Capsicum Besan Sabji Recipe
Capsicum besan sabji (also called besan shimla mirch) is a dry North Indian side dish made by cooking crunchy capsicum (green bell pepper) with roasted gram flour and everyday spices. Make it using my easy recipe.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 400 grams capsicum (green bell peppers)
- 4 tablespoons besan (chickpea flour, gram flour)
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon hing (asafetida)
- 2 teaspoons chopped green chilies
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon amchur (dry mango powder)
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (fresh coriander)
Instructions
- Prep the capsicum. Rinse the bell peppers. Halve, deseed, and dice them into ¾-inch pieces. Larger chunks keep their crunch.
- Roast the besan. Add besan to a dry pan over low heat. Stir continuously for 5-6 minutes until it turns a shade darker and smells nutty. Transfer it to a plate immediately; otherwise, it will keep cooking in a hot pan. Do not skip or rush this step. Raw besan tastes chalky and bitter, and no amount of cooking with the peppers fully fixes it.
- Make the tempering. Heat oil in the same pan in which you roasted the besan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, hing, and green chilies, then sauté for 5 seconds.
- Add the capsicum. Add the diced capsicum and salt to the pan. Stir-fry on medium-high heat for 2 minutes.
- Cook the capsicum. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring once. The peppers should turn just tender but still hold a bite. Do not add water; capsicum releases enough moisture on its own.
- Add the spices. Uncover the pan. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and amchur. Mix well and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the roasted besan. Sprinkle the roasted besan over the peppers, one tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition. This prevents clumps. Cook uncovered for 2-3 minutes, stirring gently, until the besan coats every piece and looks dry and crumbly.
- Finish and serve. Switch off the heat. Garnish with cilantro. Serve hot.
Roast besan on low heat, always. Slow roasting develops the deep, nutty flavor this sabji is known for.
Keep the capsicum crunchy. Overcooked peppers become soggy and release water, which makes the besan paste runny. Slightly tender with a bite is the goal.
Spice generously. Besan mellows every spice it touches, so this sabji needs a heavier hand than your usual dry sabji.
Sabji looking too dry? Drizzle a teaspoon of hot oil over it and toss. Never sprinkle water; it turns the besan gummy.
Cook uncovered after adding besan. Trapped steam is the fastest route to a sticky, lumpy sabji.
Nutrition
Calories: 120kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 615mg | Potassium: 262mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 529IU | Vitamin C: 81mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg
