Shimla mirch besan ki sabji | Capsicum besan sabji | Shimla mirch with besan

Shimla mirch with besan is a very off-bit combination where a staple flour is combined with vegetable to prepare a curry. But Indian cuisine is renowned for the unique and exceptional preparations. Though it sounds different, but addition of chickpea flour enhances the taste and flavour of the capsicum ki sabji to sky high.

Besan or chickpea flour has an unforgettable contribution to the Indian culinary. It is one of the most versatile flour that I have ever seen. Many savoury and sweet dishes are prepared with besan in India. Besan is primarily used to prepare batter for myriad snack recipes like pakodas and bhajjis.

Besan has an inimitable contribution in Rajasthani and Gujrati cuisine. Many masterpiece recipes are prepared with besan or chickpea flour as a hero ingredient. Dhokla, Khandvi, Gatte ki sabji are the perfect examples of it.

I personally love the flavour of capsicum. So, I always have capsicum in my fridge. I just love to add it in different preparation for its flavour. But I never tried Shimla mirch with besan until one of my north Indian friends asked me for dinner at her place. It was a veg day and she prepared multiple veg items. But the dish that dragged my complete attention was capsicum besan recipe. I just loved the composition and asked her for the recipe. Since then Shimla mirch besan ki sabji has become our family favourite and I often prepare this recipe at home.

Shimla mirch besan ki sabji is a very easy recipe. The difficulty level of cooking this recipe is very low which is perfect for beginners. Capsicum besan gets prepared with very common and easily available ingredients of Indian Kitchen pantry. The best part of this effortless recipe is that it gets prepared very quickly without investing much time.

Shimla mirch besan ki sabji or capsicum besan sabji is a complete life saviour for busy moms too. Whenever you are running short of time or you have less options for vegetables in your fridge, Shimla mirch with besan can be an ideal solution for these situations. It is a perfect lunchbox recipe which you can pack with a pair of chapatis or parathas for your kids. Most of the kids like this flavoured dry curry and enjoy their tiffin thoroughly.

Shimla mirch besan ki sabji with step by step photos and instruction have been provided in the ‘Instructions’ section of the recipe. But before jumping into the recipe, I would like to share few interesting facts about the capsicum besan sabji and its key ingredient capsicum.

Health benefits of Capsicum

How to make shimla mirch besan ki sabji?

To prepare the capsicum besan ki sabji, first I have dry roasted the besan in medium flame until a nutty aroma comes up. Then transfer the flour into a bowl and allow it to cool down.

For the Shimla mirch besan ki sabji, I have added oil in a pan and tempered the whole spices to flavour up the curry. I have used mustard seeds, curry leaves, dry red chillies and asafoetida (Hing) for tempering of the dish.

Then I have added chopped garlic and cooked them till golden before adding the finely chopped onions. Finely chopped onions give better texture than sliced onions to the dish by getting properly blended in the besan masala.

After cooking the onion till translucent, I have added capsicum or bell peppers and cooked them. I have used green and red capsicum for the recipe. But you can use any variety of capsicum like green, red, yellow, orange for the recipe.

But one thing needs to be taken care of during the time of cooking the capsicum. It must be cooked till firm. I have covered the pan to cook the capsicum for 2-3 minutes in low flame. Overcooking may cause mushy or soggy besan ki sabji which can spoil the whole texture of the dish.

Then I have added the ground spices for the flavouring of the dish. I have used cumin powder, coriander powder and red chilli powder for the recipe. But the amount of spices must be little bit more for the capsicum besan recipe because the addition of besan makes the taste of the curry blunt. To balance the taste and flavour of the dish it is important to add generous amount of spices into the dish.

When the capsicums are completely done, I have added the roasted chickpea flour in two batches and mixed it nicely. Make sure no lumps are there in this step. Then I have cooked it in medium high flame for some time to evaporate the excess moisture.

At the end, I have added chopped cilantros into the Shimla mirch besan ki sabji. It enhances the flavour of the dish.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons Besan or Chickpea flour
• 2 Capsicums or Bell peppers, deseeded and diced
• 1 Onion, finely chopped
• 2-3 cloves of Garlic, chopped
• 3 tablespoons Coriander leaves or Cilantro, finely chopped
• 2 dry red Chillies
• 8-10 Curry leaves
• ½ teaspoon Mustard seeds
• ¼ teaspoon Asafoetida (Hing)
• ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon red Chilli powder
• ¾ teaspoon Cumin powder
• ¾ teaspoon Coriander powder
• Salt to taste
• Oil for cooking

1. Put a pan on flame and let it become completely dry.
   

2. Add 3 tablespoons besan and dry roast it in medium low flame for 2-3 minutes until the besan changes its colour slightly and a nutty aroma comes out.
   
   

3. Transfer the besan in a separate bowl and keep it aside.
   

4. Add oil into the same pan and wait until the oil is hot.
   

5. Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, 2 dry red chillies, 8-10 curry leaves, ¼ teaspoon hing into the pan and give a stir.
   
   

6. Once they crackle, add chopped garlic into the pan and fry them till light golden in colour.
   

7. Add finely chopped onions into the pan and mix it nicely.
   

8. Cook it in medium flame for 2-3 minutes until the onions become translucent. Stir in between.
9. Add capsicum or bell pepper cubes into the pan and give a nice stir.
   

10. Cook it in medium flame for a minute.
11. Add salt, turmeric powder and mix it nicely. Cook it in low flame for another minute.
    

12. Cover the pan and cook it in low flame for 2-3 minutes until the capsicum gets tender.
13. Take off the lid and add red chilli powder, cumin powder and coriander powder into the pan.
    

14. Mix all the ingredients nicely and cook it for a minute in low flame.
15. Add half of the roasted besan (Step 3) into the pan and mix it nicely. Make sure no lumps occur. Add rest of the roasted besan into the pan and repeat the process.
    

16. Add 2 tablespoons of water and give a quick stir.
    

17. Add chopped coriander leaves into the pan and mix it nicely.
    
    

18. Switch off the flame and put the pan down.

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