DONNE MENANSINAKAYI MOSARU SASIVE

 DONNE MENANSINAKAYI MOSARU SASIVE

Capsicum ( called Bell Pepper in the United States) is a commonly available vegetable in India. In Hindi, it is called Shimla Mirch while as in Kannada, it is called Donne Menasinakayi.
We use this versatile vegetable to make side dishes, snacks, as well as raita.

As you know, capsicum/ bell pepper has several health benefits. 

We like capsicum a lot in my family,. So, it is not surprising that you will find many recipes for dishes made with capsicum in this blog, including:-

• Cabbage Stuffed Capsicum 
• Besan Wali Simla Mirch
• Capsicum Menaskai 
• Gobhi Shimla Mirch

Today's dish is from my Home State of Karnataka. It goes well with hot steamed rice and is made with capsicum/bell pepper and curds. The grinding of mustard seeds (called Sasive in Kannada) along with coconut gratings and chillies gives it a distinctive flavour which we love! I have adapted this from a YouTube video by Veg Recipes of Karnataka.

We loved this with hot steamed rice and rasam. I am sure you will like this too! 

Ingredients:

• Capsicum, large- sized,  2 
• Fresh Curds 1/2 cup
• Salt, to taste 

To Be Ground To A Paste:-

• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1/2 cup
• Green Chillies, 2
• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp

For Seasoning :-

• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Urad Dal, 1 tsp
• Red Chilli, broken into halves, 1
• Curry Leaves, a few
• Asafoetida, 1/4 tsp 
• Oil, 1 tbsp

Method:- 

Wash the capsicum and remove the stalk, cut the capsicum and discard the core

Chop the capsicum into small pieces

In a mixer jar, grind together the fresh coconut gratings, green chillies and mustard seeds to a fine paste adding the required amount of water. Keep aside

Heat oil in a thick bottomed kadhai and on medium heat, add the mustard seeds

When they start to splutter add the urad dal and saute till the dal changes colour

Add the broken red chilli, asafoetida and curry leaves and saute for a few seconds

To this add the chopped capsicum and a little salt. Saute on medium heat till the capsicum gets cooked  and a little roasted  ( take care this does not get burnt) 

Allow this to cool

In a bowl mix together the freshly ground paste and the curds

Now add the roasted capsicum and salt to taste. Mix well

Add water -only if required - to get the desired raita-like consistency 

Serve with hot steamed rice

CAPSICUM CURRY

 CAPSICUM CURRY

Capsicums -more commonly known as bell peppers in the US- come in different colours. The yellow and red ones are particularly attractive but more common are the green ones, which I use quite frequently.

Capsicums are strong in Vitamin C and have other health benefits as well. Elsewhere in this blog, you will find other recipes made with capsicum, such as :-

• Tilli Phalli Shimla Mirch
• Capsicum Masala Curry 
• Capsicum & Onion Chutney

Today's recipe is adapted from Capsicum Curry from the popular website Indian Healthy Recipes. 

We enjoyed this with hot chapatis. 

Ingredients:-

• Capsicum/Bell pepper, 250 to  300 gms
• Onions, 2  
• Ginger Garlic Paste, 1 and 1/2 tsp
• Tomato, 1
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Chilli Powder, 1 tsp
• Coriander Powder, 1 tsp
• Garam Masala, 1/2 tsp
• Dried Fenugreek Leaves (Kasuri Methi), 1 tsp
• Curry Leaves, a few
• Cumin Seeds, 1/4 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 2 tbsp ( 1 + 1) 

To Roast & Blend For the Masala : 

• Peanuts, 1 and 1/2 tbsp 
• Coconut Gratings OR Dry Copra, 1 and 1/2 tbsp
• Sesame Seeds, (Til), 3/4 tbsp 

Method:-

Wash the capsicum, discard the core and seeds. Cube the capsicum and keep aside

Finely chop 1 onion 

Cube the other onion separating the layers 

Chop the tomato

In a thick-bottomed kadhai, dry roast the peanuts till they change colour

Lower the heat, add coconut gratings and sesame seeds and roast till the sesame seeds begin to pop

Transfer to a plate and let it cool

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in the same kadhai and add the finely chopped onion and fry till it turns slightly golden

Add the ginger garlic paste and sauté till the raw smell goes

Next add the chopped tomatoes and cook till they become soft and mushy 

To this add salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala 

Mix well and fry till the mixture gets well cooked  and leaves the sides of the kadhai

