Stuffed Red Pepper Pickle

Ingredients

• 500 g (1 lb) fresh red peppers (available in winter generally)
• 90 g (3 oz) salt
• 75 g (2½ oz) ground coriander (dhania)
• 60 g (2 oz) ground fennel (saunf) seeds
• 185 ml (6 fl oz) mustard oil (sarson ka tel)

Preparation

• Silt the peppers lengthways from one side from the stalk to the tip, to create an opening for the filling. Snip it a little on one side at the broad end to make it easier to fill. Remove the seeds of you do not want these to be too hot.

• Put the salt, ground dried mango, ground coriander and fennel seeds in a bowl and mix together. Stir in 60 ml (2 fl oz) of the oil.

• Stuff the peppers with the spice mixture, pressing it in firmly.

• Heat the remaining oil a heavy-based sauce pan or wok over light heat. When you notice some movement in the oil and its fragrance becomes very strong, add the stuffed peppers. Cook, 5 minutes until the pepper begin to look glossy and slightly cooked. Turn off the heat and leave the peppers and oil to cool.

• When the peppers and oil are completely cool, transfer them to sterilized, airtight jar, then screw on the lid.