Ukrainian Stuffed Peppers

700g. ground beef

20-25 medium bell peppers (should weigh about 1.5kg total)

1/2 c. rice, cooked

1-2 T. vegetable oil

2 med. onions, diced

1 lg carrot, grated

1 lg. clove garlic, crushed

2 eggs, beaten

salt to taste

2 med. tomatoes, diced

dash vinegar

Saute onion, carrot, and cooked rice in vegetable oil. Cool. Cut off tops of peppers and scoop out the insides. Add meat, garlic, salt, vinegar, and tomatoes to the rice mixture. Add eggs.

Stuff peppers with the meat mixture, and stack them in a lidded oven-safe dish.

Sauce:

1/3 c. vegetable oil

2 T. tomato paste

2 c. water

1 T. sugar

2 bay leaves

1 t. salt

dash vinegar

300 ml of sour cream

Heat oil in frying pan, and add remaining ingredients. Saute over medium heat for a few minutes. Add 300ml of sour cream, and mix thoroughly.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Pour sauce over peppers in baking dish. Add more water, if necessary, so that the sauce comes up to the top of the peppers. Heat the dish on the stovetop on high heat, bringing the sauce to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer for 20-30 min. Transfer to oven and bake with lid cracked/open for 30 min., then turn heat down to 200 F, cover with lid, and bake for another hour.