Allow this to cool completely 

In a mixer jar, grind together the roasted peanuts-coconut-sesame seeds, and the onion-tomato mixture to a smooth paste adding required amount of water 

Heat 1 tbsp oil in the kadhai and on medium heat add the cumin seeds and when they sizzle add the curry leaves and sauté 

Next add the cubed capsicum and cubed onion with the separated layers 

Saute on high flame for a couple of minutes

Add the freshly ground mixture and required water to get the desired consistency 

Mix well and bring to a boil. Check for salt and add if required 

Reduce the heat, cover and cook for a few minutes till the capsicums get cooked but remain crunchy

Take care not to overcook the capsicum

Lightly crush the kasuri methi between your palms and add this to the curry and stir well

Switch off the gas and transfer to a serving bowl

Serve Capsicum Curry with fried rice, or chapatis

CAPSICUM MASALA PORIYAL

 CAPSICUM MASALA PORIYAL 

Capsicum is a popular vegetable that is available in three colours: red, green, and yellow. Thanks to its bright colouring, we can use this to make dishes which are attractive to look at and yummy to taste. This versatile veggie can be used to make a wide variety of dishes.

In the United States, what we call Capsicum in India is referred to as Bell Pepper. This is called Shimla Mirch in Hindi and Donne Manasinakayi in Kannada.  

Capsicum is said to have several health benefits.

Elsewhere in the blog you will find recipes for dishes made with capsicum, such as :-

• Tilli Phalli Shimla Mirch 
• Kadhai Paneer With Bellpepper
• Capsicum Raita

Today's recipe is for an easy to make and visually attractive side dish made with capsicum /bell pepper of three colours. This has been adapted from Capsicum Masala Poriyal  by Padma Veeranki in the popular website Archana's Kitchen. 

 I made this in the US when we entertained some friends and it was very much appreciated. It tasted great.

Ingredients:-

• Capsicum (Red, Yellow and Green) 3
• Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp
• Onion, 1
• Curry Leaves, a sprig
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 1 tsp
• Coriander Leaves,  2 tbsp, for garnish

For the Masala Powder:-

• Roasted Peanuts, 1/2 cup
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1 tbsp
• Byadgi Dry Red Chillies, 4
• Garlic Cloves, 3
• Cumin Seeds, 1 tsp

Method:-

Wash the capsicum, cut them into cubes after removing the stalk and core

Chop the onion

Finely chop the coriander leaves

If you don't have roasted peanuts readily available, dry roast the peanuts in a kadhai on medium heat.

Allow the roasted peanuts to cool, de-skin  and keep aside

In a mixer grinder,  dry grind together the roasted peanuts, coconut gratings, Byadgi dry red chillies, garlic cloves and cumin seeds to a coarse powder, and keep aside

Heat the kadhai, add 1 tsp of oil and on medium heat add the mustard seeds, when they splutter add the curry leaves and sauté

Next add the chopped onions and sauté till they are translucent

To this add the cubed capsicum and salt to taste. Stir fry for 4-5 minutes

Now add the freshly ground powder you have prepared and sauté for 5 minutes till the capsicum is well coated with the masala powder

Take care not to overcook the capsicum. They should be cooked yet remain crunchy. 

Switch off the gas and transfer the dish to a serving bowl

Finally, garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves

Serve the Capsicum Masala Poriyal hot as a side dish with the main meal 

BROCCOLI BELL PEPPER STIR FRY

BROCCOLI BELL PEPPER STIR FRY

Broccoli ( pronounced with the second "o" being silent) is a vegetable which belongs to the same family as cauliflower and cabbage. It has numerous health benefits as described in this article in BBC Good Food.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes which make use of broccoli such as:-

• Broccoli & Almond Soup 
• Broccoli Stir Fry

Today's recipe has bell pepper (also popularly known as capsicum) apart from broccoli and is relatively easy to make.

It can be served as a side dish with rotis or rice.

