Stuffed Capsicum Recipe | Bharwa Shimla Mirchi
Stuffed Capsicum Recipe | Bharwa Shimla Mirchi Stuffed bell peppers are a very popular Indian recipe, where large green bell peppers are hollowed out and filled with a spiced stuffing made from various ingredients. The term “Bharwa” means stuffed in Hindi.
The stuffing usually consists of mashed potatoes mixed together with spices and sometimes other vegetables, like onions, carrots, or peas. You can add turmeric, red chili powder, cumin, coriander, garam masala, salt, and many more spices. Then the filling is tightly stuffed into the bell peppers.
Once the bell peppers are stuffed, they are either shallow fried or baked until they become tender with a slight charred effect. That depends upon the choice of the individual method. Stuffed Capsicum often served as a side dish to roti (Indian bread) or rice, can also be eaten with a variety of chutneys or yogurt.
This recipe has become popular in India’s various regions, is spicy in taste, and is rich in flavor. In this respect, it offers a great choice of vegetarian dishes that can be savored by those who like their food to be mildly to spicy.
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Stuffed Capsicum | Bharwa Shimla Mirchi
Stuffed Capsicum | Bharwa Shimla Mirchi is a popular Indian dish made with stuffed bell peppers (known as "ShimlaMirch" in Hindi). The term "Bharwa" means stuffed in Hindi. In this dish, large green bell peppers are hollowed out and filled with spiced stuffing made from various ingredients.
Ingredients
- Capsicum/ Shimla mirchi – 250 gms.
- Oil – 4 large spoons
- Cumin seeds – ½ tbsp.
- Green chilies – 2 tbsp. minced
- Onions – ½ cup
- Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp.
- Turmeric powder – ½ tbsp.
- Salt – ½ tbsp.
- Coriander powder – ½ tbsp.
- Boiled potatoes – 2 No.
- Red chili powder – ½ tbsp.
- Garam masala powder – ½ tbsp.
- Aamchur/ dry mango powder – ½ tbsp.
- Coriander leaves – 3 tbsp.
Instructions
- Heat two tablespoons of oil in a frying pan and add cumin seeds, finely chopped green chilies, and onions.
- Mix the ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, salt, and coriander powder together in a bowl. Mix all the spices.
- Mash the boiling potatoes and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle red chilli powder and garam masala powder on the mixture.
- Sprinkle dried mango powder to make it taste tangy, then add coriander leaves and transfer to a separate bowl.
- To get the capsicum ready, take off the top part and the seeds, making them shallow, and keep them aside to fill later.
- Using a spoon, scoop up the potato mixture and carefully put it inside the capsicums. Then, set them aside for later.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Then, add Shimla mirchi one by one, while cooking on low heat and covering the pan with a lid.
- Flip the dish every minute or two until the other side is nicely cooked. Move the Stuffed Capsicum to a plate for serving and enjoy it with chapati or steamed rice.
Recipe Video
How to make stuffed capsicum recipe:
1. In a pan heat 2 tbsp. oil and add cumin seeds, minced green chilies and onions.
2. Add ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, salt and coriander powder. Mix all spices.
3. Mash boiled potatoes, add and mix well. Sprinkle red chili powder and garam masala powder.
4. Sprinkle a little dry mango powder to get the tangy flavour, add coriander leaves and transfer to another bowl.
5. Let’s prepare capsicum, remove the top part and its seeds so that they look shallow, and keep them aside for stuffing.
6. Take potato mix and stuff it into capsicum with the help of a spoon and keep aside.
7. In a pan heat 2 tbsp. oil and place Shimla mirchi one by one and cook on low flame with lid covered.
8. Flip to the other side for every minute or two till they are perfectly cooked. Transfer the Stuffed capsicum recipe to a serving plate and serve hot with chapati or with steamed rice.
Watch this recipe video on >> Youtube.
Tips to help you make a mouthwatering stuffed capsicum recipe:
Choose fresh, firm, brightly colored capsicums with smooth skin. Capsicums chosen should be large enough to stuff with sufficient amount.
Choose the fillings: Seriously, here you can come up with your creativity with fillings or you can take one of the most popular versions, cooked rice mixed with ground meat, vegetables like onions, carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, and herbs and spices. Alternatively, you may use quinoa or couscous instead of rice.
Prepare your filling by precooking raw ingredients before you fill up the capsicums; make sure your filling is well cooked and flavored. For example, when it comes to meat and grains, that needs to be done for the entire filling. Yes, one can precost and brown the meat in advance, but you may precook the veggies.
Add that flavor of your favorite herbs and spices. Could be garlic, onion powder, paprika, oregano, thyme or parsley. Seasoning according to the taste of the palate of course should harmonize with the filling.
Cheesy top: As long as this tops a list of the cheesy lover’s “to do,” just layer shredded cheese above the filling and bake. It will produce the soft gooey texture; hence, the flavor.
Prepare capsicums: Remove top of capsicums, discarding tops. Remove as much of the seeds and membranes inside as you can. You can remove a little piece out of the base to stabilize the capsicums so that they stand upright. Blanch capsicums in boiling water for just a few minutes – long enough to make the flesh slightly soft before filling.
Stuff the capsicums: Fill in the prepared filling into your parboiled capsicums by using a spoon and push it in just enough to fill in well. Don’t overstuff; the capsicums will just burst open when it bakes.
Bake in Choose the right size, oven-safe baking pan. You want one that will snuggle up the stuffed capsicums without anything overlapping. Ideally, it should be big enough to sit upright without the stuffing oozing out. Alternatively, you can bake in a pan.
Add moisture: Add a small quantity of vegetable or chicken broth in the baking dish. This will ensure capsicums will not dry out when being baked.
Baking: Cover the oven-proof baking dish that contains your stuffed capsicums tightly with foil in the preheated oven to about 180°C (350°F), then bake for 25-35 minutes or so until capsicums are tender and filling is cooked through. For the last ten minutes remove the foil to let the cheese get browned if you are using some.
Servings: Serve after letting stuffed capsicums cool a little for some minutes after baking. Garnish with fresh herbs to provide additional freshness.
