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

1. Wash and cook the Basmati Rice separately and keep it ready.
2. Meantime, cut all the vegetables into smaller size and keep them ready.
3. Roast the ingredients for making the grounded powder and grind them after they get cooled and keep the grounded powder also ready.
4. 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.
5. After this, add shredded onion pieces into the pan and fry them for a minute with a pinch of little salt.
6. 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.
7. Then add the tomato pieces and fry them till they get mashed.
8. Finally add the powder and fry them well with all other contents for nearly 3-4 minutes.
9. 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.
10. Close the lid and allow the contents to get cooked on a very low flame for another 3-4 minutes.
11. Switch off the flame. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve this hot spicy rice with some raita or chips, papad.

Tips/Variations

1. You can adjust the spice level while grinding the powder according to your taste buds.
2. 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.
3. Instead of dry coconut powder, you can even add some fresh coconut flakes which in turn would enhance the flavour and taste.