Piman No Nikuzume

Ingredients

• 5green bell pepperhalved lengthwise, seeds and membranes removed
• 7¾ ozground meatmixed beef/pork or chicken; for the filling
• 1onionfinely chopped, for the filling
• 1Eggbinds the filling
• 4 tbspPanko breadcrumbsfor the filling
• 2 pinchsaltkneaded into the meat
• Pepperto taste
• 1 tbspFlourfor dusting the inside of the peppers so the filling sticks
• 1 tbspoilfor frying
• 2 tspsoy saucein the filling or the sauce
• 3 tbspKetchupfor the pan sauce
• 1 tbspsaketo season the filling or for steaming
• 1 tbspmisomixed with sake to season the filling (optional)
• 1 clovesgarlicgrated or finely chopped (optional)
• 1⅓ ozCheesefor topping and grilling (optional)

Method

1. Prepare and flour the peppersHalve the green peppers lengthwise and carefully remove the seeds and membranes. Dust the insides lightly with flour and tap off the excess so the filling will stick later.
2. Knead the meat with saltPut the ground meat and salt in a bowl and knead firmly until the mixture turns sticky and starts to cling in strands. This keeps the filling juicy and in one piece while it cooks.
3. Mix in the remaining ingredientsMix in the finely chopped onion, the egg, the panko, the sake and some black pepper. If you like, stir the miso into the sake first and add grated garlic as well.
4. Stuff the pepper halvesPress the filling firmly into the pepper halves so there are no gaps, and smooth the tops.
5. Sear the filling sideHeat the neutral oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Lay the peppers in meat-side down and sear for 2 to 4 minutes, until the filling is nicely browned.
6. Turn and cook coveredTurn the peppers over, lower the heat and cover the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the meat is cooked all the way through. If you're using cheese, scatter it over the filling after turning and let it melt under the lid.
7. Reduce the sauce in the panTake the peppers out of the pan. In the same pan, bring the ketchup and soy sauce to a boil and stir for a moment until slightly thickened.
8. Plate and pour over the sauceArrange the stuffed peppers on plates and spoon the warm sauce over them.

Tips and variations

For a lighter version, mix ground chicken with silken tofu, top the peppers with cheese and bake them under the grill instead of frying. For more depth, caramelize the onion first, add miso and garlic to the filling and a little honey to the sauce. You can also skip the sauce entirely: score the outside of the peppers with a fork and serve them with grated daikon and soy sauce. Another take uses ground chicken with mayonnaise in the filling, potato starch for dusting and a little mayonnaise on top. Serving tip: pour the sauce over just before serving so the browned meat side stays crisp.