Tuesday 17 November 2015

GREEN PEPPER WITH CHESTNUT SIDE DISH

GREEN PEPPER WITH CHESTNUT SIDE DISH

(Green pepper subzi in baghare baingan style with chestnut)

Whenever I have visited India in winter, I have enjoyed a fruit called ‘singhara’ and its name in English is water chestnut. It has a dark green colored shell and pure milky white flesh inside. I have no idea how this fruit got the name of a nut.


Chestnut is a new member of the family of my grocery list (pantry) because I had never seen or used it before I came to Canada. It’s strange that there are a fruit and a nut with the name ‘chestnut’. Although I don’t see any resemblance between the two, the only similarity I see is the flat outer skin shape, which is the same for both.


Three years ago, when I saw these nuts for the first time in the shops, I had no idea how to use or eat these nuts. I was also surprised to see that their prices were very low compared to other nuts, and they were only available in winter season.


I wanted to try them so I bought one kilogram of these nuts in their shells, assuming they are like raw peanuts and thought that I will boil or roast and use them in my kitchen and will try some new recipes with them.



When I read about chestnuts on the Internet, to my big surprise I found them low in calories and high in fiber. Quickly an idea came to my mind to replace peanuts with chestnuts. In Indian cuisine in some of the recipes we use peanuts, and they have high-fat content and they are high in calories too. So I was eager and exited to use this new ingredient, in my kitchen. We foodies or bloggers feel excited when we get a new ingredient and try some new recipes.


In Indian cuisine, there is a recipe of “bhagare baigan”, a very tasty, sweet and sour dish of Andhra Pradesh in which brinjals (eggplants) are cooked in a peanut gravy. But here I have replaced- brinjal with green pepper and chestnuts with peanuts, but the rest of the ingredients are the same with the same flavors. I am sharing this recipe on my blog because it was a great hit in my family when I tried it for the first time with green pepper and chestnuts.



RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 big green bell pepper (500grams) sliced in small pieces
  • 1 big finally chopped onions
  • 200 grams boiled and ground chestnut/tinned chestnut (If you do not get chestnut, you can use groundnuts) *
  • 2 tbs sesame seeds
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 4 tbs lemon juice/tamarind juice
  • 4 tbs brown sugar or jaggery
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • Few curry leaves
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 2 tbs oil
* I boiled chestnuts in a pressure cooker for five minutes after the whistle.

METHOD
  • Dry roast sesame seeds, grind when cold, keep it aside.
  • Heat oil in a frying pan on medium flame, splutter the mustard seeds.
  • Add onion and saute till light brown, add curry leaves saute for one minute and add sliced green pepper with salt and coriander powder, cover the lid.
  • Check after 8-10 minutes till the pepper is done, if bell pepper is releasing too much water, slow the gas till water evaporates.
  • Add chestnut, sesame seeds, brown sugar, lemon juice, and black pepper and mix well.

51 comments:

  1. this is something new I came to know,...good replacement of pea nut

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  2. Lovely side.Never added chestnut to any cooking .

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    1. Thanks Sathya, you can try it is a good replacement of peanuts.

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  3. This is something new and interesting. Looks so healthy and yummy!

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  4. I do like chestnuts and often use them in a Vegetarian Nutroast esp. around Autumn and Winter when in season, (and sometimes in cakes), but I am welcoming your recipe with chestnuts which is totally new to me. Thanks so much for sharing with EatYourGreens, the round up will be up towards the end of the month.

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    1. Thanks for your lovely comment Shaheen, I will come and see the round up on your web site.

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  5. Hi Sadhna,
    This quite an unique and interesting recipe. Sound tasty and healthy too. I had never heard of jaggery before. Chestnuts are always give such a great flavor to foods. Thanks for sharing on Real Food Fridays. Pinned & tweeted. Have a healthy happy blessed Thanksgiving.

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    1. Thanks Marla for your comment and for pinning and tweeting.
      wishing you the same happy and blessed Thanksgiving.

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  6. Sounds interesting.. Love to try soon

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  7. I am gonna try this for sure.....

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  8. Such a seasonal dish with the chestnuts. Thanks for sharing it with #frifree4all

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  9. What a creative recipe, I love chestnuts, this sounds wonderful! Thanks for sharing at What'd You Do This Weekend?!

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  10. This is such an interesting combination I have to find some chestnuts to try it. Thanks for sharing on the Tasty Tuesdays Linky Party. I hope you will join us again next week.

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  11. What a great use of chestnuts, and innovative reworking of a dish. Thanks for sharing with #ExtraVeg

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  12. I didn't realise that they were low calories either! That is great as I love them! Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x

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  13. What a lovely combination of flavours you have used in this dish, Sadhna! Chestnuts are used a lot in cooking over here in the UK, particularly at Christmas time. Your Green Pepper with Chestnut Side Dish sounds delicious. Thank you for sharing it with us at the Hearth and Soul Hop.

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    1. I didn't know that chestnuts are used a lot in coking in U .K. Thanks April for your comment.

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  14. Sadhna, you always introduce me to new things! I love that. Of course I've heard of chestnuts, LOL from the Christmas Carol, but I've never tasted them. I think I'm missing out! Especially if the fiber content is so much higher and the fat content is lower than peanuts. Pinning this! You always inspire me to try new things. Thanks!

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    1. Hi Nikki, ha ha, then go and try them now,you will enjoy dear.Thanks for your lovely comment.

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  15. An intriguing recipe! Chestnuts are not something I use a lot of, but I really ought to experiment with them. Thank you for sharing with the Credit Crunch Munch!

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  16. That looks like a great side dish! Thanks for sharing on My 2 Favorite Things on Thursday!! Hope to see you tomorrow!! Pinned!

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  17. I've never tasted such a dish - green pepper with chestnut. WOWWW it looks very tasty and I just need to try it
    Thanks so much for sharing

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  18. This is new to me as well Sadhna! It looks delicious and I'm not a big Chestnut fan, I rather paint them, lol, but this combination makes me want to give it another try!! Thank you for this recipe!

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  19. This sounds delicious, I tried chestnuts for the first time this Christmas in my nut roast!

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    1. Thanks Rebecca, even me i was not aware of this nut, started using only from last three years.

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  20. I have to be honest and say that I've never had chestnuts. I'll have to try it someday. Thanks for sharing this recipe.

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    1. Hi Carol, give it a try, they are good. Thanks for your comment and visit.

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  21. What a very intriguing dish. We love water chestnuts...just had some last night. I am so very thankful that you are providing me with all these wonderful Indian recipes. So love that cuisine.

    Happy Weekend Sadhna!

    Lynn

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    1. Awww, i am glad to know you love Indian cuisine. Thanks very much for your comment.

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  22. Oh this sounds delicious I don't use water chestnuts so that will be a first for me.

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  23. This looks delicicous! I have never had chesnuts before!

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    1. Ho Charlotte, give it a try they are nice. Thanks for your comment.

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  24. Yum! What a tasty treat you have created! I have never cooked chestnuts so I really must try this recipe! Thank you for celebrating good food and fun with us at the Plant-Based Potluck Party! I hope your holiday season was happy one! Thank you for sharing your delectable gems and for all of your support! Wishing you a very Healthy, Happy 2016! All the best, Deborah

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    1. Aww, so nice of you for this lovely comment. Yes I had nice time.Happy new year to you too.

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  25. Honestly you blog inspires me and sure it will inspire lots of people. Keep on the good work.

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