Delhi is where I was born and raised and it still tugs at my heart with all the memories of my mother’s redolent, welcoming kitchen. My mother’s cooking was simple and honest and yet on certain occasions, she prepared rare delicacies that were both complex and beguiling. The flavours of certain dishes have the ability to take people back to the comforts of their homes and to beautiful memories. One such recipe replete with nostalgia is pan-fried stuffed capsicum or bharwan shimla mirchi, a classic dish made with simple spices.
There are many variations of the stuffing with ingredients like paneer/ cottage cheese, peas, corn etc. And the recipe with the potato filling can be served as a dry delicacy or with a rich gravy.It is a delicious lunch and dinner dish that goes best with paranthas and phulkas accompanied by raita. The best place to try this delectable delicacy is your kitchen.
Ingredients:
- Capsicum medium-sized : 4
- Potato medium-sized (boiled and diced) : 2
- Ginger chopped : 1 tsp
- Green chilies chopped : 2
- Salt : to taste
- Red chilli powder : ½ tsp
- Coriander powder : ½ tsp
- Amchoor : ½ tsp
- Garam masala : ½ tsp
- Fennel powder : ½ tsp
- Chat masala : ¼ tsp
- Jeera : ½ tsp
- Oil : 5 tbs
- Few toothpicks to seal the capsicum.
Method
- Cut the top part of the capsicum like a lid. Remove the seeds with the help of the spoon.
- Heat 3 tbs of oil in the kadai. Add jeera. Let it crackle.
- Add diced potatoes, ginger and green chilies.
- Add salt,red chilly powder, coriander powder, fennel powder , amchoor and garam masala. Mix it well.
- Add coriander leaves mix .Remove from the fire and cool it.
- Stuff the capsicums with the mixture.
- Cover it with the lid and seal it with the help of tooth picks.
- In a kadai, add 2 tbs of oil and shallow fry capsicum on low heat turning sides occasionally, till brown spots appear on all the sides and it becomes soft. Transfer it to the serving dish. Serve hot with phulkas or paranthas.
- Seema Goel is a gourmet cook, a teacher, a singer and most importantly a mother committed to a lifetime of nurturing.