COOKING HOUR: Easy capsicum rice recipe

Easy capsicum rice under 20 minutes yet flavorful dish with south Indian flavors that you can prepare at home. For first time I made this capsicum rice bath and totally loved it and bet you would too!

This can be perfect for lunch box since it is super quick to make as well as best one pot meal. Use leftover rice this way for a quick fix lunch.

Do check out my other variety rice recipes collection and pulao recipes in my website.

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Ingredients

Caspicum
Cooked rice
Bisi bele bath powder
Peanuts
Other spices

See recipe card for full list and measurements.

Spice powder

For this recipe, you can grind your own spice powder for this specific use alone or use store bought Bisi bele bath powder like how I did.

Using store bought is quick option yet gives best results. I used GRB bisi bele bath powder.

Want to make at home? Check out my Bisi bele bath post for spice powder recipe:

Video

Is video more your thing? Watch quick video in my Youtube channel.

Why this works

Initially I have tried capsicum rice few times but never liked the spice powder with over dominating coriander seeds flavor.

Mainly it was the reason I never make capsicum rice. I already have posted a capsicum pulao with vegetables which my MIL makes.

But this I always wanted to try the rice version without too much of coriander.

Also I always thought capsicum should not be cooked soft and it should retain it’s cruchiness. It is not always!

So just like how brinjal is cooked in vangi bath, capsicum also should be cooked. Just make sure not to over cook and make it mushy.

Recently after trying vangi bath with bisi bele bath powder in different ways, I thought I should post this version soon in my website.

capsicum rice | Easy lunch box recipe — Easy lunch box idea – Capsicum rice

Cooking rice

How to cook seeraga samba rice?

Here’s how I cook seeraga samba rice in pressure cooker:

Measure 1 cup seeraga samba rice firstly and take it in a container.

Wash rice in water well 3 times or until the water or until water runs clear.

I added 2 cups water (for soft rice). If you want more firmer rice, you can use 1 & ½ cups water for 1 cup rice.
Let it soak 10 minutes minimum.
Place inside a pressure cooker and cook in pot in pot method. That is add 1 & ½ cups water to the pressure cooker. Add required salt. Place a trivet and over it, place the rice vessel.

pressure cook for 3-4 whistles in medium flame. I usually put the flame to medium after 1st whistle.

Let the pressure release naturally and then open the cooker.

Invert the rice over a broad vessel. Drizzle a teaspoon of ghee or sesame oil.
Fluff at 2-3 places gently. Let it cool, initially it may look sticky but as it cools it will be all right.
Use in the recipe.

Storage

It is perfect for lunch box and leftovers can be stored in fridge and consumed within next day. Keep the leftover as soon as it is cooled, do not leave it long time in counter top and then refrigerate.

Variations

You can use store bought bisibelebath powder or homemade. Some brands sell as vangi bath powder too, you can use it as well.

Use a tablespoon of tamarind pulp or ½ of a lemon’s juice in the recipe while adding water.

Related posts

Recipe card

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Easy capsicum rice

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian, South Indian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Servings 4

Equipments (Amazon Affiliate links)

pressure cooker

Cup measurements

Ingredients

1 cup rice used seeraga samba rice (refer above for cooking instructions)
1.5 cups Capsicum cubed I used color capsicums
2 tablespoon Bisi bele bath powder I used GRB or refer recipe link above
1 Tomato chopped
¼ teaspoon Turmeric
½ teaspoon Jaggery
Salt as needed

To temper

2 tablespoon oil
½ teaspoon mustard
1 teaspoon urad dal
1 teaspoon Chana dal
3 tablespoon Peanuts
⅛ teaspoon Asafoetida
2 Green chillies slit
1 sprig Curry leaves

Instructions

Gather all ingredients ready firstly. Heat a pan with oil. Splutter mustard, then all ingredients under to temper table in order.

½ teaspoon mustard, 1 teaspoon urad dal, 1 teaspoon Chana dal, 3 tablespoon Peanuts, ⅛ teaspoon Asafoetida, 2 Green chillies, 1 sprig Curry leaves
After that, add cubed capsicum and tomato with a sprinkle of salt. Give it a mix.
Add ½ cup water.
In goes turmeric and Bisi bele bath powder.
Give it a mix and cook covered in low flame for 3-4 minutes.
Once done it will be shiny and flavorful.
Now add this to cooked rice.
Mix gently and serve.

Video

Notes

Leftover rice can be used.
You can add some lemon juice or tamarind juice along water for a nice tangy twist.
Depending on the bisi bele bath powder brand, the amount may slightly vary.
You can use ghee instead of oil.
Garnish with coriander leaves if you like.