Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

Red peppers – 6
Chopped onion – ½ cup
Chopped celery – ½ cup
Chopped ginger – 1 tsp
Chopped garlic – 1 tsp
Diced tomatoes – 1 cup
Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
Pepper powder – ½ tsp
Ground beef – ¾ lb
Cooked long grain rice – 1 ½ cups
Egg - 1
Butter – 1 tsp
Cooking oil
Cheese (optional)
Salt to taste

Directions
1. Cut the peppers into halves or cut the top off. Remove seeds and membranes.
2. Rinse peppers with cold water.
3. Boil the peppers in salted water. Reduce the flame, cover the vessel and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Drain peppers and keep aside.
5. Heat oil and butter, sauté chopped onion, ginger, garlic and celery for 5 minutes.
6. Add garam masala powder, pepper powder, salt and diced tomatoes. Remove from flame.
7. Add lightly beaten egg into that, gently stir to blend. Add ground beef and cooked rice. Mix well.
8. Stuff peppers with meat mixture and place in a baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes.
9. If desired, top stuffed peppers with a little shredded cheese just before peppers are done; bake until cheese is melted.