Capsicum Fried Rice is a vibrant, flavorful dish that’s perfect for busy weeknights or casual gatherings. With its enticing blend of capsicum (bell pepper), aromatic spices, and a hint of coconut, this recipe will tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving for more.
About the Recipe
If you’re looking for a fun twist on fried rice that’s both nutritious and delicious, this Capsicum Fried Rice is a must-try. It’s a beautiful harmony of Indian flavors, textures, and colors that will have you craving more with every bite. Plus, it’s an excellent way to sneak in some veggies.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
There are so many reasons to love this Capsicum Fried Rice. First, it’s incredibly flavorful thanks to the blend of warm spices like mustard seeds, curry leaves, and green chilies. Then, there’s the satisfying crunch from the bell peppers and peanuts. And let’s not forget the zesty pop of lemon juice and the creamy richness of grated coconut. It’s a party for your taste buds.
Capsicum Fried Rice
Cooking Tips
For the best Capsicum Fried Rice, use day-old rice that’s had time to dry out a bit – it’ll prevent the grains from sticking together. And be sure to fry the spices first to release their aroma before adding the other ingredients. Oh, and don’t skip the coconut garnish – it adds such a lovely sweetness.
Serving and Storing Suggestions
This Capsicum Fried Rice makes a wonderful main dish for 2-3 people or a tasty side for 4-6. Total prep time is around 30 minutes. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 2-3 days – just reheat with a splash of water or broth.
Similar Recipes
- Vegetable Fried Rice
- Mushroom Fried Rice
- Egg Fried Rice
- Pineapple Fried Rice
- Thai Basil Fried Rice
Nutrient Benefits
Not only is this dish bursting with flavor, but it’s also packed with nutrition. Bell peppers provide vitamins A and C, capsicum supplies antioxidants, and rice offers fiber, protein, and energy-boosting complex carbs. The peanuts and coconut add healthy fats too. All in all, a delicious and nourishing meal.
Capsicum Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup Rice
- 1/2 cup Capsicum, chopped (any colour or a combination)
- 2 Green Chillies
- 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
- 1/2 tsp Urad Dal
- 15 Peanuts
- Curry Leaves (few)
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 spoon Coriander Leaves
- 2 Coconut (grated)
- 1/4 tsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Lemon Juice
- Salt to Taste
- Oil (as required)
Instructions
- Pressure cook the rice and keep it aside to cool.
- Rice should not stick together.
- To a pan, heat oil in medium flame.
- Add the urad dal, mustard seeds and fry.
- Add the peanuts, curry leaves and green chillies.
- When they are roasted well, add the capsicum, turmeric powder, sugar and salt to taste.
- When they are cooked, add the rice, coriander leaves, lemon juice and grated coconut and stir well.
- When they are mixed thoroughly, remove from flame.
- Serve hot.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different vegetable instead of capsicum?
Without a doubt. This recipe is very flexible. Carrots, green beans, broccoli or even corn kernels would make delicious alternatives or additions to the capsicum.
My rice turned out mushy. What went wrong?
Using freshly cooked, hot rice often leads to mushy fried rice. It’s best to use cooled, day-old rice that has had a chance to dry out slightly. This gives you those beautiful separate grains.
Is this dish spicy?
It has a subtle kick from the green chilies, but you can easily adjust the heat level to your taste. For a milder version, remove the seeds from the chilies or use fewer chilies.
Can I use brown rice instead of white rice?
Yes, brown rice works great too. Just be mindful that brown rice takes longer to cook through, so you may need to sauté it a bit longer with the veggie mixture.
How can I make this dish vegan/vegetarian?
This recipe is already vegetarian as written. To make it vegan, merely omit the ghee/oil used for tempering and sauté the spices in a bit of vegetable or nut oil instead.