Ingredients:-

• Broccoli, 250 grams
• Bell Pepper/ Capsicum, medium-sized, 1
• Chickpea Flour (Besan) , 1/3 cup 
• Large-sized Onion, finely chopped, 1
• Garlic Pods, peeled and finely chopped, 3-4
• Green Chilli, ( long variety), chopped, 1
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Chilli Powder, 1 tsp
• Coriander Powder, 1 tbsp 
• Cumin Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 1 to 1 and 1/2 tbsp

Method:- 

Wash the broccoli and break them into small florets
Wash the bell pepper, de-seed and chop it into 1/2 inch cubes
Heat a thick bottomed, non-stick kadhai and dry roast the besan over medium/low flame stirring continuously till it gives off a nice aroma or for about 2-3 minutes. Keep aside
In the same kadhai add oil and on medium heat add the cumin seeds and when they sizzle add the
chopped onion, garlic, green chilli and saute for a couple of minutes till the onion becomes translucent
To this add the chopped bell pepper and sauté for a minute
Add the broccoli florets, salt to taste, mix well and sprinkle a little water
Cook covered on medium heat, stirring from time to time for about 5 minutes or till the bell pepper and broccoli get done
Take care that they do not get overcooked
Now add the turmeric powder, chilli powder and coriander powder
Mix well and cook till the broccoli and bell pepper get well blended with the spice powders
Next add the roasted besan little by little and mix well taking care to see that they don't form lumps
Sprinkle a little water and once again cook partially covered on medium heat till the besan gets cooked and the stir fry becomes dry
Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot

PANEER CAPSICUM STIR FRY

PANEER CAPSICUM STIR FRY

We use paneer (Indian cottage cheese) quite often in my house. I go in for store bought paneer and do not make this at home.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for some yummy starters such as Paneer Tikka Kathi Rolls, Garlicky Chilli Paneer, and Chatakedar Paneer.

Today's recipe is for a stir fry made with paneer and capsicum ( bell pepper) which can be made very easily and quickly. It is a time saver and makes for a much sought after starter.

This can be also be served as a side dish. We had this as a side dish yesterday and later I used what was left as a filling for grilled sandwiches and it tasted great! Today's recipe has been adapted from Paneer Capsicum Stir Fry by the legendary Tarlaji Dalal.

Ingredients:-

• Paneer (Cottage Cheese), 200 grams 
• Capsicum/Bell Pepper, small-sized, 1
• Garlic Paste, 1 tsp
• Chilli Paste, 1/2 tsp
• Coriander Seeds, coarsely crushed, 1 tsp
• Green Chillies, 1 or 2
• Ginger, chopped, 1/2 tsp
• Tomato, medium- sized, 1 
• Kasuri Methi, (Dried Fenugreek Leaves), 1/4 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 1 tbsp
• Coriander Leaves, 1 tbsp, for garnish

Method:-

Cut the paneer into even sized cubes

Cut the capsicum into thin slices

Finely chop the green chillies, tomato and coriander leaves

In a non-stick kadhai, heat the oil and when it gets hot add the garlic paste and saute on medium flame for a few seconds till you get a nice aroma 

Add the capsicum slices, chilli paste,  and crushed coriander seeds and saute on low flame for 1 minute

Next add the chopped green chillies, chopped ginger and saute again for a few seconds

Add the chopped tomato, mix well and cook on medium flame for 2 minutes  

Add the kasuri methi and salt to taste and mix well

Cook on medium flame for 1 minute

Now add the paneer cubes, and mix them taking care that they don't break and cook for 1 more minute on medium flame 

Finally, garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves

Serve hot as a starter or as a side dish

CAULIFLOWER PEPPER MASALA

CAULIFLOWER PEPPER MASALA

Today's dish is made with two vegetables I like a lot namely cauliflower and bell pepper which is commonly called capsicum in India.  You will find recipes of both these dishes elsewhere in this blog such as our Cauliflower Ambat, Gobhi ka Kheema, Capsicum Masala Rice, and Capsicum Masala Curry.

I have made this Cauliflower Pepper Masala to suit my taste. You can of course tweak the recipe to your preferred spice levels.

We had this dish adapted from Cauliflower Pepper Masala by Vah Chef as a side dish with rotis. In case you want to use this in a Chapati Roll/Wrap, you may like to reduce the size of the cauliflower. However, don't cut the cauliflower florets too small as cauliflower cooks very fast and we don't want it to get overcooked or mushy.

