Chili Relleno

As much as I like making quick meals, I also like making elaborate meals once in a while. I keep these kind of meals on leisure days like weekends.

Apart from Indian food we love Mexican foods for the spice, and any Mexican recipe can be made into vegetarian recipe. So I tried making Chili Relleno over the weekend.

I got the basic sauce recipe from the TLC's Take home chef show, sauce was very simple and at the same time looked very authentic. I have modified the recipe according to my taste.




Here goes the recipe for it.
For making this dish, some Preparations are required. It takes little time, but its all worth it once you put those hot chili's with some beans and melting cheese into your mouth.

1. Roasting peppers ( Can be done on a open flame or I have used oven for roasting peppers, when roasting many peppers its very convenient doing this way)

2. Soaking Mexican chili for at least 20 min in hot water,and then grinding, this chili sauce is the base for the sauce.

3. Cooking beans, I used small lentils to stuff the chili's so it takes no soaking time and less cooking time. One can also use store brought beans, or skip beans and stuff the chili's with just cheese.

Roasting Peppers

• Pre heat oven at 450 degree Fahrenheit, Rub little oil on the peppers and arrange them on foil on a baking sheet and put it in oven, when top side starts to brown (takes about 10-12 mins) turn and brown on the other side (5-10 mins)
• Once this step is done, take out from oven and put all the chili's in covered with plastic wrap or with a plate or lid. Let it steam and leave for 10 Min's. This helps skin come out easily from the peppers.
• Once cool enough to handle, remove the skin, make slit and remove the seeds inside as well. Keep aside.

* While pepper are roasting , make the chili sauces. Explained below.

Chilli Sauce

One big Mexican hot chili. Soak in warm or hot water for at least 20 Min's or till soft. Then with the water grind to make a sauce( use adobe sauce instead). This is the base for the sauce. Keep aside.

1. Cook beans or use store brought. Take a spoon full and stuff the chili's, stuff all of them and keep aside.
2. Make the sauce, Chop onion, tomato (1 each), heat oil when hot add chopped veggies, once they are cooked till soft add chili sauce prepared earlier. Adjust according to your spice level( i have used 3/4 portion shown above) Allow it to cook and combine well add salt and adjust to taste.
3. Once done, simmer the heat on the stove.
4. Add the stuffed pepper onto the sauce, sprinkle with cheese little or more.
5. Cover with lid and cook until cheese melts (since beans and chili's are cooked, it doesn't take much time at all, it can also be done inside the oven)
6. Once the cheese melts, serve. Eat warm. Garnish with few cilantro leaves.

It tasted very authentic, spicy and very flavorful better than any restaurant food I have tasted. Making sauces at home from scratch make whole lot of difference to the dish.

Enjoy !