Bell pepper rice / Capsicum Rice

Recently, I made this bell pepper rice for navarathri pooja get together. It is very simple and easy to put together. My daughter who is not a big fan of bell pepper ate this rice without much complaints.let us go straight to the recipe.

Get ready

• 1 green bell pepper / capsicum washed and diced small
• 2-3 table spoon oil
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp tamarind paste ( optional)
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds/ kadugu
• 1/2 tsp urad dal
• A few sprigs of curry leaves
•  1 cup of rice , cooked separately and cooled

To roast & grind

• 1 table spoon dhania / coriander seeds
• 1 table spoon Chana dal / kadalaparuppu
• 2 dried red chili
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds / jeera
• 1/2 tsp sesame seeds
•  2 cloves
• 1-2 table spoon dried coconut
• 1/4 tsp asafetida

Go

• Cook rice, spread it on a plate to cool and set aside.
• In a pan add little oil and fry all the ingredients except dried coconut & asafetida.
• Once cool, grind them into a coarse powder. To this powder add the coconut and asafetida mix and set aside.
• In a pan, add the oil. Once hot add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add the urad dal and fry till golden. Add the curry leaves and sauté for few seconds.
• Add the diced bell pepper , salt mix and cook till the peppers are a little soft but still a little crunch.
• Add tamarind if using, adjust salt as per your taste.
• Once the peppers are done, add the ground powder to the peppers and cook on aloe flame till all the flavors and masala gets incorporated in the pepper.
• Turn the heat off.
• In a wide mouthed bowl, take the rice add 1 table spoon of oil to the rice.
• Add the cooked bell pepper masala and toss them with the rice till every rice is coated with the masala. Mix gently so you don't make the rice mushy .
• Garnish with cilantro if you like it.
• Serve with raita, applam, chips and enjoy!