Ingredients:-

• Cauliflower Florets, 2 cups
• Medium-sized Red Bell Pepper, 1/2
• Medium-sized Green Bell Pepper, 1/2
• Cumin Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Ginger, chopped, 1/2  tsp
• Garlic, chopped, 1/2 tsp
• Onion, sliced, 1
• Green Chillies, slit, 1-2
• Tomato Puree, 1 tsp
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Coriander Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Chilli Powder, 1/2  tsp
• Coriander Leaves, finely chopped, 1 tbsp 
• Black Pepper, crushed, 1 tsp
• Lemon Juice, 1 tsp 
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 2 tbsp

Method:-

Wash the cauliflower and break it into florets

Boil the cauliflower florets in water adding a little salt and turmeric powder

Cook the cauliflower (taking care that it remains firm but does not get overcooked), drain the water and keep aside
Wash and cut the red and green bell peppers into bite size pieces and keep aside

Heat oil in a thick bottomed kadhai and when it gets hot add the cumin seeds and when they sizzle add the chopped ginger and garlic and saute till they give off a good aroma
Next add the sliced onion and a little salt and saute till the onion becomes translucent
Add the slit green chillies and tomato puree and saute till the tomato puree evaporates
Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, chilli powder, and mix well
Now add the bell pepper pieces and the cooked cauliflower florets
Saute till the cauliflower florets are well coated with the masala
To this add the finely chopped coriander leaves, freshly crushed black pepper, and the lemon juice
Mix well and stir over high flame
Serve hot as a side dish with rice or rotis or as a filling for Roti/Chappati Rolls/Wraps.

PODI CAPSICUM CURRY

PODI CAPSICUM CURRY

We are fond of capsicum (better known as bell pepper in North America) and I make this fairly often. Not surprisingly, therefore,  you will find numerous dishes made with capsicum in this blog such as Mushroom & Bellpepper Stir Fry,  Besan Wali Simla Mirch, and Capsicum & Potato Kairas.

Saffola cooking oil has been a household name in India for many years. Today's recipe gets it's name from the spice mix (freshly ground mix) or podi used with the capsicums. This has been adapted from Podi Capsicum Curry from Saffola Fit Foodie website. We use just 1 tsp of oil and this recipe is part of their series of Healthy Recipes.

You can use either Amchur or Tamarind Paste for this dish. I used the latter.

Tips:

• Take care not to dry roast the ingredients for spice mix on high heat. Use medium heat instead. 
• Use pulse mode for grinding the spice mix so that they get coarsely grounded and don't leave excess oil

Ingredients:

• Capsicums, large-sized, 3
• Cumin Seeds (Jeera) , 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida (Hing), 1/8 tsp
• Dry Mango Powder (Amchur), 1 tsp OR Tamarind Paste, 1/2 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Saffola Oil, 1 tsp

For the Spice Mix:

• Dried Red Chillies, 4
• Coriander Seeds, 2 tsp
• Ural Dal, (Split Black Gram Dal), 2 tbsp
• Chana Dal,  (Bengal Gram Dal) 2 tbsp
• Til (Sesame Seeds) , 1 tbsp
• Peanuts, 2 tbsp

Method:

Wash and de-seed the capsicum and chop them into 1" squares. Keep aside.

Dry roast all the ingredients listed under " For The Spice Mix" in a kadhai on medium heat stirring continuously until the dals change colour, the chillies become crisp and the peanuts are well roasted
Allow them to cool, transfer to a mixer and grind them, using pulse mode to a coarse powder without adding any water.  Keep aside.

Heat 1 tsp of oil in the same kadhai, and on medium heat add jeera and once they sizzle and change colour,  add asafoetida, saute for a few seconds
Next add the chopped capsicum, mix well and cook on medium heat for 6-7 minutes till they get cooked yet remain firm and crunchy

To this, add salt to taste and the freshly prepared spice mix, and amchur or tamarind paste
Mix well so that the capsicums get well blended with the spice mix

Transfer to serving bowl and serve hot with rotis

BABYCORN AND CAPSICUM RICE

BABYCORN AND CAPSICUM RICE

The beauty of coloured capsicum (which is what bellpepper is popularly called here in India) is that apart from its health properties and taste, it adds considerably to the visual appeal of the dish. Here for example is one such dish, a simple preparation using two of my favourite vegetables, babycorn and capsicum. 

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for Capsicum Masala Curry, Red Bellpepper and Tomato Chutney, Babycorn Masala, and Spicy Babycorn Satay.

