Each month, we’re blogging out original and delicious recipes featuring one of our Reluctant Trading spices. The recipes are formulated exclusively for us by the super-talented and super-friendly Sarah Marshall.
So what’s our spice of the month, you ask? Drumroll please - Rajasthani Red Paprika - aka Kashmiri Chili!
Our fresh Indian Rajasthani Red Paprika (Kashmiri chili) is hot and complex. It’s smoky, but not smoked. Our award-winning chefs love our ground paprika.
When I unboxed the lovely array of spices Scott sent me from Reluctant Trading, I must admit I wasn’t familiar with Rajasthani Red Paprika.
Of course, I am very familiar with both Hungarian sweet and Spanish smoked paprika made from red bell peppers. The Hungarian variety is usually neither sweet nor spicy and is often used more for the color it brings to food. Spanish smoked paprika is dried over a wood fire and can be spicy depending on how it is made.
I assumed Rajasthani Red Paprika would be some sort of mild, Indian powdered chili. Boy, was I wrong.
As soon as I opened Reluctant Trading’s Rajasthani Red Paprika, I recognized it as a fresh batch of ground Kashmiri Chili.
Scott told me that while paprika is not indigenous to India, that many Indians call their Kashmiri chili "paprika" instead. Thus, the name.
So, this paprika isn’t traditional paprika as you know it, but instead freshly ground Indian Kashmiri chilies.
This ground chili is wonderfully fruity, slightly smoky, and packs a spicy punch. It will bring color, flavor and a deep pepper backbone to your dishes.
I had purchased Kashmiri chili from a local Indian grocery store awhile back, but the usually vibrant chili powder had been on the shelf for far too long. It was faded and scentless. It has been hard to find a trusted source, until now. Thank you, Scott, for bringing this beautiful dried pepper into our kitchens and hearts (and stomachs)!
My husband recently started making themed lunches for our daughter. Her requests range from mermaids to spooky monsters. So now each dish we eat together is tiny, cute, and tasty.
That tradition inspired me to prepare this month’s recipe, Eggs in Purgatory, in cute, hollowed-out bell peppers. I call it "Eggs in Bell Pepper Purgatory."
– Sarah Marshall
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Step 2
In a medium saucepan, over medium high heat, add the olive oil. Once shimmering, add onions and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
Step 3
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, it will bubble a bit, stir and add garlic, preserved lemon, and salt. Turn heat to medium-low, let simmer for 5 minutes. Add the garbanzo beans, let simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes, until the sauce is thick.
Step 4
While the sauce is reducing, remove the tops from the bell peppers; carefully pull out the seeds and piths. Brush the inside and outside of the peppers with olive oil.
Step 5
Fill each bell pepper with ½ cup of hot filling. Press the filling with the back of a spoon to make an indention, break an egg into the bell and lean the pepper against the side of a glass baking dish. Repeat with remaining bell peppers and eggs.
Step 6
Place the dish into the center of the oven, bake 15-20 minutes until bell peppers are slightly tender, the whites of the eggs are set, and the yolks are cooked to desired runniness. Top with feta and cilantro. Enjoy!
I assumed Rajasthani Red Paprika would be some sort of mild, Indian powdered chili. Boy, was I wrong.
Sarah is the owner of Marshall’s Haute Sauce. Her small batch sauce company grew from her love of gardening, and background in home preserving. Sarah is passionate about farmers, artisan producers, and canning seasonal ingredients. She spends her free time teaching canning classes, experimenting in the kitchen, and organizing a local canning club- Portland Preservation Society. Her love for canning and preserving all things local, inspired her to write Preservation Pantry: Modern Canning From Root To Top And Stem To Core. Be sure to check out Marshall’s Haute Sauce Variety Pack. Best hot sauce evah!
Also, be sure to check out Sarah’s other recipes.