It was a Sunday morning get-together in my newly appointed flat overlooking the Calcutta Lakes where quite a few members of my husband’s family had gathered to choose a gift item for my septuagenarian father-in-law his coming birthday. Incidentally, the old man is very fond of smoking pipe tobacco.
Other breakfast and snacks recipes you may like: Suji Kachori, vegetable Poha Cutlet, Bread Uttapam, Bread Dhokla Sandwich, Khandvi recipe, etc.
However, the session soon ended when it was unanimously decided that the gift item for this year would a well-chosen briar smoking pipe along with a pouch of Full Aroma Amphora pipe tobacco, when brother-in-law Sunil added that he will provide a table model Ronson™ windproof butane lighter for his father on his 75th birthday.
Once the decision had been made, the selection committee shifted its attention to more pressing issue in hand, such as breakfast for all that led to mayhem of sorts. While some members of the committee hollered for Aloo Tamatar Ka Jhol, another asked for Southern style Okra. Interestingly enough, when the murmuring from some quarter went in favour of Jeera Vegetables and Indian Stir Fry and sundry other breakfast items, the situation was saved by my daughter Riva whose idea of a perfect breakfast consisted of a tasty dish of Besan Shimla Mirch ( Capsicum with Gram Flour).
My mother-in-law who was also present in that memorable meeting, rose to the occasion by addressing the gathering, “ Reshu, my darling daughter-in-law,” she announced, “Not only cooks this dish far better than anyone else, but is fully conversant with of many other such dishes, being the owner of a cutting edge recipe website known as MINTRECIPE.” “Go and check for yourself if you do not believe me,” she implored. “Look for the site officially owned by Reshu Drolia,” was her final comment, before entering the kitchen to help me prepare Besan Shimla Mirch.
Besan Shimla Mirch, also known as Besan Wali Shimla Mirch, by the way, is an excellent dish made with capsicum and besan or gram flour. However, to enhance the flavour as well as to provide a smoky aroma, the besan is often dry roasted beforehand. Apart from being quite tasty and appetizing, Besan Shimla Mirch is also rich in vitamin C and vegetable protein.
It is quite easy to cook too. In fact, the preparation of Besan Shimla Mirch involves chopping of the bell peppers in julienne size and slicing the onions, to begin with. You then need to heat 3-4 teaspoons of oil in a kadai and then tempering with cumin seeds. As the cooking progresses, add curry leaves, green chillies, sliced onions and sauté till translucent.
Now add the chopped bell peppers and saute for 7-8 minutes. Once the peppers start to shrink, add the chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well and saute for 5-6 minutes.
Then add 1 tablespoon gram flour and stir well till it is absorbed by the peppers. Stir vigorously to prevent formation of lumps. When fully cooked, remove from fire and serve hot with aloo paratha.
Needless to say, I earned universal acclaim on that wonderful Sunday, everybody praising my culinary accomplishments.
- 2 medium sized Capsicum diced and deseeded
- ½ cup gram flour besan
- ¼ tsp fennel seed
- ¼ tsp fenugreek seed
- ¼ tsp Asafoetida
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp Coriander powder
- ¼ tsp Red chilly powder
- 1/2 tsp Mango powder
- ¼ tsp Garam masala
- Heat oil in a pan, when the oil becomes little hot add fenugreek seed, fennel seed and asafetida.
- Add besan/gramflour and dry roast it on low flame for 2-3 minutes. Keep on stirring while roasting so that besan does not get burn. Do not roast besan for a longer time as it gets bitter so roast it till you get nice aroma.
- Once the besan get roasted put the diced capsicum, salt to taste and mix it well.
- Add little water and mix it well again.
- Cover the lid and cook the capsicum for few minutes. To get the better taste let the capsicum be little crunchy so do not cook covered for a longer time.
- After 3-4 minutes uncovered the lid and mix all the spices- mango powder, red chilly powder, coriander powder and garam masala. Mix all the ingredients and cook on medium high flame for 2-3 minutes till all the spices blends well with the capsicum and besan.
- Besan Shimla mirch is ready to serve.
- Serve hot with roti, Parantha.
To make the cooking fast I have covered the lid but you can also cook the capsicum without covering the lid.
You can also add the roasted besan/gram flour at last with the capsicum but this method is easy for me and it taste really nice.
How to make Besan wali Shimla Mirch:
- Heat oil in a pan, when the oil becomes little hot add fenugreek seed, fennel seed and asafetida.
- Add besan/gramflour and dry roast it on low flame for 2-3 minutes. Keep on stirring while roasting so that besan does not get burn. Do not roast besan for a longer time as it gets bitter so roast it till you get nice aroma.
- Once the besan get roasted put the diced capsicum, salt to taste and mix it well.
- Add little water and mix it well again.
- Cover the lid and cook the capsicum for few minutes. To get the better taste let the capsicum be little crunchy so do not cook covered for a longer time.
- After 3-4 minutes uncovered the lid and mix all the spices- mango powder, red chilly powder, coriander powder and garam masala. Mix all the ingredients and cook on medium high flame for 2-3 minutes till all the spices blends well with the capsicum and besan.
- Besan Shimla mirch is ready to serve.
- Serve hot with roti, Parantha.
Note:
- To make the cooking fast I have covered the lid but you can also cook the capsicum without covering the lid.
- You can also add the roasted besan/gram flour at last with the capsicum but this method is easy for me and it taste really nice.
Leave a Reply