Capsicum rice is a delicious and flavorful vegan dish made by sautéing rice with colourful bell peppers along with a homemade spice blend.
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Prepare it with freshly cooked rice if you plan to pack it in a lunchbox. This dish is great to include in a weekly meal plan and a great way to repurpose leftover rice into a delicious meal.
To save time on hectic days, prepare the masala powder in advance, chop the vegetables, and refrigerate them in separate containers. It only takes ten minutes to toss the vegetables with cooked rice and premade masala, whenever you plan to cook.
Ingredients
- Vegetables and Herbs: Onion, tomato, garlic, mixed bell peppers (capsicum) and curry leaves.
- Spices: Mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt and asafoetida.
- Liquid: I used olive oil but feel free to use any cooking oil that you use regularly.
- Rice: I used leftover sona masoori rice but any leftover rice will work.
- Spices: Dried red chillies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, sesame seeds and desiccated coconut.
- Nuts and Lentils: Urad dal, chana dal, sesame seeds, roasted peanuts,
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to make capsicum rice?
Heat a small pan over medium heat.
Add urad and chana dal and stir well with a spoon. Roast until they release a nutty aroma.
Now add coriander and cumin seeds, roast for 3-4 minutes or until spices release their aromatic.
Next, add sesame seeds, red chillies and roast for 1-2 minutes until chillies release a pungent aroma.
Switch the heat off and add desiccated coconut and roasted peanuts.
Set the pan aside and allow the spices to cool completely.
Transfer the roasted spices to a spice grinder, grind it to a powder and set it aside.
Heat oil in a large pan or skillet over medium heat.
Add mustard, cumin and urad dal and stir well.
Then add asafoetida followed by curry leaves, garlic and chopped onions. Sauté until onion turn translucent.
Add tomato and sauté for a couple of minutes.
Now add diced bell peppers (capsicums) to the pan, close the lid and cook for about 5-7 minutes until they are slightly tender but still crisp.
Take the lid off the pan, add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, freshly ground masala and salt. Mix well.
Add the leftover cooked rice to the pan. Break up any clumps of rice and stir well to coat the rice evenly with the spices and vegetables.
Cook the rice and vegetables together for another 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything is heated through.
Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Serve capsicum masala rice with vegetable sticks, plain yogurt or cucumber raita.
Substitutions and Variations
Protein Addition: add cooked chickpeas, or paneer for extra protein.
Grain Substitutions: Instead of rice, you can use quinoa, millets or couscous for a low-carb option. Check out how to cook millets in instant pot on the blog.
Vegetable Variations: Mix in other vegetables such as carrots, peas, corn, broccoli, zucchini, or mushrooms to add more texture and flavour.
Spice Variations: If you are in a rush and don't have time to make masala, use vangibath masala powder, bisi bele bath powder, sambar powder or even just garam masala. Saute peanuts and sesame seeds in oil along with other ingredients to add a crunch and nutty flavour.
Nuts: Add cashews for extra crunch and taste. Fry them in oil before adding onion.
Rice: I used leftover sona masoori rice but you could use left over ponni, basmati rice or long grain as well.
Storage
If using leftover rice, finish it off on the same day. However, if you prepare it using freshly cooked rice, you can store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 to 3 days.
Reheat: Place the required portion in a heatproof bowl and heat it in a microwave until piping hot.
Tips and Tricks
Use day-old rice: Leftover rice tends to be drier and less sticky compared to freshly cooked rice, making it ideal for this recipe.
Freshly Cooked Rice: If you plan to pack it in a lunchbox, make it with freshly cooked rice.
Cool Rice: If you are using freshly cooked rice, spread it out on a large plate or baking sheet and let it cool completely. After that, combine it with the cooked masala.
Save Time: To save even more time, you may use the microwave to reheat any leftover rice while the vegetables are cooking. Just mix it into the vegetable masala and turn off the stove.
Cook Capsicum: Be sure to cook capsicum just until they are slightly tender but still crisp.
Related
Looking for other rice recipes? Try these:
Pairing
KEEP IN TOUCH
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📖 Recipe Card
15 Minute Capsicum Masala Rice
Equipment
- 1 Small frying pan
- 1 Wide Steel Pan
- 1 Spoon
Ingredients
1 Cup = 250ml ; 1 Tablespoon = 15ml ; 1 Teaspoon = 5ml
For Masala Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Urad Dal
- 1 Teaspoon Chana Dal
- 2 Teaspoons Coriander Seeds
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- ½ Teaspoon Sesame Seeds
- 2 Tablespoons (or) 15 gms Dessicated Coconut
- 2 Dried Red Chilles
- 2 Tablespoons (or) 25 gms Roasted Peanuts
For Rice
- 1 Tablespoon Oil
- ½ Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- ½ Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- ½ Teaspoon Urad Dal
- 1 sprig Curry Leaves
- large pinch (or) 2 pumps Asafoetida/ Hing
- 2 cloves Garlic peeled and chopped
- 1 medium Onion peeled and sliced
- 1 small Tomato washed and chopped
- 1 ½ Cups (or) 150 gms Mixed Bell Peppers (Capsicum) washed, deseeded and chopped
- ½ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
- Salt as required
- 3 Cups (or) 500 gms Cooked Rice
Instructions
- Heat a small pan over medium heat.
- Add urad and chana dal and stir well with a spoon.1 Teaspoon Urad Dal, 1 Teaspoon Chana Dal
- Roast until they release a nutty aroma.
- Now add coriander and cumin seeds, roast for 3-4 minutes or until spices release their aromatic.2 Teaspoons Coriander Seeds, 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- Next, add sesame seeds, red chillies and roast for 1-2 minutes until chillies release a pungent aroma.½ Teaspoon Sesame Seeds, 2 Dried Red Chilles
- Switch the heat off and add desiccated coconut and roasted peanuts.2 Tablespoons (or) 15 gms Dessicated Coconut, 2 Tablespoons (or) 25 gms Roasted Peanuts
- Set the pan aside and allow the spices to cool completely.
- Transfer the roasted spices to a spice grinder, grind it to a powder and set it aside.
- Heat oil in a large pan or skillet over medium heat.1 Tablespoon Oil
- Add mustard, cumin and urad dal and stir well.½ Teaspoon Mustard Seeds, ½ Teaspoon Cumin Seeds, ½ Teaspoon Urad Dal
- Then add asafoetida followed by curry leaves, garlic and chopped onions.1 sprig Curry Leaves, large pinch (or) 2 pumps Asafoetida/ Hing, 2 cloves Garlic
- Sauté until onion turn translucent.1 medium Onion
- Add tomato and sauté for a couple of minutes.1 small Tomato
- Now add diced bell peppers (capsicums) to the pan, close the lid and cook for about 5-7 minutes until they are slightly tender but still crisp.1 ½ Cups (or) 150 gms Mixed Bell Peppers (Capsicum)
- Take the lid off the pan, add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, freshly ground masala and salt. Mix well.½ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder, 1 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder, Salt
- Add the leftover cooked rice to the pan.3 Cups (or) 500 gms Cooked Rice
- Break up any clumps of rice and stir well to coat the rice evenly with the spices and vegetables.
- Cook the rice and vegetables together for another 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything is heated through.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Once heated through, garnish with fresh cilantro leaves if desired.
- Serve hot as a main dish or as a side dish with yogurt or raita.
Notes
Nutrition
Welcome to Flavours Treat. I share vegetarian recipes made with wholesome, mostly fresh ingredients. Every recipe has easy-to-follow instructions with process shots (detailed step-wise pictures), a short video and lots of tips to help your cooking journey. Read more
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