Go Back
Print

Capsicum rice

Capsicum Rice - Finely chopped capsicum, sautéed until tender and seasoned with white pepper powder. Nothing more nothing less. Simple and quick. Perfect for the summer weather when you don't have to fret in the kitchen.

Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Keyword Capsicum rice, Easy rice dishes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Rice Soaking time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 5 people
Author Nisha

Ingredients

For the rice

  • 1.5 cups jeeraga samba rice
  • 1.5 cups water
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tablespoon ghee or cooking oil

For the capsicum masala

  • 2 tablespoons ghee or oil, divided
  • ½ cup peanuts or cashews
  • 128 grams onion (1 large), finely chopped
  • 1 green chilli, slit lengthwise
  • 600 grams Capsicum / Bell Peppers (Mix of green, yellow and red) or 2.5 cups finely chopped capsicums
  • Salt to taste
  • Coriander leaves for garnishing

Spice Seasonings - Variation 1

  • ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
  • ¼ teaspoon kasoori Methi, crushed
  • ½ teaspoon garam masala

Spice Seasonings - Variation 2

  • 2 teaspoon pav bhaji masala or any sabzi masala refer notes

Spice Seasonings - Variation 3

  • ½ teaspoon white pepper or black pepper powder

Instructions

Cooking the rice

  1. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Then soak it for about 15 minutes. Drain the water.

  2. In a pressure cooker, add the rice, little salt and 1.5 cup of water. Cook for 10 minutes on medium-high heat. You can also use a pan to cook the rice. It will take more time.

For capsicum rice

  1. Heat a skillet or kadai, add a teaspoon of oil and fry the cashews or peanuts on medium high heat until they become golden brown. Remove using a slotted spoon. Keep it aside.

  2. Add the remaining ghee and once they are hot, add cumin seeds and let it splutter.

  3. Then add the chopped onion and green chilli. Sautee until the onions turn translucent. Do not brown them.

  4. Then add the chopped capsicum and fry until the capsicum become tender to bite. It takes about 10 minutes if they are evenly and finely chopped.

  5. Add salt and the spice seasonings you prefer. Mix well. Cover and cook for a minute for the flavours to mix well.

  6. Finally garnish with coriander leaves and roasted cashews or peanuts or both. Mix well once again and turn off the flame.

Serving Suggestions

  1. Serve with raita or gravy or vadam/fryums or papads.

Recipe Notes

  1. The cooking time of rice varies with type, quality, brand and age of the rice.  
  2. For Basmati and Jeeraga samba variety, soaking the rice helps in even cooking of the grains. 
  3. You can substitute the basmati rice for any long grain or short grain rice variety 
  4. Adding oil to the rice keeps the grain separate after cooking. 
  5. Salt enhances the taste of the dish. Just add little. 
  6. Substitute white pepper powder with black pepper powder, if you don't like or don't have it. 

Variations: 

  1. To make a South Indian style capsicum rice, use kari podi as the flavouring agent. Also add few fennel seeds. 
  2. If you want to make it as a pulav, add cinnamon stick, bay leaf, black cardamom and cloves before adding the onions. It gives a different taste to the dish.