Stuffed bell pepper

We have been to farmers market last week end. I have never seen such variety of fruits and vegetables before.. At least half a dozen variety of Tomatoes...  And beetroots...there were red, orange and purple beets... And bell peppers... there were mini as well as huge ones in red, yellow, orange etc...
There were some youngsters dancing to the tune of rock music, some very old ladies doing hola dance, kids playing near the fountain area... All in all it was a pleasure to go and see the farmers market. Since our camera is on strike now, I couldn't take any good pics of the market...
We bought a small basket of cherry tomatoes, with mixed green, yellow, red and purple tomatoes in it. Then another small basket of peaches, then a basket of  mini yellow/orange bell peppers and a fennel root and some other stuff..
So here I am with the stuffed mini bell pepper recipe.

Ingredients:

1. Mini yellow/ red bell pepper - 5
2. Cooked rice - 1 cup
3. Tomatoes, ripe and fleshy  - 2
4. Basil leaves - 10
5. Salt to taste
6. Green chilli  - 1
7. Oil - 1 tbs
8. Garlic, chopped  - 1 tbs
9. Mozzarella cheese sticks. 1 inch length - 5

Note:

1. You may use green, yellow, orange or red mini or normal bell peppers. I prefer to use bell pepper other than green one as others taste sweet compared green one
2. You may use the cut portion of bell pepper to close it after stuffing the pepper
3. If basil leaves are not available, use coriander leaves if you like.
4. If cheese sticks are not available, use shredded cheese instead

Method:

1. Cut the top of bell pepper and remove seeds from insides without cutting through the pepper
2. Take a cup of water in a small pan and place the pepper inverted in the pan. (open side of pepper facing the water in the pan)
3. Heat the pan and let the pepper cook for 2 minutes
4. Puree the tomatoes with minimum or no water
5. Heat a thick bottomed pan and add a tbs of oil
6. Saute the garlic and green chilli in  it
7. Add tomato puree in it and let the sauce cook until it gets as thick as tomato ketchup
8. Add salt and basil leaves and give a toss
9. Add cooked rice and mix well
10. Switch off the flame when the liquid is dried and rice mix is thick (little bit thicker than curd rice)
11. You may add some Italian herb mix or oregano to rice mix(optional)
12. Fill each pepper with rice mix using a spoon
13. You may squeeze in a cheese stick into each pepper filling or simply top the filling with shredded cheese.
14. Place the stuffed pepper in a baking sheet. I used a cup cake tray instead.
15. Preheat the oven to 325 F heat
16. Bake the filled pepper for 15 minutes.

Serve the stuffed bell pepper warm!