Capsicum Masala

bell pepper curry in a grey bowl placed on a marble.

5 from 5 votes

Capsicum Masala - a vegan and glutenfree curry made with bell peppers, few basic spices and peanuts. A scrumptious and versatile curry gets ready in less than 30 minutes and makes a flavour-packed lunch or a weeknight meal with rice or roti.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Curries, Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 171kcal

Author: Geetha

Equipment

1 Deep bottomed pan/Saucepan
1 Small frying pan
1 Spoon

Ingredients

1 Cup = 250ml; 1 Tablespoon =15ml ; 1 Teaspoon = 5ml

3 medium (or) 378 gms (or) 2 cups Capsicum (bell pepper) washed, deseeded and diced into cubes
1 medium (or) 90 gms (or) ½ cup tightly packed Onion peeled and finely chopped
2 medium (or) 173 gms (or) 1 cup Tomatoes washed and chopped
1 Teaspoon Ginger garlic paste
3 Tablespoon Oil
½ Teaspoon Mustard
½ Teaspoon Cumin
½ Teaspoon Turmeric
2 Teaspoons Chilli powder
1 Teaspoon Coriander powder
Salt as required
2 Tablespoons Tamarind extract
1 cup (or) 250 ml Water
handful Coriander leaves washed and chopped

For peanut masala blend

1 Tablespoon (or) 14 gms Peanuts
3 Teaspoons (or) 10 gms Sesame seeds
3 Teaspoons (or) 7 gms Desiccated coconut
½ inch Cassia (dalchini)
3 Cloves
1 Green Cardamom

Instructions

Dry roast peanuts, sesame seeds, desiccated coconut, cassia, cloves and cardamom for a couple of minutes on low flame until fragrant.
1 Tablespoon (or) 14 gms Peanuts, 3 Teaspoons (or) 10 gms Sesame seeds, 3 Teaspoons (or) 7 gms Desiccated coconut, ½ inch Cassia (dalchini), 3 Cloves, 1 Green Cardamom
Allow the toasted ingredients to cool down to room temperature and then grind them into a powder and keep it aside.
Heat oil in a deep skillet or pan on medium-low heat.
3 Tablespoon Oil
Once the oil is hot, add mustard, cumin and let them sizzle.
½ Teaspoon Mustard, ½ Teaspoon Cumin
Now add onions, ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute or until raw aroma vanishes and onions turn soft and translucent.
1 medium (or) 90 gms (or) ½ cup tightly packed Onion, 1 Teaspoon Ginger garlic paste
All capsicum, tomatoes and saute well.
3 medium (or) 378 gms (or) 2 cups Capsicum (bell pepper), 2 medium (or) 173 gms (or) 1 cup Tomatoes
Add turmeric, chili powder, coriander powder, ground peanut and spice blend, mix until well combined.
½ Teaspoon Turmeric, 2 Teaspoons Chilli powder, 1 Teaspoon Coriander powder
Close the lid and cook for 3-5 minutes or just until the raw aroma of spices vanishes. At this point ensure heat is at the lowest setting to avoid burning at the bottom of the pan.
Open the lid, add tamarind extract, salt, water, mix until well combined.
Salt, 2 Tablespoons Tamarind extract, 1 cup (or) 250 ml Water
Now increase the heat to medium-high and close the lid. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until gravy thickens and reaches your desired consistency. Ensure capsicum is cooked yet crunchy.
Take the lid off the pan, check for consistency and check and add more salt if required. Turn off the heat. Oil specks formed on the top layer of curry is the indication that curry is done.
Mix in coriander and enjoy a delicious curry with hot steamed rice or roti.
handful Coriander leaves

Video

Notes

Fresh curry leaves are an essential herb in South Indian cuisine that imparts a nice aroma to the dish. I didn't have fresh leaves at the time I shoot the video of this recipe. To avoid any confusion I didn't mention it in the recipe. Kindly make a note to add curry leaves before onions.

Adjust spices as per your taste preference.

This curry tastes best with capsicum being crunchy. You may cook it all the way until soft if you prefer.

I've used only green capsicum, you may use yellow and/or red capsicum for colourful appearance.

I've used tamarind pulp extracted at home. If you use store-bought tamarind paste, you may have to use less than the quantity mentioned in this recipe. Generally store-bought paste tends to have strong flavour and sourness.

Tips & Tricks to make perfect Capsicum Masala

Having a batch of ground peanut-spice mix saves time, you don't need to roast and grind the ingredients every time you plan to make this curry. Ensure to make a small batch as the spice mix doesn't last long due to the addition of coconut. Alternatively, omit the coconut and grind the rest of the spices for longer shelf life. Add coconut powder separately while making curry.

If you feel the gravy is too sour, add a pinch of grated jaggery to reduce the sourness.

Nutrition