bell pepper and cut off the tops carefully, because you need it to close the pepper and cook.

2.  Now remove the seeds inside the pepper and those sticking to the stalk.

3.  Fill the upma inside the pepper and close it back with the top.

4.  Add some water in a frying pan and let it get hot.
5.  Now keep an idli plate inside and arrange the peppers on the plate, close the frying pan with a lid and let it cook for 8-10 minutes.

6.  Turn off the stove and let it cool completely before you cut it lengthwise and drizzle some chutney all over and serve.

My Notes:
1.  In the original recipe, the method mentioned for cooking the bell pepper was to add 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan, arrange the bell peppers in it and sprinkle some salt water on top of the peppers and to cook for 8-10 minutes.  But this did not work, the pan started to brown in the inside and the pepper was no where close to get cooked.  Then only I got this idea of steaming the pepper and it worked.  But don’t steam it too much, the pepper will become very flimsy and cutting will become a problem.

2.  Also add salt and chilies a little more than you always use for the regular upma, because the pepper does not have any flavoring.

This is my entry to:

Pooja’s VOW-JFI Bell Peppers, JFI originally started by Indira

Spicy Tasty’s Fortune Cooking Contest.

Mansi’s Monthly Mingle – Appetizers & Hors’Doeuvres.  Monthly Mingle originally started by Meeta.

This week I was able to try only one recipe for this series.  It’s my friend Laksh’s Pasta Upma.  It’s a very simple recipe and a wholesome one.  All you need is just any variety of pasta and some vegetables.

My Notes:
I used 1 cup of Barilla Plus Elbows.  This is a multigrain pasta with 17gms protein and 7gms fiber per cup of uncooked pasta.  It is also a good source of ALA Omega-3, which is an essential acid that promotes heart health and not found in traditional pasta.  I have also used a handful of soya nuggets along with other veggies.

Thanks Laksh for sharing this recipe.  It was very tasty and we all loved it.