This dish is relatively easy to make especially since most of us often have cooked rice handy. It is adapted from Babycorn & Capsicum Rice by Tarlaji Dalal. 

We had it the other day and it tasted just great!!

                                                                                                         

Ingredients:

• Babycorn, chopped, 3/4 cup
• Coloured Capsicum, ( Red, Yellow & Green)  chopped, 3/4 cup 
• Cooked Rice, 2 heaped cups
• Oil, 1 tbsp
• Onions, finely chopped, 1/2 cup
• Garlic, finely chopped, 1 tsp
• Tomato Ketchup, 4 tbsp
• Tomato Puree, 1 tbsp
• Chilli Powder, 1 tsp
• Sugar, a pinch
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground Pepper, to taste

Method:

Chop roughly equal proportions of red, yellow and green capsicum such that you have 3/4 cup in all. 

Heat oil in a broad non-stick pan, and when it gets hot add the finely chopped onions and garlic
Saute on medium flame for 1 minute 

Add the chopped babycorn and coloured capsicum, mix well and saute for another 3-4 minutes 

Now add the tomato ketchup, tomato puree, chilli powder and sugar

Mix well and cook on medium flame for 1 minute 

To this add the cooked rice, salt and pepper

Mix well so that the capsicum, babycorn and the rice get well blended and cook on medium flame for 1-2 minutes

Serve hot 

CAPSICUM MASALA CURRY

CAPSICUM MASALA CURRY

Capsicum/bellpepper is a vegetable I use often especially since it has several health benefits. Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for other capsicum dishes such as Paneer Simla Mirch Masala,  Besanwali Simla Mirch, and Capsicum Raita.

Recently I tried out a dish called Capsicum Masala Curry which we enjoyed both with rice and with rotis.

Today's recipe for Capsicum Masala Curry was pointed out to me by my friend, Soumya Pai K in a cooking group in which we are members. I have adapted this from a post in Food Viva.com.

Ingredients:

Capsicum, ( Simla Mirch), medium-sized, 2
Coriander Seeds, 2 tsp
Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1 and 1/2 tbsp
Dry Red Chilli, 1 or 2, as per taste
Sesame Seeds, (Til) 1 tsp
Peanuts, 1/4 cup
Cumin Seeds, (Jeera) 1/2 tsp
Onion, medium-sized, finely chopped, 1
Garlic cloves, crushed, 2
Red Chilli Powder, 1/2 tsp, or to taste
Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
Lemon Juice, 1/2 tsp
Oil, 1 and 1/2 tbsp
Salt, to taste,
Water, 3/4 cup

Method:

Wash, de-seed and cut the capsicum into bite-sized pieces. Keep aside.
Dry roast the peanuts in a kadhai and keep aside.
In the same kadhai, dry roast on low flame for a couple of minutes the coriander seeds, coconut gratings, dry red chilli and sesame seeds till they give off a nice aroma
Transfer this to a plate and allow it to cool
In a small mixer jar, grind the roasted and cooled ingredients along with the roasted peanuts to make a fine masala powder. Keep aside.
Heat oil in the kadhai and when it gets hot, reduce the flame add the cumin seeds and once they sizzle add the chopped onion and crushed garlic
Saute until the onions turn a light pink
Add the capsicum pieces and sprinkle salt over it
Saute capsicum until it becomes tender but take care that it does not get overcooked but remains a little crisp
Add turmeric powder and red chilli powder (quantity of chilli powder can vary as per the spice level you desire)
Mix and cook for 1 minute
Now add the ground masala powder, prepared earlier, lemon juice, and salt
Mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes
Then add 3/4 cup water and bring to a boil and cook until the gravy thickens to the consistency you require
Turn off the gas
Transfer curry to serving bowl and serve hot with rice as a side dish, or with rotis.

CAPSICUM AND POTATO KAIRAS

CAPSICUM AND POTATO KAIRAS

This dish is popular amongst the Saraswat Brahmin community and I learnt this from a close friend years ago. There are different methods of making this as is the case with any dish. In one the groundnuts are boiled and added, while as here they are roasted and ground into the masala.

Since I like both capsicum and potatoes I became fond of this dish, which goes well both with rice and with chappatis.

