Bell Pepper Rice

My MIL made this rice last week. I make bell pepper / capsicum rice too but in a regular fried rice way. But this is something new which she made. She used a masala powder (homemade) to finish this rice. Here goes the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Basmati Rice - 2 cups
2. Bell Pepper/Capsicum - 1 1/2 cups (chopped)
3. Onion - 1 medium sized (chopped)
4. Green Peas - 1/2 cup ( she used frozen)
5. Butter/Oil - 2 tbsp 
6. coconut oil - 1 tsp
7. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
8. urad dhall - 2 tsp
9. channa dhall -  1 tsp
10. fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
11. Green chillies - 2
12. Turmeric powder - 3/4 tsp
13. Salt to taste
14. coriander leaves - for garnishing

Masala:-

1. Coriander - 3 tbsp
2. channa dhall -2 tbsp
3. Urad dhall - 2 tbsp
4. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
5. fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
6. White sesame seeds - 1 tsp
7. Cardamom - 1
8. Clove -3
9. Cinnamon stick - 3 small pieces
10. Red chillies - 3 (acc to taste)
11. peanuts - 3 tbsp (optional - toasted)

Soak Basmati rice in water for half an hour. Take a pan, sprinkle a drop of oil/butter and fry the ingredients one by one to golden brown,  given for masala and let it cool and grind it into coarse powder. Keep it aside. Meanwhile, in the same pan, add one table spoon oil or butter. Add mustard seeds. When it crackles, add the urad dhall, channa dhall, fenugreek seeds &green chillies. Fry it till it becomes golden brown.  Add the chopped onion to it and fry it for few seconds. Add the chopped bell pepper, green peas to it and fry it for couple of minutes adding turmeric powder and required amount of salt (for both rice & masala) in medium flame.  Drain the basmati rice fully and add it to the ingredients and fry it for a minute. Transfer everything to a pressure cooker and add required amount of water and let it cook upto 2 whistles. ++ . When the pressure is released, open the cooker,  add the grounded coarse powder to it, remaining oil or butter, coconut oil and mix it with the rice. Make sure you don't break the grains. Enjoy the rice with onion raita & potato chips.

++ - In this stage, my MIL added required amount of water (1:1 1/4) directly in the pan and cooked the rice directly in the pan. I am not good in doing that process, so I have mentioned my way of cooking the rice. If you are confident enough to cook the rice in the pan, you can do so.

Bell Pepper Rice

I have never tried this bell pepper (capsicum) rice before. Bought all the three colors bell peppers this weekend and wanted to try this one. Here is the recipe I followed to make this rice.

Ingredients:-

1. Bell Pepper (green, yellow and red) - 1 cup (finely chopped)
2. Onion - 1 (finely chopped)
3. Garlic - 1 (finely chopped)
4. Green chillies - 2 (finely chopped)
5. Ginger - a small Piece (finely chopped)
6. Unsalted butter - 2 tsp
7. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
8. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
9. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
10. Cashews - 1 tsp
11. Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp (finely chopped)
12. Basmati Rice - 1 cup
13. Salt to taste
    

First wash and soak rice for 10 mts. After 10 mts drain it fully and keep it aside. Now take a pan, pre heat unsalted butter, splutter mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Add asafoetida powder and cashews. Fry it till golden brown. Now add chopped green chillies, ginger, garlic and onion one by one and fry it till it becomes transparent. Now add the bell peppers and stir it for another 5 to 7 mts. Now add the drained rice and saute for couple of minutes. Now transfer these ingredients to a pressure cooker. Add 2 cups of water (1:2 ratio), required amount of salt and pressure cook it upto 2 whistles. Open the cooker when the pressure is released and garnish it with coriander leaves. Serve it hot with onion raita.

Priti has tagged me for a meme which I have already posted it here.