Lifestyle // Food

These stuffed heirloom peppers have meaty, nutty flavor

According to Ayurveda, peppers — like garlic and onions — are heating vegetables, which warm and stimulate the body. This helps prepare us for fighting off infections, which is all the more reason to eat them.

This summer, given the abundance of peppers in Texas, I have stuffed them with everything from cheese to potato to ground meat. One of the most delicious combinations is sweet potato mashed with chickpea flour, which, when toasted in oil like a roux, lends an intensely meaty and nutty flavor. The peppers can be eaten straight out of the oven or topped off with a sauce or condiment.


1 pound assorted peppers (banana, habanada or hatch)

4 tablespoons olive oil

1½ teaspoons salt, plus more for sprinkling

1 large sweet potato, mashed (roughly 1½ cups)

½ cup toasted pine nuts

1 cup loose oregano leaves, chopped fine

½ cup minced red onions

1 teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

½ cup chickpea flour

Oregano sprigs for garnish

Instructions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Leaving the seeds inside the peppers, make a slit in them to allow for stuffing then rub with 1 tablespoon of oil, a sprinkle of salt and set aside on a baking sheet.

In a large bowl, place the mashed sweet potato, pine nuts, chopped oregano, red onion, black pepper, cardamom and salt.

In a small frying pan, heat the remaining olive oil just until it is shy of smoking then add the cumin seeds — they will pop and sizzle. Immediately lower the heat and add the chickpea flour then fry in oil, constantly stirring until the chickpea flour turns golden brown and a toasted aroma emanates from it. Turn the heat off.

Combine the chickpea with the sweet potato mix until smooth and stuff each pepper with the filling. The chickpea will make the sweet potato mix a little stiffer, which is better for stuffing. There should be just enough filling for the peppers.

Roast in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until the peppers are cooked through and have golden brown flecks. Turn the heat off and serve warm or room temperature with oregano springs.


Roast sweet potato in the oven at 300 degrees for an hour to soften or boil them.

Usually banana or hatch peppers are mildly sweet but can sometimes be hot, so taste one and season accordingly.

Instead of sweet potato, use Idaho potato or butternut squash.

Add half a cup of melting cheese or chèvre to the stuffing mix.

Makes 15-17 peppers

From chef Anita Jaisinghani

Anita Jaisinghani is the chef-owner of Pondicheri restaurant in Houston. Her website is Contact her at