Ingredients:

• Capsicum (Bell Pepper), large-sized, 3
• Potato, 1
• Coconut Gratings, 2 tbsp
• Roasted Byadgi Red Chillies, 7
• Tamarind, marble sized ball
• Sesame seeds, 1 tbsp
• Groundnuts, 2 tbsp
• Urad Dal, 1 tbsp
• Coriander Seeds, 1 tbsp
• Jaggery, grated, 1 tbsp, or to taste
• Mustard Seeds, 3/4 tsp
• Curry Leaves, a few
• Oil, 1 tbsp

Method:

Wash and de-seed the capsicums and cut them into bite-sized pieces

Wash, peel and cube the potato
In a little oil, roast the groundnuts, urad dal, sesame seeds and coriander seeds separately till they turn slightly golden brown

In a mixer, grind together coconut gratings, roasted red chillies, tamarind, roasted groundnuts, sesame seeds, urad dal and coriander seeds, adding just the required amount of water to a fine paste

Heat oil in a kadhai and when it gets hot add the mustard seeds, when they splutter add the curry leaves

Next add the cut capsicum pieces and the cubed potato

Add salt, mix, sprinkle a little water and cook covered over medium/low heat till they are nearly cooked
Ensure that the capsicum remains crunchy and does not get overcooked

Now add the ground paste and the grated jaggery, mix well and bring it to a boil

Cook on low flame till you get a semi-solid consistency
Serve hot as a side dish with rice or chappatis

KADHAI PANEER WITH BELLPEPPER

KADHAI PANEER WITH BELLPEPPER

Elsewhere in this blog you will find recipes for Paneer Chettinad and Paneer Jhalfrezi. Today, I would like to share the recipe for another popular paneer dish called Kadhai Paneer with Bellpepper.

I made this recently and it tasted great!

Like any other dish, there are several ways of making Kadhai Paneer. I prefer to shallow fry the paneer pieces on a tawa before mixing them with the masala while some like to deep fry the paneer. Likewise, some also fry the capsicum but I prefer not to do so- to retain their natural crunch. I also did not use fresh cream mentioned in the original recipe.

This recipe has been adapted from Kadhai Paneer with Peppers from my friend Sushma Mallya's blog, Authentic Food Delights.

I guess I like this dish so much as it has some of my favourite veggies like capsicum and tomato to complement the taste of the paneer.

Ingredients:

• Paneer, (Cottage Cheese), 200 gms
• Tomato, large-sized, 1
• Capsicum, large-sized, 1
• Oil,  1 tbsp
• Jeera (Cumin Seeds), 1/2 tsp
• Green Chillies, slit, 1-2
• Onions, 2
• Ginger Garlic Paste, 1 tbsp
• Haldi (Turmeric) Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Coriander Powder, 1 tsp
• Red Chilli Powder, 1 tsp or to taste
• Cumin Powder,  1/2 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Garam Masala Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Fresh Coriander leaves, finely chopped, 2 tbsp

Method:

Cut the paneer into cubes. Shallow fry them on a tawa and keep aside.

Puree the tomato in a blender and keep aside

Chop the capsicum into cubes and keep aside

Chop the onions and keep aside

Heat oil in a kadhai and when it is hot add the cumin seeds. When they sizzle, add slit green chillies and saute

Add the onion and fry till they become translucent

Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for 2-3 minutes till the raw smell goes
Next, add the tomato puree and fry for 2 minutes

Now add the spices ( turmeric powder, coriander powder, chilli powder, cumin powder) and salt

Mix well and fry till the oil separates

Add the capsicum cubes and the paneer cubes

Sprinkle garam masala and mix well so that the paneer and the capsicum cubes are well blended with the masala
Cook till the capsicums are done, without over cooking them.

Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves

Serve hot with rotis, paranthas or kulchas

MUSHROOM & BELL PEPPER STIR FRY

MUSHROOM & BELL PEPPER STIR FRY

I love mushrooms and you will find recipes for Achari Khumb and Mushroom Chettinad elsewhere in this blog. Here is one more.

Mushrooms and bell peppers are both amongst my favourites so this recipe which I got from my friend, Rama Kini really excited me. The stir fry can be made in different variations as described below. I chose to have it without too much gravy but did use corn flour and Red Chilly Sauce. I skipped the green chillies.

This dish is easy to make as both mushrooms and bell pepper take very little time to cook. The different colours of the bell pepper adds to the visual appeal of the dish.

