Syrian Stuffed Peppers
Syrian Stuffed Peppers
If there's one common denominator in Syrian cooking...it's stuffing vegetables! We excel at finding wonderfully fresh vegetables, like squash, zucchini, peppers, cabbage, even onions, and tomatoes and filling them.
One of our family’s favorite comfort foods is our Syrian Stuffed Peppers. As veggies go, either the green, red or yellow pepper varieties are equally delicious and so easy to do. When choosing peppers for stuffing, look for four bumps on the bottom, as they are firmer and better for cooking. Three bumps on the bottom mean a sweeter pepper, which is better in a salad or eaten raw with a dip. I’ve also noticed that there’s a subtle difference in the flavor of each color. Try them all in one pot and you’ll find that your family will find their favorites!
Stuffed Peppers Uncooked
The spice blend that Sitto always pounded into a paste in her Hehwan, her brass mortar and pestle brought from Aleppo, the simmering sauce, aromatic with these Syrian spices, tomatoes and tamarind is what truly sets this dish apart.
A good tip in preparing any of these stuffed vegetables is to make the filling early in the day, freeing up the time needed as you put the recipe together. I usually hollow out, rinse and prepare the fresh peppers and put them in a baggy for later. At dinner time, I can prepare the sauce and fill the peppers. On a busy day, pre-planning makes mealtime so much happier!