Stuffed Peppers and Mushrooms (Japanese Style)

Another great bento dish!

ingredients:
serves 2 people
1.  4 medium shitake mushrooms
2.  1 large bell pepper, cut into 4 medium sized pieces
3.  1 cup ground pork/beef (I just used a pre-packaged meatloaf mixture)
4.  1/2 cup finely chopped onion
5.  2 tsp sake
6.  1/2-3/4 of a beaten egg
7.  2 TBS panko bread crumbs
8.  1/4 tsp salt
9.  Pinch of ground pepper
10.  Flour
11.  Japanese sevan flavor chili powder for garnich
12.  extra virgin olive oil for garnish

sauce:
13.  1 TBL soy sauce 
14.  1 TBL sake
15.  1 TBL mirin
16.  1 tsp sugar


recipe:
1.  Start by cutting bell pepper into quarters and removing seeds and any white stem.
2.  Trim the top and bottom ends so that the surface of the inside of the bell pepper is relatively level and flat.  If the ends are protruding, they will block the meat from making contact with the surface of the pan.

3.  Clean mushrooms with damp paper towel, then cut off stems and finely dice the stems.
4.  Heat large nonstick pan over medium heat and add bell peppers only, skin side down.  Add a few drops of water, cover, and steam for 10 minutes.  Take out and pat dry will paper towel.
5.  Combine, meat mixture, onions, sake, egg, bread crumbs, finely diced mushroom stems, salt, and pepper into a bowl.  Mix until well combined.
6.  Heat up pan over medium heat and add a 2 tsp of oil.
7.  Lightly flour the insides of the bell peppers and the bottom of the mushrooms.
8.  Break off 8 equal balls of the meat mixture and push onto the bottom of the mushrooms and and insides of the bell pepper.  Push and flatten out the meat.
9.  Lightly flour the the meat side then add all the bell peppers and mushrooms to the pan, meat side down and lightly push down into the pan.  Cook for 2-4 minutes or until the meat has browned nicely.
10.  Flip all the pieces over, add 1 TBL of sake, cover, and let cook for another 5 minutes.
11.  Meanwhile, combine soy sauce, sake, mirin, and sugar into a small bowl and mix.
12.  After 5 min, check to see if the meat has finished cooking through.  You can cut into it to check doneness.  If still not done, cover and cook for another few minutes.
13.  Take off cover and allow all the excess liquid to evaporate, then plate the bell peppers and mushrooms.
14.  Add sauce to pan and heat until bubbling and slightly reduced.
15.  Pour sauce over mushrooms and bell peppers.
16.  Drizzle each piece with 1/4 tsp of extra virgin olive oil and a slight sprinkling of sevan flavor chili powder.  Tastes great hot and fresh, but can also be used for bento.  If using for bento, cut up bell peppers and mushrooms into bite sized pieces before placing into bento box.