Skip to main content

Capsicum Rice - Bell Pepper Rice - Easy Lunch Box Recipes

Capsicum (Bell Pepper) rice - colourful rice with three different coloured capsicums. This capsicum rice recipe uses a very simple list of ingredients - onions, capsicums, green chillies and coriander leaves. To flavour the rice, a few spices, ginger garlic paste and a teaspoon of garam masala powder are added. This colourful rice is great for family get together, potluck and also for your kids lunch boxes.




The first step in this dish, is we have to cook the rice separately in an open vessel with a good amount of water and drain the water completely. This method helps to cook the rice fluffy and not sticky. Basmati rice is a better choice for this dish. After cooking the rice, spread the rice on a plate and allow them to cool down completely. The key to cook the capsicums perfectly is to saute it with little oil or butter on high heat just for a few minutes. I prefer to have a crunchy capsicum slices in any of the dishes prepared with capsicums. In addition to capsicums, you can also add fried panner cubes to attract your kids. Now let's see how to prepare this capsicum rice with step by step instructions.



Similar Recipes



Capsicum Rice Recipe Details


Print Friendly and PDF
Prep time : 20 minutes
Cook time : 15 minutes
Serves : 3
Category : rice varieties
Author : Muthulakshmi Madhavakrishnan

Ingredients
  • 1 cup basmati rice
  • 1 onion
  • 1/4 cup sliced green capsicum
  • 1/4 cup sliced red capsicum
  • 1/4 cup sliced yellow capsicum
  • 2 green chillies
  • 2 tsp ginger garlic paste
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 small piece cinnamon
  • 2 cloves
  • 2 cardamom
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala powder
  • few coriander leaves
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • salt to taste

Cooking Directions
  1. Wash the capsicums and remove the seeds. Slice the capsicums and onions. Slit the green chillies.
  2. Wash the basmati rice and soak the rice with 1/2 cup of water for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, drain the water. Heat 4 cups of water in a vessel and add the soaked rice. Cook the rice on medium heat.
  3. When the rice has cooked, drain the water completely and allow the rice to cool down.
  4. Heat a wide kadai on medium heat and add the butter. When it starts to melt, add the bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and cumins.
  5. When you get a nice aroma from the spices, add the sliced onions and green chillies.
  6. Saute it well until the onions turn soft, and add the ginger garlic paste. Stir it well and saute until the raw smell of the ginger garlic disappears.Next, add the sliced capsicums and stir it well.
  7. When the capsicums start to turn soft, add the turmeric powder and garam masala powder. Mix it well.
  8. Reduce the heat to low and add the cooked rice and required salt. Mix them gently until the rice has incorporated well with the capsicums and the masalas.Finally, add the chopped coriander leaves and lemon juice and transfer the rice to the serving dish.


Capsicum Rice with step by step photos 

 Wash the capsicums and remove the seeds. Slice the capsicums and onions. Slit the green chillies.

Wash the basmati rice and soak the rice with 1/2 cup of water for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, drain the water. Heat 4 cups of water in a vessel and add the soaked rice. Cook the rice on medium heat.

 When the rice has cooked, drain the water completely and allow the rice to cool down.

 Heat a wide kadai on medium heat and add the butter.

 When it starts to melt, add the bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and cumins.

 When you get a nice aroma from the spices, add the sliced onions and green chillies.

Saute it well until the onions turn soft, and add the ginger garlic paste. Stir it well and saute until the raw smell of the ginger garlic disappears.

 Next, add the sliced capsicums and stir it well.

When the capsicums start to turn soft, add the turmeric powder and garam masala powder.

Stir and saute it well for a few minutes on high heat.

Reduce the heat to low and add the cooked rice and required salt.

Mix them gently until the rice has incorporated well with the capsicums and the masalas. Finally, add the chopped coriander leaves and lemon juice and transfer the rice to the serving dish.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Quick Paneer Masala - 15 minute Paneer Gravy - Easy Paneer Masala

Quick Paneer Masala - this homemade restaurant style paneer masala is one of my most frequently made gravy recipes. It's perfect with chapathi, poori, nann and also for pulao varieties. Fresh tomatoes help to  make the best gravy, especially when you use red ripe tomatoes. What makes this quick paneer masala easy to make and why it calls for 15 minute gravy is because instead of pureeing the tomatoes, it's made with ground tomato paste. For paneer butter masala, we blanch the tomatoes and then made into puree. But I want to prepare a quick gravy with simple process. During the summer season, I like to prepare gravy and sambar with a shortcut.This quick paneer masala is one of the best 15 minute gravy recipes for beginners and also for busy mothers. I am actually really excited about this gravy because this paneer masala is made without any artificial colours, fresh cream. It has a delicious flavour with a smooth, creamy gravy.    Tips for the best Paneer masala Use fresh ...

