INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup pitted green OLIVES FROM SPAIN
• 6-8 pcs medium bhavnagri chilli
• ¾ cup Bajra (pearl millet)
• 1 pc onion (small, finely chopped)
• Water
• ¼ tsp smoked/sweet red paprika powder (kashmiri red chilli powder)
• Olive oil
• Salt to taste

• 4 pcs tomato (grated)
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 pc garlic clove
• 2 tbsp roasted melon seeds (magaz)
• salt to taste

PREPARATION

• Thoroughly wash the bajra and soak in clean water overnight.
• In a pot, add the bajra and water 1:3 and ½ tsp salt. Bring to boil, then cover and simmer for about 35-40 minutes or until the bajra is cooked but firm.
• Heat another pan and add 1 tbsp olive oil, and finely chopped onion.
• When the onion turns translucent, add chopped olives, cooked bajra, salt and paprika. Mix well, cover and simmer for 5 minutes so all the flavours fuse well together.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius
• Wash the peppers and dry them with a cloth, slice the tops and deseed. Preserve the tops.
• Spoon in a few spoons of the olive and bajra ‘pulao’ into each of the peppers, cover with their corresponding tops and place on a baking tray. Roughly pour a bit of olive oil over the peppers and a pinch of salt. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Keep the remaining bajra aside.
• In a blender add the grated tomato, extra virgin olive oil, garlic clove, melon seeds and a pinch of salt. Blend until you get a smooth, shiny emulsion.
• To plate, slightly warm the bajra olive ‘pulao’ if needed. Spoon onto a plate to form a base. Over the base, place the stuffed peppers, taking care to keep the tops intact. Then top with the tomato emulsion and optionally some toasted melon seeds or micro greens and serve.