Dry Aloo Capsicum (Aloo Shimla Mirch) is an Indian stir fry made using potatoes and green bell peppers. Serve it for lunch or dinner with dal and roti or pack for lunch boxes with paratha (vegan, can be made gluten-free).

About Aloo Capsicum

Dry Aloo Capsicum (Aloo Shimla Mirch) is a spicy, tangy, and savory Indian stir fry, where potatoes and green bell peppers (capsicum) are cooked along with onions, ginger garlic paste, tomatoes, and basic everyday spice powders.

It is a vegan sabji that gets ready in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for quick weekday meals. Aloo Shimla Mirch is also a great dish to pack in lunch boxes with hot and flaky tawa parathas.

You can skip potatoes and make this sabzi only with capsicum. You can use sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes. They will give a slight hint of sweetness to the sabzi.

This aloo capsicum recipe can be easily doubled or tripled.

Here are some more potato sabji recipes

• Aloo Methi Sabzi
• Aloo Gobi
• Aloo Matar
• Aloo Bhindi
• Aloo Posto

Ingredients

Potatoes – Use any variety of available potatoes. If you use baby potatoes, peel them and cut them in half.

Keep the cubed potatoes soaked in water until adding them to the skillet; otherwise, they will turn black from oxidation.

Capsicum – This sabzi uses green capsicum (green bell peppers). I have diced the green peppers, but you can cut them into long strips too.

Although this aloo capsicum sabzi recipe is made using green bell peppers, you can use any color of bell pepper to make it.

Oil – I have used sunflower oil, but you can cook this sabzi in mustard oil, olive oil, or ghee (clarified butter).

Spice Powders – To flavor the sabzi, you will need some basic spice powders such as coriander powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder, and dry mango powder (amchoor).

Others – You will also need asafetida (hing), cumin seeds, onions, ginger-garlic paste, and tomatoes to make aloo shimla mirch ki sabji.

Skip adding asafetida for a gluten-free version.

Add a little garam masala powder and Kasuri methi at the end of the cooking for more flavors.

How To Make Aloo Capsicum

Heat 3 tablespoon oil in a medium-sized pan over medium-high heat.

Once the oil is hot, add ¼ teaspoon asafetida and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and let them crackle for 3-4 seconds.

Add 1 cup chopped onions and 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add 1 cup peeled and cubed potatoes (½-inch cubes) and mix well.

Reduce the heat to low.

Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook until the potatoes are slightly tender (6-8 minutes). Stir a few times while cooking.

Splash a tablespoon of water if the potatoes are getting burned.

Remove the lid and add

• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
• ½ teaspoon salt

to the pan and mix well.

Add 1 cup finely chopped tomatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes until the tomatoes are mushy.

Add 1 cup diced green bell peppers (½-inch pieces) and mix well.

Cover the pan again and cook on low heat for another 8-10 minutes.

Remove the lid. Add ½ teaspoon dry mango powder and mix well.

Check for salt and add more if needed.

Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Serving Suggestions

I love to serve aloo shimla mirch ki sabzi with a simple dal (Toor Dal or Yellow Moong Dal), phulka, and a refreshing bowl of raita for my everyday meals.

When packing it for the lunch box, I pack it along with plain tawa paratha.

Aloo shimla mirch tastes great with dal rice, sambar rice, or kadhi rice. You can also serve it with Indian flatbread such as bhakri, jowar roti, ragi roti.

You can also use the leftover sabzi to make wraps, kathi rolls, sandwiches, or stuff in dosa or parathas.

Storage Suggestions

Aloo Capsicum Sabzi will last in the fridge for 4 to 5 days when stored in an airtight container.

If you reheat it in a microwave or pan, heat only the amount you want to serve. Reheating again and again can decrease its shelf life.