Collection of Poriyal & Thoran - South Indian Vegetable Side Dishes for Lunch

Every day we prepare two varieties of vegetable side dishes for our lunch. Among those two varieties there must be a poriyal dish and the other one is kootu, aviyal or varuval. Varieties of poriyal  dishes are countless with our seasonal vegetables. As I said in my poriyal or thuvaram dishes, we add the ground coconut mixture prepared with coconut, small onions, garlic cloves and red chilly or green chilly. This unique coconut paste is often used in our poriyal or thuvaram dishes. Some prefer to add grated coconut or desiccated coconut powder for poriyal dishes. I actually don't like poriyal dishes made without any flavours. For me, poriyal must have a mix of flavours with perfect textures. We usually precook the vegetables in a vessel (except for keerai poriyal) and then we saute it with the tempering ingredients and finished with our coconut mixture. If you find it difficult to precook the vegetables, you can prepare as you like. But actually pre cooking the ...

Carrot Capsicum Stir Fry - Low Calorie Side Dish Recipes

Carrot Capsicum Stir Fry - another low calorie side dish for chapathi and rice. You can prepare this healthy side dish within 10 minutes. Last year during lockdown I prepared many sabji recipes for the Aval Vikatan magazine. This carrot capsicum stir fry is also one among those dishes and l often prepare this stir fry for our dinner. In addition to carrot and capsicum, you can also add boiled cauliflower, potato and broccoli. The crushed cumin pepper powder gives a nice flavour to this dish. There is no need for any other extra masala powders for this recipe. Made with a few simple ingredients and this will be your favourite 10 minute side dish. If you cook the capsicums correctly, it brings out their unique flavour and you can absolutely enjoy this dish as a salad. If you don't crush the cumin pepper you can also add chat masala powder.  Check out my other low calorie recipes here Low calorie Black Chana Masala Sprouts and Mushroom Dal Green Moong Dal Sabji Easy Dal Dal Fry  ...

Street Style Sundal Masala Recipe - Perfect Evening Snack - Vandikadai Sundal Masala

Cozy up with a warm and comforting bowl of street style sundal masala, perfect for the winter season. This flavorful evening snack is made with a combination of green and yellow peas, cooked in an aromatic gravy. To prepare this dish, soak the peas for 7-9 hours, then pressure cook until soft. The magic lies in the ground masala, featuring onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, coriander leaves, and mint leaves. Add a blend of chilly powder, kuzhambu chilly powder, and garam masala powder to elevate the flavor. Finish with a sprinkle of chat masala and a garnish of chopped onions, grated carrot, and coriander leaves. Now let's see the detailed recipe to prepare this mouthwatering Sundal Masala gravy.  Check out my other Evening Snacks Recipes Vazhaikkai (Plantain) Bajji  Cauliflower Fry    Nullikai urundai - Urid dal balls Kara Vadai -  Pattani Paruppu (Yellow Split Peas) Bonda Sabudana Vada -  Javarisi Vadai Ulundha Vada  Tapioca Bonda  Urad dal Bonda...

Tirunelveli Kootanchoru - Mixed vegetables rice with dals and spices

Kootanchoru is a popular lunch dish from Tirunelveli. This is our family favourite rice and it is rich in nutrients as it contains lots of vegetables and dals. We prepare this rice frequently for special events and family get togethers.  In most of Tirunelveli dishes we use small onions, garlic, coconut and generous amount of jeera. In this dish also we have used coconut small onion paste and good amount of fresh vegetables. We add commonly used vegetables such as raw banana, brinjals, drumsticks, carrots, beans and potatoes. I have learned this recipe from my grandma. She taught me with her some useful tips and techniques about how to cook, when to add the ingredients and how to choose the correct vegetables. My son named as Tirunelveli biriyani for this rice.  Now let's see how to prepare this kootanchoru with step by step photos.   Here is a short video for Tirunelveli Kootanchoru

Street Style Vegetable Fried Rice - Quick Recipe of Veg Fried Rice Street Food Style

Today we are going to see an interesting street style vegetable fried rice with simple cooking techniques. For the past twenty years, vegetable fried rice and pani puri have been a favourite food for many of us. Everywhere we can see, these two dishes are the stars of the street food. One day during our trip to Tirumala, I learnt this street style vegetable fried rice from a street food vendor. He prepared varieties of fried rice within a few minutes, very casually. As he was preparing, I saw exactly how it was done. There's something magical about eating hot fried rice on the streets.The sound of the street vendors tossing the tang tang with their wok is always enjoyable to me. How to make street style vegetable fried rice in your home kitchen  You can use basmati rice or long grain rice. Always prefer the open pot method to cook the rice for fried rice. The texture will be perfect with less stickiness. Brands such as Unity and India Gate are perfect for fried rice.  You can ...

Bottle Gourd Kootu - Easy and Healthy Bottle Gourd Kootu Recipe - Quick Pressure Cooker Method With Fresh Coconut Masala

If you're looking for a healthy and flavorful South Indian dish, this bottle gourd kootu recipe is a must-try! Made with tender bottle gourd (lauki), protein-rich dals, and a fresh coconut masala, this simple kootu is not just delicious but also packed with nutrition. It’s light enough to enjoy as a salad and hearty enough to serve as a side dish with rice or chapati. Known for its cooling properties, bottle gourd is one of the best vegetables for summer, helping with hydration and digestion. This easy pressure cooker kootu comes together in minutes and is perfect for anyone who loves traditional, healthy South Indian food. Whether you're craving a quick lunch, a vegan side, or a refreshing Indian salad recipe, this kootu is sure to become a favorite! Let’s see some important tips for making perfect kootu. If you want your kootu recipe to be simple yet super delicious, it's all about using the right techniques rather than following tough methods. First point: Always rinse t...

Tomato green chilly chutney - Tomato chutney with green chillies - Side dish for Idli, Dosa and Ven Pongal

In most of our houses we prepare either coconut chutney with red chillies or green chillies as an accompaniment for idlies and dosas. Sometimes these two chutneys are really boring on regular rotations. One day my Chithi(aunt) taught me this different tomato chutney with green chillies. Normally for tomato chutney we add dried red chillies or red chilly powder, but in this dish the tomatoes are cooked along with green chillies and then made into a paste. The paste is further sauted with onions and flavoured with little sambar powder. The combination of the green chillies and tomatoes pair each other perfectly and perfect side dish for idly, dosa, pongal and upma.    Checkout my other recipes with tomatoes.  Tomato Onion Thokku Tomato  Rasam Tomato Sabji Tomato Pasta Tomato Thokku Tomato Millet rice Tomato Jam  Spicy Tomato Rice  Tomato Dosa  Tomato Coconut Chutney   Tomato Kurma  Tomato Rice   Tomato chutney  ...

Rajma Sweet Corn Salad with Curd Dressing - Healthy Protein-Rich Salad

If you’re looking for a light, refreshing, and protein-rich salad, this Rajma Sweet Corn Salad is the perfect choice! Almost 19 years ago, when we were in California, I used to enjoy the Chipotle burrito rice bowl. It was a wholesome meal with black-eyed peas, long grain rice, sweet corn, sour cream, guacamole, and tossed capsicum onion slices(fajita). Among all the Italian, Mexican, and Chinese restaurants I tried in the US, that Chipotle burrito bowl has always been my all-time favorite. Recently, when I prepared this Rajma Sweet Corn Salad with curd dressing, the taste immediately reminded me of that burrito bowl I loved so much. The combination of rajma and sweet corn with the creamy curd dressing brought back those nostalgic flavors in a healthier, Indian-inspired way. Rajma (kidney beans) takes a little longer to cook than other legumes like chickpeas or peanuts, but the effort is worth it. With the sweetness of corn, the crunch of fresh veggies, and the tangy curd dressing, this...

Millet Veg Noodles - Vegetable Ragi Millet Noodles - Siruthaniyam Noodles

Vegetable ragi millet noodles recipe with step-by-step instructions. Recently I bought this ragi millet noodles from mothers millets brand in a supermarket. They have a wide range of millet noodles, red rice noodles and many more.  I haven't tried any millet noodles and this year is the international year of millets and I wanted to take this as a chance to cook and post different millet recipes to share with you all. I tried this ragi vegetable noodles with the colourful vegetables as we add it for our regular vegetable noodles. As it's my first time, I have added their tastemaker maker given in their pack. I haven't added any other sauces and masala powders. It came out really good and it can be prepared easily within 20 minutes.  Check out my other tiffin recipes here Idli Black urid dal Dosa Pearl Milet Dosa - Kambu Dosa Aapam - Aapam without yeast  Ragi flour Upma Arisi Upma Poori Bottlegourd Adai Pepper dosa - Milagu Adai Rava Upma Semiya Upma   Rava Dosa V...