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Postni chushki s bob
Bean-stuffed dried peppers
Постни чушки с боб: Bulgarian dried red peppers stuffed with beans for Christmas Eve
Bulgaria's Christmas Eve supper, Budni vecher, is meatless and set with an odd number of dishes, and peppers stuffed with beans are almost always among them. The peppers are the deep-red ones dried on strings in autumn; soaked, they turn soft and sweet with a smoky edge, and they are filled with white beans cooked with onion, paprika and dried mint, then baked. They are vegan, high in protein, and just as good the next day. Fresh red peppers work if you can't find dried ones. Chef's tip: cook the beans until completely soft before stuffing, because they won't soften any further inside the peppers.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 16 dried red peppers or 8 fresh red peppersstalks and seeds removed
- 1 ½ lb cooked white beans2 tins, drained, or 250 g dried, soaked and boiled
- 2 onionsfinely chopped
- 5 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 tbsp rice flour
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tbsp dried mint (dzhodzhen)
- 1 tsp dried savory or thyme
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 ¼ cups vegetable stock or bean water
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: If using dried 16 dried red peppers or 8 fresh red peppers, pour boiling water over them and soak for 30 minutes, until soft and pliable. Drain. Fresh peppers need no soaking.
30 minStep 2: Fry 2 onions in 3 tbsp sunflower oil over a medium heat for 10 minutes, until soft and golden. Stir in 1 tbsp rice flour and 2 tsp sweet paprika for 30 seconds, then take off the heat so the paprika doesn't burn.
10 minStep 3: Add 1 ½ lb cooked white beans, 1 tbsp dried mint (dzhodzhen), 1 tsp dried savory or thyme, 1 ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper and mash about a third of the beans with a fork so the filling holds together.
Step 4: Fill each pepper with the bean mixture, pressing it in gently, and lay them side by side in a baking dish. Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan).
Step 5: Pour 1 ¼ cups vegetable stock or bean water around them and drizzle with the rest of 2 tbsp sunflower oil. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes, then uncover and bake for 20 minutes more, until the peppers are very soft, browned at the edges and most of the liquid has gone. A common mistake is baking uncovered all the time, which dries and burns the thin dried peppers.
60 minStep 6: Rest for 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 280 kcal
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 13 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does postni chushki s bob take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 90 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 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 dried red peppers or 8 fresh red peppers?
- Any colour of bell pepper, same amount.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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Perfect for:Christmas