Alu Tomato Stuffing

Alu Tomato Stuffing

This is supplementary to my earlier post “Alu Simla Mirch Stuffing” . Many of my friends have told me to develop a step by step procedure to make Alu_Tomato Stuffing , as they are finding it difficult to retain the shape of tomato from collapsing. Here is my methodology. I do hope you enjoy the steps. 

Ingredients		Qty
Alu / Potato		2		Pieces
Tomato - Big Selected		5		Nos
Onion		1		No
Carrot		1		Piece
Simla Mirch		1		Piece
Green Chilli		2		Nos
Coriander Leaves				Chopped

Step 1 :

Select  5 good semi ripe tomatoes free from depressions and which can be retained in a perforated steel container, as shown.

Step 2 :           Keep the ingredients ready and handy.

Step 3 :

Finely cut the potato into small pieces and store it in water.

Step 4 :

Cook the ingredients and the potato separately in the usual method and keep it ready. Make sure that there is no water in the potato stuffing and allow it to cool.

Step 5 :

Now with a sharp knife slice each tomato near the top till the knife reaches the wall thickness.  Go a little more deep and cut upto the middle of the tomato thickness . The top portion will now open out like a door . Use can use the melon scooper as shown in the image. You can scoop out the centre portion and make each tomato hollow as shown. You can use a small square bowl containing cooking oil with added salt.  The oil_salt mixture is to be smeared on the outside and inside of the tomato for better taste.

Step 6 :

Now fill up the hollow portion of each tomato with the stuffing. When one tomato is removed , others may tend to cave in. To prevent that , keep one extra raw tomato in place as a dummy. You will like this idea.

Step 7.

Cook the tomato stuffing in a pressure cooker without weight  and wait for 10 minutes . You can allow the stuffing to cool for 15 more minutes.  

Enjoy as a side dish with rotis or chapattis. 

I am interested to know more about your blogs and posts.

Rangarajan Ramaswamy Bangalore 16062013 05:00 pm

Shimla Mirch Aloo Stuffing

When I was working in Ajmer, Rajasthan during 1968 , I had a fancy for making this Shimla Mirch Aloo Stuffing just for fun.  Preparation used to consume lot of time and I could just afford it because there were not much of television those days. Though the utility gadgets have improved , the method remains the same.  You can try this recipe which has been supplemented by Digital Images as I am proceeding with the cooking. 

Ingredients		Quantity
Potato	_	500 grams
Shimla Mirch- Green	_	4 nos
Shimla Mirch- Red	_	1 no
Curry Leaves	_	6 to 8
Green peas	_	30 gms
Lemon	_	1 no
Cooking oil Refined	_	10 ml
Jeera	_	10 ml
Ginger	_	Small pieces
Coriander Leaves	_	Finely chopped
Salt	_	to taste

Step 1 :

Keep the ingredients cleaned and handy.

Step 2 :

Make a “V” with a sharp knife and cut along the middle of the Shimla Mirch (Capsicum), separating the Shimla Mirch in two parts. You will know the importance of this V Cut , as you make them. Remove only the seeds and do not touch any other portion . You can use the Crochet needle , which is available for Rs 10 at any fancy and novelty shop. The Shimla Mirch without seeds has the much needed strength , when subjected to steam . Please keep this in mind. Store them in pairs, as they are cut.

                                 

Step 3 :

Mix a small amount of cooking oil and salt in a small container . Smear the Shimla Mirch all-round  with this , which will enable the Shimla Mirch to absorb the salt.

Step 4 :

Steam the potatoes and green peas separately in a pressure cooker for 3 whistles. Peel and mash the Potatoes into a fine dough with a little refined cooking oil and keep it aside for a few minutes.  Now heat a kadai and add cooking oil. In any usual method convenient to you , you can prepare the masala with Chilly Powder, Red Capsicum, Little Asafoetida , Jeera , Ginger, Curry Leaves and salt. When ready , add the Potato dough . Keeping the flame under simmer , heat the potato and the masala to a good consistency free from water. If you feel , you can add one lime juice and turn the stuffing , after the stuffing is cooled.  

Step 5 :

We are going to use 4 stainless steel small bowls. These square bowls help maintain the Shimla Mirch in vertical position when subjected to steam pressure. Fill both the halves separately with the potato mix and for consolidating you can use  the Chop Sticks , which I normally use. You  should always take Shimla Mirch in pairs. The “V Cut” now will help you to position the two halves properly .

Step 6 :

Now , keep the Shimla Mirch , positioning each of them carefully over the small square bowl to keep them vertical and stable during steaming. You can also use a small circular bowl as shown above for giving support to the Shimla Mirch. Use the pressure cooker with sufficient water below . You can wait upto 2 whistles for the cooking , since the potato is already cooked. Allow 10 minutes for cooling inside the pressure cooker. Take out the stuffing carefully and organise with the base bowl.

Step 7 :

The  Cooked Shimla-Mirch-Aloo can be served in the same square bowls. 

I have seen children eating the stuffing with a spoon and enjoying , holding the square bowl in their hands. I hope you are enjoying this methodology. This method demands concentration .

I am interested to know more about your blogs and posts.

Rangarajan Ramaswamy Bangalore  06.04.2013