EN DE FR ES PT IT
Watercress & Low-Fat Paneer Stuffed Mini Capsicum Boats with Onion, Tomato and Chaat Masala
Recipe

Watercress & Low-Fat Paneer Stuffed Mini Capsicum Boats with Onion, Tomato and Chaat Masala

Starter • India

Mini capsicum halves are lightly roasted and stuffed with a fresh watercress and low-fat paneer mix tossed with onion, tomato, lemon and chaat masala. A high-fibre, vegetable-forward Indian starter with minimal added fat.

Why smarter

Uses low-fat paneer for lighter protein, plenty of watercress and vegetables for fibre and micronutrients, and relies on lemon, spices and herbs instead of butter or cream—supporting a cholesterol-conscious approach.

Chef tip

To keep the boats crisp, cool the roasted capsicums 5 minutes and drain chopped tomatoes well before mixing so the filling stays fluffy, not watery.

Soft line

Serve immediately as a party starter, or prep the filling ahead and assemble just before serving.

Ingredients

# Ingredient Text Amount Unit Ingredient Name Notes
1 Mini capsicums (sweet peppers), halved lengthwise and deseeded 12.000 pieces mini capsicums
2 Low-fat paneer, crumbled 200.000 g low-fat paneer
3 Watercress, finely chopped 60.000 g watercress About 2 packed cups
4 Onion, finely chopped 80.000 g onion About 1 small
5 Tomato, deseeded and finely chopped 120.000 g tomato About 1 medium; drain excess juice
6 Roasted cumin powder 1.000 tsp roasted cumin powder
7 Chaat masala 1.250 tsp chaat masala Adjust to taste
8 Red chilli powder 0.500 tsp red chilli powder Optional
9 Fresh lemon juice 1.000 tbsp lemon juice
10 Extra-virgin olive oil or mustard oil (for brushing) 1.000 tsp oil Keep minimal for a lighter starter
11 Black salt (kala namak), to taste 0.250 tsp black salt Optional; reduce if chaat masala is salty
12 Fresh coriander leaves, chopped 2.000 tbsp coriander leaves

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 200°C. Arrange the mini capsicum halves cut-side up on a tray. Lightly brush with the oil and roast for 8–10 minutes, just until slightly tender but still crisp.
  2. Meanwhile, make the stuffing: in a bowl mix crumbled low-fat paneer, chopped watercress, onion, drained tomato and coriander.
  3. Season the stuffing with roasted cumin powder, chaat masala, red chilli powder (if using), lemon juice and black salt. Mix gently; taste and adjust lemon/chaat masala.
  4. Cool the roasted capsicums for 5 minutes, then spoon the watercress-paneer mixture into each capsicum half, pressing lightly so it holds.
  5. Serve as a starter at room temperature or slightly chilled, finishing with a light extra sprinkle of chaat masala if desired.