Mahshi felfel (Egyptian stuffed peppers)
محشي فلفل (mahshi felfel): green peppers packed with herby tomato rice and baked until blistered
Every Egyptian household has a tray of mahshi felfel in its summer rotation, from Alexandria to Assiut, because the thin-skinned green peppers sold everywhere in July soften fast and soak up tomato broth. This version starts on the hob and finishes in the oven, so the tops blister and char at the edges while the rice underneath turns soft and tangy with dill and mint. Serve with a cucumber-yogurt salad and bread. Don't pack the filling down hard: rice that can't swell stays chalky in the middle. Chef's tip: slice a thin round off the base of any pepper that won't stand up; it then sits flat and cooks evenly.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 8 green peppersmedium, thin-skinned
- 9 oz Egyptian or other short-grain ricerinsed and drained
- 1 oniongrated
- 3 ripe tomatoesgrated, skins discarded
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- ⅔ oz dillchopped
- ⅓ oz fresh mintchopped
- ½ oz flat-leaf parsleychopped
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 ½ cups vegetable stockhot
- 3 garliccloves, crushed
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Cut the tops off 8 green peppers and keep them as lids. Pull out the seeds and white ribs.
10 minStep 2: Mix 9 oz Egyptian or other short-grain rice, 1 onion, 3 ripe tomatoes, 2 tbsp tomato paste, ⅔ oz dill, ⅓ oz fresh mint, ½ oz flat-leaf parsley, 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper.
5 minStep 3: Spoon the filling into the peppers until two-thirds full and put the lids back on. Stand them upright in a pot or flameproof dish.
5 minStep 4: Stir 3 garlic into 2 ½ cups vegetable stock and pour it round the peppers. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook on a low heat until the rice is almost tender.
35 minStep 5: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan). Uncover, drizzle the peppers with the rest of 1 tbsp olive oil and bake until the skins blister and darken at the edges and the rice is fully soft.
25 minStep 6: Rest 10 minutes before serving; the rice keeps firming as it cools.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 60 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mahshi felfel (Egyptian stuffed peppers) take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 65 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of egyptian or other short-grain rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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