Millet Pilaf in Peppers
Submitted by robertloy
Stuffed bell peppers filled with millet pilaf cooked in a cilantro-lime-serrano broth with corn and tomatoes. A vibrant vegan main dish topped with pine nuts.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
30 minREADY
40 minA vegetarian stuffed pepper that’s nothing like the usual ground beef and rice version. Millet gets stir-fried with diced yellow pepper, then simmered in a blended cilantro, lime, ginger, and serrano chile broth until fluffy and fragrant. Corn and chopped tomatoes round it out before everything gets mounded into blanched red bell pepper halves and baked.
The blended chile-cilantro broth is what makes this special. Serrano pepper, fresh ginger, cilantro, and lime juice pureed together create an intensely aromatic cooking liquid that infuses the millet as it absorbs every drop.
Stir-frying the millet in oil before adding liquid toasts the grains slightly, giving the finished pilaf a nuttier flavor and better texture. Think of it like toasting rice for a risotto.
Kitchen Tips
- Blanch the pepper halves for exactly 4 minutes. Too long and they collapse in the oven. Too short and they stay crunchy.
- Let the pilaf rest for 5 minutes after cooking before fluffing. This allows the last bit of steam to finish the job.
- Mound the filling generously into the peppers. It won’t expand during baking.
- Pine nuts or pumpkin seeds on top add a necessary crunch contrast to the soft pilaf.
Variations
- Use quinoa instead of millet for a higher-protein version.
- Add crumbled feta or queso fresco on top after baking for a tangy, salty finish.
- Swap the serrano for a milder jalapeño if you want less heat.
Ingredients
Directions
Combine chili, ginger, cilantro and lime juice in a blender and process until smooth.
Add water and set aside.
Heat oil over moderate heat.
Add millet and diced pepper and stir-fry 3 to 4 minutes.
Add blender ingredients, corn, tomato, salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and cook until the liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes.
Set aside for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
Preheat oven to 375℉ (190℃).
To prepare peppers, halve them lengthwise, derib them and remove seeds.
Blanch for 4 minutes in boiling water, drain and pat dry.
Mound the pilaf into the pepper halves, sprinkle with pine nuts or pumpkin seeds.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
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