Capsicum stuffed with fish

Stuffed capsicum with fish is an Indo-Chinese style, I liked it very much, as I have eaten chilli chicken and chicken Manchurian many times and we get it in restaurants also, which is a common and popular dish. The stuffed capsicum with fish is easy to make but little time consuming. In this fish mince is stuffed in the capsicum and deep fried and then added to the sauce. The sauce can be of your choice, you can add this to Manchurian or chilli sauce. I have cooked the sauce according to my taste I have shown you the stuffed capsicum with chicken, and stuffed capsicum with prawns; you can prepare it the same way. For vegetarians try paneer (cottage cheese) or combination of any vegetables. I have taken tilapia fillet, which you can see it in the picture; you can take any firm white fish. When I was doing this stuffed capsicum with fish, I cooked spicy chilli fish also, with other fillet of tilapia. It is up to you what you want to add. Though I have made it with the fish, but I liked the chicken and prawns one tastier.

Ingredients

  1. Tilapia fish fillet – 120 to 150 gms (1 fillet)
  2. Oil - for deep frying
  3. Capsicum (cut in squares, any colour you like) – 1 to 1 1/2
  4. Marinade

  5. Dark soya sauce – 1/2 tsp
  6. Ginger (chopped) – 3/4 tsp
  7. Sesame oil (optional) - 1/4 tsp
  8. Salt - as per taste
  9. Pepper powder (coarse) - 1/4 tsp
  10. Plain flour/corn flour – 1 tbsp
  11. Sauce

  12. Oil – 1 tbsp
  13. Onion (small, finely chopped) – 1/3 cup
  14. Green chillies (chopped) - 1
  15. Kaju (cashew nuts, roughly chopped) – 6
  16. Garlic cloves (chopped) – 1 to 1 1/2 tsp
  17. Ginger (chopped) – 1 tsp
  18. Ajinomoto - a pinch
  19. Soya sauce – 3 tsp
  20. Tomato ketchup – 2 tbsp
  21. Sugar – 3/4 tsp
  22. Sesame oil – 1 tsp
  23. Water (used twice) - 1/3 cup
  24. White or black pepper powder – 1/4 tsp or a big pinch
  25. Spring onion (for garnishing) – 1

Method

    Stuffing capsicum and frying

  1. Chop all the vegetables finely except capsicum.
  2. Can chop green chillies very finely or as a slice cut.
  3. Grind the fish into mince in a mixer for a few seconds only, then marinate it with soya sauce, Maida, salt, crushed pepper a pinch or 1/4th tsp and sesame oil, mix well and then keep it aside.
  4. Cut capsicum into square pieces, stuff fish mince with the help of a spoon or with fingers, take a tsp of mince and apply on capsicum, it will stick to it. Stuff it nicely.
  5. Sprinkle or coat with corn flour lightly on top of stuffing, wipe the excess corn flour on it, and deep fry it.
  6. Put the stuffing part first downwards, towards the oil, so that it should cook first well, turn the other side and cook it.
  7. Cook it on medium flame and be careful when capsicum is frying as it gets brown quickly.
  8. When it is cooked you can see that fish part turns golden colour and it is cooked.
  9. After frying in batches, keep it aside.
  10. Sauce

  11. Take a wider pan or kadai, add oil, when it gets warm add dry chillies, broken pieces, onion stir well till it is light soft brown colour, it will take 2 min.
  12. Add ginger, garlic, cashew, green chillies; stir well, for 30sec.
  13. If you want can add chopped spring onions also and stir fry it.
  14. Now add all sauces, ajonomoto, chilli powder, pepper powder stir well.
  15. After 30sec or immediately can add water, and cook for sometime, till all water is absorb.
  16. Cook it on medium flame, so that it is not burnt.
  17. Now add water again 1/3 cup, mix well and cook till you get the sauce consistency, stir well.
  18. When the sauce thickens and is cooked well and is enough to coat capsicum prawns pieces, mix all the capsicums pieces and mix well, but gently.
  19. While mixing you can simmer the flame, so that the sauce should not get dry soon. Switch it off.
  20. Serve with fried rice or as a starter it goes well.
  21. Optionally if you want to add corn starch

  22. Can add cornstarch when the sauce is cooked and cook for 2 to 3min.
  23. If it becomes very thick, add water and cook it, according to your consistency, add capsicum pieces and mix well and cook till it is blended or coated well with the sauce.
  24. At last, put coriander leaves and spring onions on top, mix it; switch it off the flame when capsicum pieces are well coated.
  25. Serve it as a starter or with fried rice.
  26. Additional sauce I sometime add

  27. If you want can add these ingredients while cooking.
  28. When adding sauces, if you are adding rice vinegar 3/4 tsp, then add extra soya sauce 1/2tsp and more tomato ketchup 2 tbsp, you will see that taste changes.
  29. Even when sesame oil is added taste changes.

Notes

  1. Take care of the salt as, soya sauce and ajonomoto is used.
  2. If the sauce is getting dry, can add little water and cook it.
  3. Taste and see whether you require more salt or chilli, if you like more spiciness.
  4. If require more sauce for gravy, add more ingredients like soya sauce, tomato ketchup and other ingredients.
  5. Can thicken the sauce with cornstarch (corn flour 1tsp+water1/3rd cup mix it) with 3tbsp or more.
  6. Take any firm fish which is available to you.