Paneer-Potato Stuffed Banana Peppers (Stuffed Bajji Molagai)

Madras weather has been pleasant these few weeks and the city metamorphoses into a butterfly, with music, dance and drama lovers donning on their festival finery for the December 'season'. The sabha's also cater to the non-'season' participants.....literally. The hubs of art and culture are redolent with mellifluous notes and tantalizing aromas.

One such aroma that assailed me, as I buzzed past an auditorium, was that of molaga bajji (batter fried banana peppers). Spurred by a hedonistic urge, I picked up some of the peppers and headed home, only to be confronted by a dilemma. I don't like deep frying. It's not the calories, I don't like left over oil.

I remembered reading about cheese stuffed jalapenos and re-found them on Divya Vikram's Dil Se. I used paneer/cottage cheese and potato for the stuffing. 

Ingredients:

Banana Peppers/ Bajji Molagai - I used 4 (and got 8 'bajjis')

Paneer - 200gms (1 packet)

Potato - 1 medium sized, boiled

Salt - to taste

Mozzarella cheese - a little bit

Corriander leaves/ Cilantro - a little bit

Cooking oil - 1 tbsp

Pre-heat oven to 190C

Liquidize boiled potato and paneer with some salt to get a thick homogeneous paste.

Slit the peppers lengthwise and de-seed carefully. Wash hands immediately and apply a bit of oil. 

Banana Peppers - deseeded

Lightly oil the peppers and stuff the hollows with the paneer-potato paste, top with Mozzarella and cilantro.

Stuffed Peppers

Pop it into the oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and wait till it is ready to be handled. Serve with ketchup or eat it as it is. 

Ready, steady, Bite!

It was delicious. I have some of the potato paneer paste waiting for some peppers....and will probably make it again very soon!