Green Capsicum Rice / Capsicum Rice
Fresh Green Capsicums sitting on the fridge was really tempting me since two days..Felt like making a spicy mixed rice for lunch as the weather was too cold and snowing..a bit. Definitely no mood to make an elaborate meal. Three fresh capsicums, little red onion and a tomato was quite enough to make this spicy rice. With a side of fresh raita or just chips or papad, this rice tastes good. We can confidently deviate from our regular menu and try this out for lunch or dinner...Also, its a good Lunchbox menu item for all ages. Try this yummy rice and let me know your feedback...
Ingredients
Fresh Green Capsicums - 2 Big or 3 Medium
Red Onion Shredded - 1/2 cup
Ripe Tomato - 1 Big
Oil - 2 tbsp
Hing/Asafoetida - 1 Dash
Mustard Seeds - 2 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Channa Dal - 2 tsp
Curry Leaves - 1 stem
Groundnuts / Peanuts - 1 Handful
Turmeric Powder - 3 tsp
Sugar - 1 Small Pinch
Salt - To Taste
Basmati Rice - 1.5 cups
For the Grounded Powder
Channa Dal / Senaga Pappu / Kadalai Paruppu - 2 tbsp
Urad Dal / Minna Pappu / Ulutham Paruppu - 1 tbsp
Coriander Seeds - 1 tbsp
Dry Red Chillies - 4 to 5 ( Depending on your taste buds)
Dry Coconut Powder - 1 tbsp
Cinnamon Sticks - 1 medium
Black Pepper Seeds - 5 or 6
Method
- Wash and cook the Basmati Rice separately and keep it ready.
- Meantime, cut all the vegetables into smaller size and keep them ready.
- Roast the ingredients for making the grounded powder and grind them after they get cooled and keep the grounded powder also ready.
- In the cooking pan, add oil first. When its heated, add Hing, Mustard Seeds, channa dal, urad dal, groundnuts, curry leaves and fry them till they all get roasted. Do this process on a low flame and care to see that the dals and groundnuts don't turn black.
- After this, add shredded onion pieces into the pan and fry them for a minute with a pinch of little salt.
- Then, add the finely sliced green capsicums into the pan and allow them to cook for two minutes with the lid closed. Add a pinch of sugar and fry them for two minutes.
- Then add the tomato pieces and fry them till they get mashed.
- Finally add the powder and fry them well with all other contents for nearly 3-4 minutes.
- Add the cooked rice into the cooking pan now and add required amount of salt into the pan. Mix everything together so that the rice get coated well.
- Close the lid and allow the contents to get cooked on a very low flame for another 3-4 minutes.
- Switch off the flame. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve this hot spicy rice with some raita or chips, papad.
Tips/Variations
- You can adjust the spice level while grinding the powder according to your taste buds.
- I specifically add at least one tomato while making this rice in order to get a little tangy taste and to obtain some moistness in the rice. Without tomato, the rice turned out to be little dry and the taste was also not satisfactory for me when I made it earlier. You can try with/ without tomato and decide later.
- Instead of dry coconut powder, you can even add some fresh coconut flakes which in turn would enhance the flavour and taste.