Ingredients:

• Mushrooms, 200 gms
• Bell Pepper, (preferably, red, yellow and green), 1 and 1/2 cups
• Garlic, 6-8 pods
• Green Chillies, 2-3  * I did not use
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 2 tbsp
• Freshly ground Pepper, to taste
• Corn Flour, 1 tbsp
• Soya Sauce or Red Chilly Sauce or Tomato Ketchup, as per taste

Method:

Chop mushrooms into fairly big pieces
Slice bell peppers to thin strips

Mince 6-8 garlic pods

Slit 2-3 green chillies

In a pan, heat 2 tbsp of oil. When it gets heated add minced garlic and saute for about 1 minute

Add the slit green chillies and stir

Add the chopped mushrooms and salt. This leaves water.

Stir till the mushrooms are cooked and all the water has dried

Now add the bell peppers and saute without overcooking as the bell peppers should remain crisp
Finally add some freshly ground pepper and mix well

* If you want it with a little gravy, add some corn flour and water to make a corn flour slurry
mixed with sauce of your choice. Add this at the end before taking off the flame

* To make butter garlic mushrooms, add butter instead of oil and omit green chillies

DONNE MIRSANG DHAMAAL

DONNE MIRSANG DHAMAAL

In Konkani, we refer to Capsicum or Bell Pepper as "Donne Mirsang." This has been one of favourite veggies. You may know that it has several health benefits.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find, amongst others, recipes for Cabbage Stuffed Capsicum,  and Capsicum Masala Rice.

The recipe for this dish is adapted from the one shared by my friend, Anuradha M. Kamath .
Many thanks, Anuradha for this lovely recipe.

Having sesame seeds (til) in the recipe gave it a distinctive taste. Of course, there's always the crunch of the capsicums, which I love, in this dish. Like I have done, you can use more capsicum or if you so prefer, you can reduce the amount of capsicum and increase the masala/ gravy.

Ingredients:

• Capsicum, diced, 3-4
• Onions, chopped, 2
• Chana dal, 2 tbsp
• Til ( Sesame seeds), 2 tbsp
• Coconut gratings, 2 tbsp
• Red Chillies, 6-7
• Tamarind, the size of gooseberry
• Oil, 2 tbsp
• Turmeric Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Salt, to taste

Method:

Wash and dice the capsicum, and chop the onions
In a kadhai, add a  little oil, and roast the sesame seeds, chana dal coconut gratings and red chillies together, until they give off a good aroma. 

To this, add tamarind, salt, turmeric powder, and grind to a coarse paste, adding a little water. Keep aside

Next, heat oil in the kadhai and when it becomes hot, add the chopped onions and saute 

Add the capsicum pieces and saute for 2-3 minutes. Don't over cook the capsicum as it has to remain crunchy

Add the ground paste to the mixture of capsicum and onions and mix well.
Bring this to a boil.
Serve hot with chappatis, rotis or as a side dish with rice.

*  If onions are not used, you can season with mustard seeds and curry leaves.

CAPSICUM (BELL PEPPER) RAITA

CAPSICUM RAITA

Capsicum (Bell Pepper) continues to be one of my favourites. This light raita or salad is made of bell pepper and yogurt. This simple yet tasty dish is very easy to make and serves as a good accompaniment to the main meal.

Since I love to try out new forms of presenting a dish, today I offer this in a capsicum basket and bowl.

Ingredients:

• Capsicum ( Bellpepper), medium- sized, 2
• Thick curds (Yogurt), 1 cup, slightly sour
• Coconut gratings, 1 tbsp. (optional)
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, for seasoning

For Seasoning:

• Mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Jeera, 1/2 tsp
• Dried Red Chilly, 1 or Green Chilly, 1
• Asafoetida, (Hing) ,a small pinch
• Curry leaves, a few

Method:
Wash and chop the capsicum into small pieces.
Heat oil in a pan
Saute the capsicum pieces adding salt as required taking care not to overcook them. They should remain crisp.
Add the coconut gratings to the thick curds
Next add, the sautéed capsicum pieces to the thick curds
Finally season with mustard, jeera, red chilly, asafoetida and curry leaves.
Serve chilled or plain as per taste.

CAPSICUM MASALA RICE

CAPSICUM MASALA RICE

This recipe for Capsicum Masala Rice is again from one of my favourite Chefs, Sanjay Thumma of Vah Chef.

