ALOO BELL PEPPER

I had some other plan for today; a Bengali Style non-vegetarian side to share in the Blog. I was wanting to go with full non-vegetarian shares this week. Then, I have seen I end up doing what the Almighty wants me to do; the non-believers would say I am the servant of my own wishes. I am self centric and all my thoughts and wishes revolve around the self and my closer circuit. I hardly look towards a broader perspective and totally ignore what others may want from me unless they have made me feel immensely happy. All of a sudden, yesterday evening I step back from my scheduled plan, searched Google Photo Album and decided on this photograph taken few months back. This is a spice laden, side dish with potatoes and bell-peppers, vegan & gluten-free; ALOO BELL PEPPER which is Potato & Bell Peppers / Capsicum cooked with few spices, onion, tomato, chillies. I served it with a healthier bread!

Its only 7:25 am in the morning, I am on with my Blog Share. I wonder when do I wake up actually these days. Every one or two hours after I have gone to the bed, I wake up. This keeps going on between 11-11:30pm - 4:30 - 5am. Finally, I leave the bed and come to the living room around 5:30 am in general. At this home, we do not follow any rule, regulation or routine. Today, I felt let me do it early, T would not be taking the lunch or snacks box this week. I am getting bored with no one to see around, no food to munch. All are sleeping and I try to follow the 12 hour eating window. That does not help me loose weight given I eat anything and everything in that 12 hours, between 10:30 am & 10:30 pm.

What you eat and the amount you eat is very important in any weight loss programme. I have forgotten when I last ate the amount of rice, breads I want to eat. Diabetes is such a silent killer. Always remember, what Rujuta Diwekar and her likes prescribe comes with clear instructions about what amount of exercise is to be done; a combination of yoga & strength training at least. I cannot push myself against my wish. One day, I swim for an hour, the next day I do a brisk walk from 5km-7km-8km. This does not help lose weight given my diet pattern. It cannot happen that I have prepared something special and would not eat it. I definitely would eat one with the vegan, gluten-free, spicy side dish ALOO BELL PEPPER; potato & bell peppers cooked in spices with onion, chillies. 

INGREDIENTS : 

POTATO : 2 BIG SIZED
RED BELL PEPPER : 1/2 OF A BIG SIZED
GREEN BELL PEPPER / CAPSICUM : 1 STANDARD SIZED
YELLOW BELL PEPPER : 1/2 OF A BIG SIZED
TOMATO : 2 MEDIUM SIZED
ONION : 1 BIG
GARLIC CLOVE : 4-5
GREEN CHILLI : 3
CUMIN SEED : 1/4 TSP
BAY LEAF : 1
CUMIN POWDER : 1/2 TSP
CORIANDER POWDER : 1/2 TSP
GARAM MASALA POWDER : 1 TSP
DRY MANGO POWDER : 11/2 TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER : 1/2 TSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2TSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
OIL : 3 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

We need to half boil the potatoes. What I did was I washed the potatoes and pricked all over with a fork. I placed them on a microwave proof plate and microwaved at low for 2-3 minutes. This helped them to remain par boiled and not full. I allowed the potatoes to cool.

We will wash and cube the bell peppers discarding the seeds. We will discard the two ends of the onion, peel and cube it. We will chop the tomatoes discarding the seeds. We will peel the garlic cloves and slit the green chillies. We will wash them taken in separate bowls. 

Now that the potatoes are cold, we will peel them, cube, wash again and rub little salt & turmeric on them.

We will heat the oil in a wok and temper it with garlic cloves, cumin seeds and a bay leaf. We will add the marinated potato pieces and stir cook at medium heat for 2 minutes. 

We will lower the heat, add the cubed onion, tomatoes, bell peppers, slitted green chillies and stir cooked in the low heat for a minute.

We will lower the heat to minimal and add the cumin+coriander+red chilli powders. We will fold in well and let it cover cook not more than 2-3 minutes; else the crunch & colour of the bell peppers  spoil.

We will open the cover; adjust the salt, add the dry mango powder and garam masala powder. We will stir cook gently for 1-2 minutes. 

We should be done. It is a dish that goes with different kinds of breads.