These mini peppers started out modestly, filled with just the masala peanuts and cheese. Then, of course, I decided to make another filling with mushrooms and overstuff them. Definitely the right call. They make a hearty appetizer and will be much loved at any party.
Reprinted with permission from THE VEGETARIAN RESET by Vasudha Viswanath, The Collective Book Studio, January 2023. Photo credit Alexandra Shytsman.
Overstuffed Mini Peppers
8
Ingredients
- MASALA PEANUTS
- 2 tbsp chickpea flour
- 4 tsp water
- 2 tsp avocado oil, or other neutral oil of choice
- 2 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp cracked black pepper
- ½ cup/56g raw or roasted unsalted peanuts or cashews
- 10 oz/280g mini sweet peppers/capsicums (8–10 peppers), halved lengthwise with stem intact and seeded
- CHILE-GARLIC MUSHROOMS
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 8 oz/225g white mushrooms, finely diced or blitzed in a food processor
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- ¾ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp red chile flakes
- 1 cup/112g goat cheese, crumbled
- 1 tbsp chopped cilantro/fresh coriander
Instructions
- 1 Preheat the air fryer to 350°F/180°C or oven to 400°F/200°C.
- 2 Mix together the chickpea flour, water, oil, paprika, turmeric, cumin, salt, and black pepper in a bowl to make a thick marinade. Add the peanuts or cashews and mix. Try to ensure that all the peanuts or cashews get coated with the paste. Lightly spray the air fryer base with oil and spread the nut mixture evenly on the base, or spread the nuts on a parchment-lined baking sheet (you can also lightly spray the parchment). Air fry for 5 minutes, tossing halfway through, or bake for 12–15 minutes, turning over halfway through (you may need to use a spoon to scrape the nut mixture off the parchment), until golden brown. Remove from the air fryer or oven and let cool (leave the air fryer or oven on). The nut mixture will stick together. Once cool, finely chop or pulse 3–4 times in a food processor and set aside.
- 3 Place the mini peppers on the air fryer base or spread on a baking sheet. Spray lightly with oil if desired, and air fry for 5–6 minutes or bake for 10–12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the peppers are soft. Let cool until you can hold them, about 5 minutes.
- 4 Meanwhile, for the chile-garlic mushrooms, heat a medium skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the olive oil, mushrooms, garlic, salt, and chile flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes.
- 5 Combine the nuts with the crumbled goat cheese. Stuff each mini pepper with the mushrooms, then top with the nut-cheese mixture (press the mixture down; you want to overstuff these!). Garnish with the cilantro and serve immediately.