There are some small variations between the video on YouTube and the recipe as provided by the contributor. I followed Chef's method in making it, as I found this easier. I didn't have red and yellow capsicum (bell pepper) so had to make do with green ones. I agree the use of the coloured ones would have enhanced the visual appeal of the dish.

The dish came out very well.We enjoyed it served with a curd salad.

Ingredients:

• Black Mustard Seed, 1 tsp
• Black Gram Dal, 1 tsp
• Big-sized Capsicums, thinly sliced, 2
• Cinnamon, 1 " piece
• Cooked Rice, 3 cups
• Coriander Seeds, 1 tbsp
• Cumin Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Dry Red Chillies, 3-4
• Fresh Curry Leaves, 10-12
• Freshly Grated Coconut, 1 tbsp (optional)
• Ghee/Oil, 2 and 1/2 tbsp
• Roasted Peanuts, 3 tbsp
• Salt, to taste

Method:

To the cooked rice, add a tsp of ghee and combine. Each grain should be separate. Keep aside.
Heat a tsp of ghee in a cooking vessel on medium heat.
Add cumin seeds, and black gram.
Fry till the cumin splutters and the dal turns light brown
Add the coriander seeds, cinnamon stick, curry leaves and dry red chillies
Fry further for another minute till the rawness disappears and the flavours come out
Finally add the roasted peanuts and combine with the other sp
ices for a few seconds and turn off heat
Once cool, grind to make a fine powder
In the same vessel add the remaining ghee/oil and once it is hot add mustard seeds and let them splutter
Add the curry leaves and let the flavours of the curry leaves come out and the leaves turn crisp
Add the sliced capsicum and fry them for approximately 3 minutes. Don't overcook them. Let the capsicum retain their crunchy texture
Add salt to taste and combine well
Reduce heat and add the cooked rice and combine with the spiced mixture
Add grated coconut, roasted peanuts and ground masala powder
Combine with rice till it is well mixed
Serve hot with pickle, yogurt or pappad.

STUFFED CAPSICUM

STUFFED CAPSICUM

A favourite in my family is Stuffed Capsicum ( also called Simla Mirch locally), which goes well as a side dish when served with rice and a curry. Although it is a dry dish, it can also be had with rotis or chappatis.

As those of you in North America would probably know, capsicum is what we in India call what you refer to as "Bell Pepper" which is available in different colours.

In this version, I have used the most commonly available green capsicum but if you want to jazz up this dish, you might like to have an assortment of capsicum in red, yellow as well as green. This considerably brightens up the dish and gives it a very different presentation.

Ingredients:

• Large Capsicums, 6
• Green Peas, cooked, 1/2 cup
• Potatoes 4
• Onions, medium sized, chopped 1-2
• Chilly powder, 1 tsp
• Garam Masala Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Coriander Powder, 1 1/2 tsp
• Tamarind extract, 1 tbsp
• Cumin Seeds  (Jeera) 1/2 tsp
• Oil, 3 tbsp
• Salt to taste

Method: 

Wash the capsicums, cut them into half and de-seed them. Keep these capsicum 'jackets' aside.
Cook the potatoes, peel and mash them

Chop the onions finely 
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a thick-bottomed kadhai, add cumin seeds and when it gets roasted add onions and fry them till they are golden. 
Lower the heat, add turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder, and garam masala and fry for 1/2 minute
Now add the mashed potatoes, cooked peas, tamarind extract, and salt to taste. 
Cook this for 2-3 minutes and take it off the flame. Allow it to cool.
This forms the stuffing for the capsicum 

Fill the capsicum jackets with the stuffing mentioned above. Take care not to over stuff them. Pack the stuffing tightly in the capsicum jackets, so that it doesn't easily roll out.

Heat the remaining oil in the kadhai. Slip in the stuffed jackets of capsicum
Cook on medium flame by keeping them covered
When the bottom of the capsicums gets done, carefully turn them to their sides so as to have them evenly cooked

Serve hot as a side dish with rice and curry. We Konkanis believe stuffed capsicum tastes superb with our famous "dhalitoi."

Hints: 

• You can use 1/2 tsp of amchoor ( dry mango) powder instead of tamarind extract, should you wish to.
• While adding roasted onions to the stuffing enhances the taste, if you wish to save time, add chopped onions as an alternative.
• If some of the stuffing falls out of the jacket while it is being cooked, that's fine as this too tastes quite delicious when it gets roasted.